Earlier Versions & Additional Material by Jonathan Cloud on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 in Introductory • 0 Comments https://ppbook.atg-host.com/ (“https://ppbook.atg-host.com”) A Possible Planet The Book A Possible Planet: Preface A Possible Planet: Introduction Starting in the Middle Contents Introduction: The Earth in Our Hands Chapter 1: What’s Now Possible Chapter 2: Turning Points in Our Thinking about the Earth Chapter 3: Earth Awareness Chapter 4: Transforming Our Collective Subconscious Chapter 5: Abandoning the Dream of Modernity Chapter 6: What’s Regenerative Notes Chapter 12: Practical Applications https://appbook.shbn.net/ Introduction Preface https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1SRXlEMGs-Rh1nln_ckE2qt8Jl2sK4Xk- https://docs.google.com/document/d/10anbRAtxbm8CPerdcBn2AmkbPB9UUyx5DnjUrW7Ut-w/edit?tab=t.0 Possible Planet: Pathways to a Habitable Future (January 2025) Introduction: This is a book about where we choose to stand, both as individuals and as a human species, at this critical juncture in our planet’s history. Both literally and metaphorically, where we stand largely determines what we can see—and what we are likely to do. Our dominant ideologies, paradigms, mindsets, and unconscious assumptions are leading us toward ecological catastrophe. Only a profound reorientation in our thinking can lead us to see a way forward through an increasingly narrow opening into a sustainable future. Humanity stands at a pivotal moment in Earth’s history, where our choices will determine the future habitability of our planet. Our perspective—both literal and metaphorical—shapes our understanding and actions. While human achievements in architecture, literature, science, and technology are remarkable, the past few centuries, particularly the last seventy to eighty years, have seen us inflict significant harm on Earth’s systems. Recent analyses, such as the Planetary Health Check led by Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, reveal that human activities have breached six of the nine planetary boundaries. These boundaries include climate change, biodiversity loss, and the overuse of natural resources, which have pushed Earth’s systems into a state of global unsustainability. Compounding this, scientists warn of over 25 critical climate tipping points—thresholds beyond which environmental changes become self-perpetuating and potentially irreversible. Surpassing these tipping points could lead to catastrophic shifts, making it exceedingly difficult to restore the stable climate and rich biodiversity that have supported human civilization. Efforts to reduce carbon emissions, while essential, are too little too late. To avert the worst outcomes, a comprehensive regeneration of Earth’s biosphere is imperative. This book explores pathways to a habitable future, emphasizing the restoration of nature and the revitalization of healthy ecosystems and bioregions. Our perspective has evolved over several decades of working on energy and the environment, through both for-profit and nonprofit efforts, stints in government and academia, Outline of “Possible Planet: Pathways to a Habitable Future” Introduction: Where We Are Today Overview of humanity’s current position and the critical choices ahead. The State of the Planet Examination of the breached planetary boundaries and their implications. Discussion on climate tipping points and the urgency they present. The Inadequacy of Emission Reductions Alone Analysis of current carbon reduction efforts and their limitations. The necessity for a broader approach beyond emissions. The Imperative of Biosphere Regeneration Importance of restoring ecosystems and biodiversity. Case studies of successful regeneration projects. Community Resilience and Localized Efforts Role of local communities in fostering resilience. Strategies for community-led environmental initiatives. Bioregionalism: A Framework for Restoration Introduction to bioregionalism and its principles. How bioregional approaches can guide sustainable living. Innovative Solutions and Technologies Exploration of emerging technologies aiding regeneration. Balancing technological intervention with ecological principles. √ Harnessing the power of AI for a better planet. Policy and Governance for a Sustainable Future The role of policy in driving large-scale environmental change. Examples of effective and ineffective environmental governance. Individual Actions and Collective Impact Empowering individuals to contribute to planetary health. Building a global movement for change. Envisioning a Habitable Future Imagining the possibilities of a regenerated Earth. Steps to transition from vision to reality. This structure aims to guide readers through the complexities of our current environmental challenges and illuminate pathways toward a sustainable and habitable future. Recent Developments in Climate Science and Policy TIME Planet Earth Is in Critical Condition. These are the Steps the World Must Take to Change That 95 days ago Sources Original Prompt Help me write the introductory chapter and then further outline of “Possible Planet: Pathways to a Habitable Future.” This book is about where we choose to stand, as individuals and as a species, at a critical moment in the history of our planet. Both literally and metaphorically, where we stand largely determines what we can see, and hence how we are likely to act. While the human enterprise as a whole is capable of great magnificence – in architecture, literature, science, and technology – we humans have truly made a mess of things in the last several hundred years and most notably in the last seventy or eighty. The most recent analysis of the state of the planetary boundaries by Johann Rockstrom of the Potsdam Institute shows how far we are into overshoot. This is clearly unsustainable. And it will likely get worse before it gets better. Scientists are warning of 17 critical tipping points after which it may be difficult to recover anything like the benign climate of the last 10,000 years, or the rich biodiversity of life that existed before the colonial era. It’s clear that efforts to reduce carbon emissions are too little too late, and that what’s needed is wholesale regeneration of the Earth’s biosphere. Subsequent chapters will deal further with efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase community resiliency, but ultimately the focus must be on restoring nature and the functioning of healthy ecosystems and bioregions.
