In Between the Two of Us: Reconnecting to Our common Humanity and to the Earth
Today, we are in a state of emergency: a polycrisis.
Global warming: the world is already 1.45°C warmer than before the industrial revolution. And the change is happening rapidly. Indeed, it is exponential, we will soon get to 1.5 and even 2.5°C by the end of the century. And it goes faster than anything the IPCC scientists had predicted. The Planet is having a fever.
People die every day, often silently. In floods, drought or other slow-onset disasters.
Biodiversity loss: more than 1 million species are threatened by extinction.
Inequalities: Since 2020, the richest five men in the world have doubled their fortunes. During the same period, almost five billion people globally have become poorer. At current rates, it will take 230 years to end poverty. Gender gap: according to the WEF it will take another 131 years to reach gender parity.
Conflicts: all eyes are on Gaza and Ukraine, but things are not much better in Sudan and Yemen.
Nationalism: is on the rise in most Western democracies and we are holding our breath before the European elections.
We are living a polycrisis: a spiral of catastrophic entanglements between climate, social division, eco-anxiety, geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty and the rise of totalitarianism. The polycrisis is a value crisis that cuts across our civilization.
Yet, I want to remain hopeful. And to reconnect with our sense of hope, we need to go back to the source.
The Source: Nature. Nature is essential to humanity. There is no life, no business, no jobs on a dead planet.
This is also where it all started for me. This passion for people and the planet. Where I grew up. In nature, in a small village nested near the French Alps.
Yet sometimes we forget about where we come from, why we are here, our deepest roots, our deepest fears and dreams, from the origin.
It is true that I have seen so many moments of hope, and so many moments of disillusion, with power play and fragmentation.
This passion for climate justice, it started at a very specific moment, when I attended my first climate COP in Montreal in 2005. Small Islands States were already fighting for their survival. This was the time of the Kyoto Protocol. And I was sent there on behalf of the Members of the European Parliament.
Many years later, I had the privilege of serving Ambassador Khan, Chief Negotiator for Fiji, at the heart of the COP23 Presidency.
And there, from the inside, I saw the best of humanity, people from all walk of life coming together in what was called the Talanoa dialogue.
The very best example of inclusion and diversity, at the heart of the climate negotiations, championed by a woman.
And it worked. The world united behind here, and around the Talanoa Dialogue to raise climate ambition and stay below 1.5 to stay alive.
But I also saw divisions. In-fighting, between capital and UN Permanent Missions. And the talented Ambassador Khan being dismissed by a jealous and patriarchal Prime Minister.
I experienced something similar myself. After creating unity around a pioneering inter-party climate commission at the City Council, in my home town, I witnessed the worst in-fighting with the Mayor of my town harassing women and silencing leaders defending a stronger climate action plan. And a budget for it.
Once again, this felt like a crazy yo-yo effect of life.
I call it the Butterfly effect. It can go beautiful or it can go ugly.
It can create immense positive change, with ripple effects beyond expectations or chaos and crisis.
Nature, again. With Dr. David Nabarro we started the Nature-Based Solution Coalition, almost from scratch. It was co-chaired by New Zealand and China, and in less than 6 months, more than 30 Ministers joined, together with CEOs and 500 partners from around the world.
Women leadership, again. SHE Changes Climate. It grew so quickly that it went almost out of control. The dialogue with Sultan El Jaber, COP28 President and Mary Robinson, pushing for the phase out of fossil fuels, was views by more than 12 million people and covered by 60 media outlets. Change became unstoppable and irresistible.
But there as well, I witnessed fragmentation. In-fighting in the civil society movement, the old North/ South divide coming back with its wounds and trauma. Gaza, colonization, freedom protests, at the heart of COP28. I watched it with a painful headache and a bleeding body.
Gaza all the way to the occupation of Sciences Po in Paris, the school where I studied international relations, peace and environmental protection, more than 20 years ago.
I watch this divide widening day by day, creating tension and misunderstanding all the way to the inner circles of family dinners and friends groups.
As if the rift was bigger. Here as well, between Europe and Africa, in Tangier, near the detroit of Gibraltar.
So close to where climate refugees die every day, trying to cross the Mediterranean sea.
How do we bridge the gap? It is a frightening question.
Maybe we need to go inside, and look inside. Are we planting seeds of war, conflicts and extraction ? Or are we planting seeds of peace, compassion and regeneration ?
At this crossroads, there is a new story to be written: the vision of a life-centered economy that honors all life around us and within us. An economy that makes us come alive. At its heart is climate, people and nature.
There is life and death, and it could be seen at part of the same transformative process. People die every day. But people are also born every day. A crisis is an opportunity for rebirth. It is painful but it is part of life.
We can destroy and we can re-create, regenerate, bring more life and diversity back to society, and back to the Earth.
The beautiful part of our work, - for those of us who work with a dedicated passion for what we call "radical collaboration"- , is about serving the community as purpose-driven leaders, facilitators, catalysts, partnership conveners, bringing everyone together to deliver and scale up positive impacts for climate, people and nature, valuing diversity at every level of decision-making.
It is like planting many different species in a fertile garden and making sure the ecosystem grows with as much diversity and beauty as possible.
It is about coming together as thousands of beautiful flowers with all the shapes and colors you can imagine.
Leading with empathy is about going back to our “source”, where we come from, our "Oneness", our common humanity; the place where we can find the inner strength, courage and collective energy to work as One team for One Planet.
Being the children of the Earth, we have the same ancestors. Our descendants will be born and die on the same planet. Our past, present and future are entangled as one common destiny. Their past is determining our present. Our present is their future. We belong to them and they belong to us. We are the Earth. We live from the same solar energy which helps us to create life and cultivate food on Earth. We drink from the same water. We are all made of the same fabric, the same DNA. We are all made of stars.
What can we do to go back to that source of love and compassion? What is our common humanity? Why do we build walls in between us? Can we build bridges of compassion and peace in such a fragmented world? Can we work together for Peace, People, Planet and Prosperity ? Can we listen to each other again, embrace our diversity, make it a strength for courage and unity of action? Can we even hug each other again with love and compassion ?
Every step on Earth is a miracle. Even small steps count. So let’s take the next step together. Let’s plant the seeds of love and compassion around us. And this may create a “butterfly effect”.
Coming back from Tanger, we have been feeling hopeful and energized by the many demonstrations of heart-centered leadership. Together with women leaders from the West and the Middle East, we will host some open and inclusive dialogues for peace. Come and join to unpack some of these tensions, write a new story and co-create a more sustainable, inclusive, peaceful and beautiful future for all.
Keep the look out for upcoming dialogues, they will be announced by the #SHELeadsPeace Team.