Planet: Critical

Trevor Hilder is an IT expert and cybernetics specialist who worked under Stafford Beer to develop the Viable System Model. Trevor joins me to explain how systems malfunction, why organisations crumble under complexity, and how to build resilient systems by infusing them with values. He explains the Viable System Model, walking us through the key components based on cybernetics and management theory.We discuss the universal laws of organising and how to apply the VSM to the climate crisis, politics and globalisation. Trevor also teaches the Viable System Model to organisations and individuals. If you’re interested in learning more, email him: trevor.hilder@webofwealth.org Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

George Mobus is Professor Emeritus at University of Washington, Tacoma. His broad academic background saw him conduct research on artificial intelligence, cybernetics and systems science.George joins me to discuss how systems science is failing to grasp the polycrisis—that the field has been split into silos, leaving most systems scientists without the tools to model the complexity of the emergency we face.He also explains the neurological limits of individual human wisdom, suggesting the agricultural revolution affected our capacity for abstract thinking, before revealing how humans can work past those limits—collectively.Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Max Wilbert is an activist, wilderness guide and writer, co-authoring Bright Green Lies: How The Environmental Movement Lost Its Way and What We Can Do About It. Max reveals how mainstream environmentalism is merely a proponent for green growth and business as usual. He says this comfortable form of environmentalism, which sees people trade in their cars for electric vehicles and go meatless only on Mondays, is a damaging distraction to the real work which has to be done: Systemic change.We also discuss his years protesting resource extraction, the role of technology, and the trauma of the West’s colonialism.Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Chris Smaje is a social scientist, farmer, and author of A Small Farm Future: Making the Case for a Society Built Around Local Economies, Self-Provisioning, Agricultural Diversity, and a Shared Earth.Chris joins me for a fascinating discussion about the political importance of land, its historical context, the current inefficiencies of farming, and the liberation people can find in reclaiming land and the capacity to produce their own food. We also discuss the historical framing of peasantry and serfdom, and offer new narratives which could galvanisee urbanised populations to rebuild their relationships to land, food and independence. Planet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Susan Krumdieck is a mechanical engineer, Professor of Engineering at Heriot Watt University, Chair of the university’s Energy Transition, and author of Transition Engineering: Building a Sustainable Future.Susan joins me to discuss how a sustainable future is possible by starting with engineering principles. Rather than focusing on politics and economics, which can only react in the short-term, engineering provides long-term vision, planning and design which will reimagine a sustainable world—and drag politics and economics into the future.She explains the inefficiencies of fossil-fuel economies, how renewable economies will automatically contract (hello, degrowth), and how sustainable engineering can provide a better quality of life for every being on the planet. We also have a lovely conversation on the importance of narrative: start with scientific principles, but sell them as a story.* Listen on Apple or Spotify* Watch on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Caroline Lucas is the UK Green Party’s first Member of Parliament, elected to represent Brighton and Hove in the 2010 General Election. Caroline has won every subsequent election, increasing her majority each time, and has twice led the Green Party in the UK. Caroline joins me to discuss the dangerous climate ignorance of the two candidates in the running to become Britain’s next Prime Minister, why net zero isn’t enough, the “immoral” rejection of global climate justice by Western governments, and why we should beware labelling bad decisions by climate-skeptic leaders as merely “incompetent”.We also discuss the importance of platforming the radical policies happening all over the world. If you haven’t heard the news yet, Chile’s socialist government created an autonomous committee to rewrite their constitution and the proposed section on climate and environment is the most daring bid to tackle the climate crisis I have ever seen. As ever, the solutions are there—and our votes certainly do count.* Listen on Apple or Spotify* Listen on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

John Gowdy is Professor of Economics and Professor of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He is the recipient of the Herman Daly Award for contributions to ecological economics, and author of Ultrasocial: The Evolution of Human Nature and the Quest for a Sustainable Future.John joins me to explain how humans, like ants and termites, are “ultrasocial” and what this form of hyper-complex social organisation does to our relationships, our neurochemistry, and our individuality.He says increasingly complex social organisation leads to a decrease in individual complexity. John argues that rather than environmental destruction and extreme inequality being due to human nature, they are the result of the adoption of agriculture by our ancestors. * Listen on Apple or Spotify* Watch on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Mike Joy is a freshwater ecologist and Senior Researcher at IGPS Victoria University of Wellington. He has been working for two decades at the interface of science and policy in New Zealand with a goal of strengthening connections between science, policy and real outcomes to address the multiple environmental issues facing New Zealand.He explains the multiple links between New Zealand’s dairy industry and environmental damage—giving a fantastic example of what a systems problem looks like in a real-world context—before diving into an analysis of the correlation between human and planetary health.We discuss political gridlocks, science communication, activist movements, technology and art in this far-reaching conversation, before turning to the question: How do we precisely target the people causing the crises around the world?* Listen on Apple or Spotify* Watch on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Frederic Hache is the cofounder and executive director of Green Finance Observatory, an NGO tracking the world of “sustainable finance”, debunking its claims, and working with European policymakers to warn against supposed market-based solutions.He joins me to explain how the markets have financialised and commodified the climate crisis: why carbon credit schemes are nonsense, the worrying advent of biodiversity offsetting, and the tokenisation of environmental protection. He explains that environmental regulations have a long history of being effective, and questions why protection of the natural world is being handed over to markets.He reveals which “green” markets are already linked to human rights abuses around the world, how crypto is muscling in on the space, and how lobbyists have hijacked the agenda to protect profits.* Listen on Apple or Spotify* Watch on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it.© Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com

Katherine Stewart is an investigative reporter and author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism. She’s spent the past 12 years investigating how USA’s far right got organised after the original Roe vs Wade ruling, using abortion to polarize political debate in the USA and unite a multi-denominational movement to enact their vision of white ethno-nationalism.She joins me to explain how abortion became key to their rise to power; how they’ve spent the past 50 years inserting themselves into education, legislature, and government; the deep network of funders, organisations and individuals whose sole wish is to take power back from the Left. These people aren’t pro-life. They’re pro-power. And to claw it back from them, Katherine says we need to begin organising with the same vigilance and determination they exhibit.* Listen on Apple or Spotify* Listen on YoutubePlanet: Critical investigates why the world is in crisis—and what to do about it. © Rachel Donald This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit planetcritical.substack.com