The COVID-19 pandemic has forced humankind to take a long, hard look at itself. Two years in, the recognition is there, a return to \u2018normal\u2019 is not possible, because the \u2018old normal\u2019 was broken: we live on a finite planet with finite resources, yet live by the mantra of infinite growth.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the good news: people and nature CAN thrive together.<\/p>\n
The responses from governments to the corona crisis show that political arrangements do not have to be set in stone and that where there is a will, there can indeed be a way. Still, systemic change cannot rely on a top-down crisis management approach, it needs to be driven by a truly transformative bottom-up process.<\/p>\n
\u2018Turning Point\u2019 differs from the more traditional EEB publications as it is neither a report nor a position paper. Rather, it is a personal thought piece, a long op-ed, written in a more informal style, aiming to be thought-provoking and inspiring.<\/p>\n
What follows is a reflection on how the pandemic unfolded and what a post-pandemic progress could look like. After following the \u2018journey\u2019 of the virus in PART 1. of this book, in PART 2. we will explore some of the more \u2018outside-of-the-box\u2019 solutions that have the potential to both reduce the risk of future pandemics, as well as help us heal.<\/p>\n
#FromFearToHope<\/p>\n