BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. A panel discussion on “Leveraging on Inner Development to Support the Transition to Regenerative and Empowering Cities” is taking place as part of COP29 in Baku, Trend reports.
Inner Development Goals co-founder Erik Fernholm said that Climate awareness requires a map that identifies important inner capacities, skills, and perspectives.
“We don't have a crisis of sustainability, we have a crisis of behavior. We are responsible for where we have ended up, and that realization is uncomfortable. It's an emotional process: if we can't deal with negative emotions and hold onto them, we cannot understand the situation. We get defensive, make excuses, and carry on as before,” he said.
According to him, it is important to realize that our actions create our challenges.
“It's a brutal truth, but it's encouraging: by realizing this, we can see where we can make changes. When animal species disappear every day and we all have microplastics in our bodies, that's not a world to be proud of. No one wants that, and that says something about us as human beings. We are striving for a meaningful life and we want to invest in a better future,” he added.
Fernholm emphasized that this requires an internal goal map, which shows what abilities are needed to emotionally recognize a problem.
“It is important for us to think systematically, find new perspectives, and act - both individually and collectively,” said the co-founder.
And the co-founder of the Alohas Regenerative Foundation, Marc Buckley, noted that the transition from one era to another is impossible without innovations.
“Why are we discussing internal and external development here at the Innovation Hub? This is because every development and every transition requires innovation, whether it's the steam engine, the printing press, or going into space. All these technologies have changed humanity,” he noted.
"The complexity of systems can be confusing, but most life systems are autonomous and self-regulating. Problems arise when we try to simplify life using reductionist approaches and linear thinking. We don't need to reduce everything to simple schemes if we want to truly evolve,” Marc Buckley stated.
He added that internal and external development are inseparable: “We mistakenly think we can do internal development separately from the Sustainable Development Goals, but they work together 24/7, 365 days a year. The world is actually organized around cooperation, not competition.”
Buckley also drew attention to the importance of a long-term, systemic approach to the evolution of our lifestyles and habitats: “We must create a living system that evolves with the world and humanity, not just catch up. Putting 'Band-Aids' in the future will not solve our problems,” he added.
To note, the COP29 conference has officially started today in Baku, Azerbaijan. Running from November 11 through November 22, this pivotal event brings together world leaders, policymakers, and climate experts to address the urgent challenges of climate change. As nations gather to discuss key issues such as climate finance, emission reduction goals, and global cooperation, the outcomes of COP29 will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the planet's climate strategy.
