From the end of civilisation to the birth of an ecological society; Gaia Theory, the existence of God; the future of life on earth and the desperate need for an end to oil, this conversation covers so much ground - I am incredibly grateful to have spent time with Prof. Tim Lenton in this video.
Tim is the Director of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter and an all round climate hero. A mentee of James Lovelock, Tim carries on the torch of Gaia theory and earth systems science and his work to date has covered the ways in which many different earth systems self-regulate and interconnect.
His work has taken him from studying the nutrient balance of oceans to climate modelling, the evolution of life on earth as well as the identification of tipping points in past, present and future climatic systems - the kind that lead to significant accelerations in global heating in a non-linear fashion.
Tim and his group at Exeter focus on understanding the Earth as a system, modelling evolution, ecology, and biogeochemistry, providing early warning of climate tipping points, and identifying positive tipping points towards a better world. Recent papers from Tim highlight the existential threat posed by climate change to our entire civilisation which make for some truly sobering reading.
However, he has also recently published work on positive tipping points - tipping points in society that lead to non-linear, positive change such as the move to electric vehicles in Norway or the spread of ideas on social media. Tim’s knowledge across a huge number of disciplines is astounding and he embodies the very best science has to offer in that his thinking is meticulous, he’s driven by awe and reverence for the natural world and he is thoroughly grounded in his humanity and connection with nature.
Talking with him was a joy and we couldn’t ask for a better guide through these challenging and often overwhelming topics. We cover a lot of ground in this video, so hold on to your seats as we stare down civilisational collapse and envision an ecological alternative that takes inspiration from Gaia herself.