Earth Today | ‘We choose’
Report urges transformational shift from business-as-usual for human, environmental health
Published:Thursday | December 11, 2025 | 12:16 AM
THE LATEST publication of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) has identified “five interconnected solution pathways” to achieve transformation it describes as being necessary for human and environmental health and survival, amid the onslaught of many human-induced crises – from climate change to nature loss, and waste generation.
These pathways, according to the report, titled A future we choose: Why investing in Earth now can lead to a trillion-dollar benefit for all, feature the transformation of the economic and financial systems, as well as the food system; adoption of circular principles; energy transition away from fossil fuels; and the management of environmental systems.
“The pathways prioritise innovation, regional perspectives, and strategies to accelerate progress. They are not isolated; their synergies amplify the impacts, ensuring solutions that are effective, equitable, and inclusive. The urgency of this transformation demands unprecedented ambition and coordination across governments, societies, and knowledge systems,” the report noted.
“From an Indigenous Peoples’ perspective, it is clear that efforts to achieve sustainability transformations should not involve ‘false solutions’ such as green capitalism, that continue to reproduce business-as-usual and undermine their human rights, but should instead entail shifts towards care and reciprocity and recognition of their rights to self-determination and representation in policymaking as rights-holders,” cautioned the report, which makes space for the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples as invaluable in the effort to save people and planet.
HARMFUL SUBSTANCES
Getting rid of socially and environmentally harmful substances together with “pricing externalities such as pollution, moving beyond Gross Domestic Products as the sole measure of progress and redirecting financial flows towards sustainability” are integral, it said, to the necessary evolution of economic and financial systems.
This is while circular principles prioritise minimising waste and enhancing resource efficiency as “urban mining in Japan, which recovers metals from electronics, and Africa’s informal recycling networks showcase scalable practices, as do Indigenous Peoples’ care economies based on the principle of abundant sufficiency”.
“These efforts reduce the need for raw extraction, support sustainable bio-economies, and create jobs, particularly in resource-scarce areas. Additionally, integrating circularity into energy and food systems amplifies these benefits,” the report said.
When it comes to attention to energy systems, decarbonisation – the process of eliminating or reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that fuel climate change; as well as improving the capacity of renewables, such as solar and wind energy, to yield greater gains are key.
At the same time, the report – published by the United Nations Environment Programme and a product of some 287 multi-disciplinary scientists from 82 countries – said that the transformation of food systems and the management of environmental systems are essential.
“Food system transformation calls for dietary shifts toward plant-based options, more efficient production, waste reduction, and alternative proteins like lab-grown meat. Precision farming, regenerative agriculture, and novel proteins can reduce environmental footprints,” GEO-7 said.
“Asia’s rice-based diets and Latin America’s cattle-heavy regions can adopt tailored sustainable practices, while technologies like food waste apps enhance security and resilience globally. Indigenous Peoples’ food systems offer holistic biocultural solutions to sustainability,” it explained.
As for managing environmental systems, the report noted that this should entail the adoption of nature-friendly solutions and “Indigenous People’s governance and care for living territories”.
“Monitoring through the use of artificial intelligence can more effectively track the health of ecosystems. Community-led conservation in Africa and the Amazon can restore biodiversity cost effectively. Respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights and building on Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge and practices can enhance the effectiveness, equity and cultural relevance of conservation, also supporting climate adaptation,” it said.