Abstract

The planetary emergencies upon us requires nothing less that heeding the consistent messages of the Limits to Growth and Limits and Beyond – humanity must shift its mindset from me, myself and I to recognition that to be human is to be relational and inextricably interconnected and interdependent within the web of life. Limits and Beyond focusses on addressing the gaps in the Limits to Growth due to the neglect of key factors: socio-cultural and governance. Human beings are not ‘homo economicus’ but relational, cultural and spiritual beings. The failure to address these relational factors, rob us of the opportunities to promote conversations that are essential to developing empathy and shared goals that are fundamental to the governance of the Commons. Emergence from the multiple emergencies upon us requires nothing less than learning a new how to be human, and harvest the lessons of COVID that what matters in life is life itself – this is what the Club of Rome 5th Element work is about.