This brief keynote was delivered on October 19, at the opening of the People for Earth 2022 Ecozoic Culture Forum: ESG & Integral Ecology for Earth in Crisis, held in Seoul, South Korea, and online. David shared the stage with Mary Evelyn Tucker who spoke on […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, October 7, 2022)
The purpose of human institutions is to secure the well-being of people and Earth. Despite our differences, all of Earth’s people share a common destiny that depends on our learning to live together with mutual commitment to a foundational truth recognized by our early ancestors: […]
In May, 2022, David was invited by our friends at Alternative Radio to record his talk, “Our Planetary Existential Crisis,” for broadcast on affiliate public radio stations in July and again in September. The response was so positive (see some comments, […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, August 11, 2022)
In his message launching the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on April 4, 2022, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres offered the following chilling observation:
“Climate scientists warn that we are already perilously close to tipping points that could […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, January 18, 2022)
Our current society cannot be considered civilized by any objective standard. We grow the fortunes of billionaires, even as we increase the numbers of homeless refugees and destroy Earth’s capacity to sustain life. This places us all at risk, rich and poor alike. The problem […]
Humans are a choice making species with a common future faced with an epic choice. We can continue to seek marginal adjustments in the culture and institutions of the Imperial Civilization of violence, domination, and exploitation that put us on a path to self-extinction. Or we can transition to an Ecological Civilization dedicated to restoring […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, October 5, 2021)
As the 20th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center approached, I wasn’t paying much attention. But then I received an email from my longtime colleague John Cavanagh, former director of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. It was a private […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, August 12, 2021)
Science tells us that we now have fewer than 10 years to reduce the human burden on Earth or trigger tipping points in Earth’s natural systems from which there is no return. Most discussion centers on the climate emergency, but we also have crises related to air, […]
by David Korten
May 25, 2021 (updated with minor revisions on November 3, 2021)
(This is the best version to read on mobile devices. Also available as a PDF for reading, downloading, printing, sharing, and republishing.)
This is a personal white paper directed to those who seek a future that works for all of Earth’s […]
Drawing on the work and insights of many colleagues and from ongoing conversations, this paper was written in an effort to connect the dots and engage a serious conversation about the causes of the existential crisis we face, while bringing a message of hope and possibility.
Click on the image below […]