All is not yet lost

What kind of world do we live in? In a world in crisis, certainly. Sixth extinction, climate change, unprecedented land use change, disruption of the phosphorus and nitrogen cycles, ocean acidification: 4 out of 10 planetary limits exceeded, almost 5. Exceeding these limits that regulate the stability of the biosphere leads us into an unknown state of the Earth-system that we fear will not be conducive to agriculture, humanity, or even life. But the term « crisis » is anxiety-provoking: it is preferred to the term « transition » which provides an illusion of planning and management. The transition evokes a change without violence or revolution. This is a myth, of course. But « positive ». Are we living in a world in transition? It depends. In energy or agricultural transition: on a global scale, not really, even if some initiatives exist. In digital transition: yes, and consequently far from the objectives of energy decrease and ecological management of non-renewable resources. The transitio …