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In the sustainability space, we have a tendency to hide behind jargon, and this has never been a good thing for divulgating important concepts.
Regeneration is suffering the same fate.
Circularity....Systems thinking....Systems design...Degrowth...
It doesn't help that, in spite of the fact that regeneration is what nature does all the time, we, humans, can often think only in a linear manner.
If we have a problem, we seek one solution.
We don't see things as interconnected, because that would multiply the number of possible solutions and consequences and feel overwhelming.
But we need to stop thinking in terms of sustainability (which, by definition, means maintaining the status quo... that didn't get us far, did it?!), and start thinking in terms of regeneration.
And that also means that we have to
a. understand it ourselves and
b. communicate it to others.
How?
Let me simplify it for you.
Basically, we need to put in more than we take out, and because everything is interconnected, this will have a knock-on effect on multiple systems.
That's it.
A few examples:
- In sustainability, we talk about getting to net zero as the Holy Grail. In regeneration, we need to get one step further to net positive (absorbing more CO2 and greenhouse gases than we produce). If we do it in all our projects, that's going to benefit the whole planet.
- In sustainability, we focus on mitigating environmental impacts. In regeneration, we need to replenish the environment - restore lost habitats and create new ones. Again, the effect will be felt across multiple systems and locations.
- In sustainability, we think in terms of collaboration. In regeneration, we need to think in terms of interdependency of all systems (in nature as well as in business. Everything we do has a knock-on effect on everything else). This means that we need to co-create the future with the planet and with the original custodians of the ecosystems: animals, indigenous populations and communities.
When you talk to your clients about your next project, be brave.
Ask more questions, and challenge the status quo.
- Think about how you can identify and take into account the interconnections between systems.
- Think about giving back more than we (collectively) took out.
- Think about communities and ecosystems as active stakeholders in your project, not just you and your client.
- Think about not profit, but green growth (i.e. innovative ways to provide a healthy business for your clients, while having a positive impact on people and the planet).
I created the poster below to remind you of the key characteristics of regeneration so that you can have an informed conversation with others.
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