What Would Nature Do?: A Guide for Our Uncertain Times

The future is uncertain, and fear and doubt have replaced certainty about the course of civilization. Ruth DeFries argues that life has evolved strategies to survive, such as investments in diversity, redundancy, self-correcting feedbacks, and decisions based on bottom-up knowledge. By applying these strategies to modern life, we can withstand uncertain and perilous times and reorganize for a safe and prosperous future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The future once appeared predictable, but now uncertainty reigns supreme. Raging fires, devastating storms, political upheavals, financial collapse, and deadly pandemics loom on the horizon, casting a shadow of fear and doubt over civilization. The world seems more enigmatic and perilous, leaving individuals, businesses, and governments at a loss for how to navigate the treacherous waters ahead.

In this challenging landscape, Ruth DeFries emerges as a beacon of hope. She argues that a surprising set of time-tested strategies from the natural world can guide humanity through these crises. Through the eons of trial and error, life has evolved astonishing and counterintuitive tricks to survive. DeFries delves into how a handful of fundamental strategies—investments in diversity, redundancy over efficiency, self-correcting feedbacks, and decisions based on bottom-up knowledge—enable life to persist amidst unpredictable, sudden shocks.

By drawing insights from the intricate network of veins in a leaf and the "circuit breakers" modeled after planetary cycles in the stock market, DeFries demonstrates the power of these approaches for modern life. She encourages us to approach the world with humility, recognizing that our human-constructed world is but a fraction of the vast tapestry of nature. By applying the lessons learned from the natural world, DeFries offers timely options for civilization to reorganize for a safe and prosperous future.

In her book, "What Would Nature Do?" DeFries explores the lessons that life on Earth can teach us about coping with complexity. She encourages us to embrace diversity, redundancy, self-correcting feedbacks, and bottom-up knowledge as key strategies for navigating the uncertainties of the modern world. By applying these principles, we can build resilient systems that can withstand the challenges of the future.

The book offers a roadmap for civilization to reorganize itself for a safer and more prosperous future. It calls for a shift towards sustainable practices, investments in renewable energy, and a reevaluation of our economic and political systems. By adopting a more holistic and interconnected approach, we can create a world that is more resilient, sustainable, and equitable.

In conclusion, the future once appeared predictable, but now uncertainty reigns supreme. However, by drawing lessons from the natural world, we can navigate the treacherous waters ahead and build a safer and more prosperous future for ourselves and future generations. Ruth DeFries' book, "What Would Nature Do?" offers a timely and insightful perspective on how we can apply the principles of nature to our human-constructed world and create a more resilient and sustainable civilization.

Dimension: 216 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231199438