Public lecture by Dr. Kai Chan, University of British Columbia

The challenge of sustainability is undeniably immense. Efforts to transition society to a more ecologically sustainable trajectory include plans that are naïve, sterile and dishonest. But they also include approaches that are bold, genuine and imaginative. In this talk, I will distinguish the former from the latter, touching upon the "green economy", "sustainable intensification", and "half Earth". I also ask, is sustainability really possible? What must we give up? And, how do we get there?

Based on my role in the Global Assessment of IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) and a professor at UBC, I argue not only that sustainability is possible, but also that it requires giving up less than you might imagine. I will focus on the role that everyday citizens can play by helping to build the (social) infrastructure for sustainability and present a fledgling effort, called CoSphere, for a Community of Small-Planet Heroes, ecologically regenerating economies.