The Age of Sustainability: Just Transitions in a Complex World - Mark Swilling

The world stands at a pivotal juncture, grappling with two opposing forces: the urgent need for accelerated sustainability transitions through collaboration and peacebuilding, and the rise of climate-denying authoritarianism alongside resource-driven geopolitical conflicts. This book confronts this critical choice, arguing that the survival of human civilisation hinges on embracing the sustainability transition rather than resisting it.

Building on the foundational ideas of polycrisis and just transitions introduced in its first edition, this updated volume delves deeper into the dynamics of global change. Drawing inspiration from African relational thinking (the ukamian way), it challenges readers to engage with the evolutionary potential of the present and envision sustainable futures. While the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 provided a framework for global progress, the post-pandemic world has fractured along multiple fault lines, amplifying despair and uncertainty. Despite these challenges, the book identifies emerging empirical and ideational trends that offer hope for a more equitable and sustainable future. It explores the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, highlighting the delicate balance between decarbonisation and social justice in an increasingly unequal world. It examines the resistance posed by authoritarian populism and toxic masculinities, which threaten progress.

Ultimately, this book is a call to action, urging readers to understand the complexities of just transitions as a remedy for the polycrises humanity faces. It offers no easy answers but provides essential insights for those committed to building a sustainable and equitable world. This is a book about hope—hope grounded in the transformative power of informed action.