The Great Acceleration,a period marked by a surge in negative environmental impacts resulting from human activities – began in the second half of the 20th century. This acceleration has unfolded alongside rapid economic growth, within a model of production and consumption that leads to climate issues challenging humanity’s place on the planet.
Discussions surrounding proposals such as the “Great Reset” and universal basic income challenge the prevailing capitalist logic. There is a quest for solutions that sustain high economic levels without the environmental problems we currently face – leveraging widespread cutting-edge technologies to decouple growth from environmental impact, a shift that evokes the more hopeful concept of the “noosphere.”
In a somewhat paradoxical turn, there is a need to harmonize the dynamics between the Global North and the Global South. This is essential to mitigate the externalities that are already troubling wealthy nations, as they struggle to keep the consequences of their high-consumption lifestyles at bay.
