In the long term, continuous economic growth in a world with limited resources inevitably leads to a deadlock, with serious consequences such as climate change, deforestation, depletion of natural resources, and pollution. Since the 19th century, humans have become the species with the greatest impact on their environment, and the tragedy of the commons, where excessive exploitation of resources harms everyone, is a scenario that perfectly applies to the current situation. However, collaborative economy and technological advancements in energy efficiency and renewable energies provide reasons for hope that future generations will be able to live on a preserved planet.
E. Krieger
In the long term, continuous economic growth in a world with limited resources inevitably leads to a deadlock. Only a few economists and policymakers seem to ignore this mathematical reality. For instance, an average annual growth of 1.5% of the global gross domestic product over the next two centuries would result in a twentyfold increase in GDP, putting immense pressure on the environment and especially on the natural resources required to achieve such modest performance. In short, the specter of climate change looms alongside deforestation, depletion of natural resources, and widespread pollution.
While our ancient planet has experienced more significant upheavals before the appearance of humans, concerns about the future of Earth are driven more by selfish interests than excessive concern for this unique celestial body formed 4.5 billion years ago.
Welcome to the Anthropocene!
Out of the millions of living species, humans have had the most significant impact on their environment, particularly since the mid-19th century. However, it wasn’t until a century later that a genuine ecological mindset began to develop.
The tragedy of the commons is a classic scenario in game theory, and it perfectly applies to the current situation where individuals or businesses rationally overexploit rare resources, leading to a situation where everyone loses in the end.
In the face of this anthropization process, various attitudes are possible, ranging from cynicism (« after me, the deluge ») and fatalism (« whatever we do, we’re all doomed ») to naive optimism (« science will get us out of this mess and provide an alternative planet if needed ») and activism (« if we tackle the problem head-on, we’ll overcome it eventually »).
In historical analysis and prospective exercises, technological revolutions often play a significant role in enabling companies or regions to gain a significant advantage. In this case, the challenge is not so much which country will come out on top, but rather whether it is possible to develop technical and economic solutions that respect the environment and allow for a way of life that doesn’t inevitably turn Earth into a hell for humankind.
The technological wildcard: an illusion?
Encouraging signs help counterbalance the current overexploitation of natural resources and the predicted exhaustion of fossil fuels. Progress is being made in both energy efficiency and renewable energy production, particularly in photovoltaic and hydraulic fields.
Technological progress can take less flashy but equally effective forms through the development of the collaborative economy, optimizing the use of expensive assets (offices, housing, vehicles) and numerous consumer goods. Many entrepreneurs have embraced this concept, creating exchange platforms whose success relies on the efficiency of their trust-based role as intermediaries and achieving critical masses of suppliers and demanders.
Is the collaborative economy a solution to the tragedy of the commons?
The development of a collaborative economy offers a way to counter the inflexible logic of the tragedy of the commons. The younger generations are increasingly aware of environmental issues and are far less prone to the consumption frenzy that characterized many of their elders. Consequently, even multinational corporations are discovering the virtues of « social business, » either out of genuine social and environmental responsibility or pragmatic economic reasons to « follow the trend. »
In « Citadelle, » Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s posthumous work, the writer, aviator, and poet uses an elegant metaphor to illustrate the power of collective action: « A stone has no hope of being anything but a stone. But when it collaborates, it becomes a temple. »
Current technological and societal changes support Saint-Exupéry’s vision and provide genuine reasons for hope regarding future generations’ possibility to live on a planet that has yet to find an equivalent among the hundreds of billions of galaxies that surround us.
Adapted from Krieger E. (2016)., « L’innovation et l’action collective, remèdes à l’anthropisation », La Revue du Cube #10, « Responsabilité », Juin 2016. Also published on: www.ikigai-colors.com/index.php/2023/07/29/linnovation-et-laction-collective-remedes-a-lanthropisation-2/
