Planetary health impairments and the myopia pandemic
The Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission defines planetary health as: the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health, wellbeing, and equity worldwide through judicious attention to the human systems—political, economic, and social—that shape the future of humanity and the Earth's natural systems that define the safe environmental limits within which humanity can flourish. Put simply, planetary health is the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends (Whitmee et al., 2015, p.1978). While this definition clearly demonstrates what is at stake for human systems if the state of natural systems is disrupted, putting emphasis first on humanity and the consequences for human civilisation of such disruption rather than on the equilibria of natural systems as the basis for planetary health, still places the analysis within an anthropocentric perspective. Inverting the emphasis to give priority to natural systems and humanity’s ecological niches and roles (together with all the other species that are currently present in the biosphere) within these systems establishes an ecocentric perspective. This enables clearer vision for understanding and addressing complex, interrelated causes of planetary health impairment such as climate change, biodiversity loss, urbanisation and its effects, damage to coastal areas, wetlands loss and damage, land degradation and desertification, forest clearance and land cover change, freshwater depletion and contamination, and numerous others, and the reciprocal interactions these have with human systems. A recurring myopic focus on climate change At this time of the year, as the dust settles on the latest edition of the annual COP meeting, particular attention is paid to climate change, both in terms of published scientific research and media coverage. The outcome of the recent COP 30 exemplifies various aspects of how myopia is a condition that afflicts humanity at two levels, both of which have complex multiple intersecting causes and effects. At the literal level, as a result of the rapid global rise of myopia, or near-sightedness, it is estimated that by 2050 more than half the world’s population will suffer from distance vision impairment (Lee et al., 2025). The result of this will be a massive increase in public health costs due to a need for treatment related to vision correction and the increased risk of numerous associated chronic pathologic visual changes. Moreover, although myopia and other eye conditions are the result of many interconnected phenomena, an increasing body of research shows how climate change is having an increasing negative impact on ocular health and that implementing strategies for mitigating climate change and its effects is imperative in order to counter this (Wong et al., 2024). At the same time, it is paradoxical that another significant cause of myopia is the lack of contact with nature, with all the benefits this brings, as humans young and old spend less time in the open air, thereby reducing the capacity of one of the principal organs through which they can acquaint themselves with their ecological surroundings (Clark et al., 2023). This leads to the increasing figurative myopia we currently suffer from as short-sightedness, having a limited capacity to foresee, an inability to assume a long-term perspective on the relationship between planetary crises and human trajectories. This may be because we are literally unequipped, biologically, historically, and politically, to foresee the long-term consequences that our actions now produce. For most of human history, limited impacts unfolded over short temporal and spatial scales. Only in the Anthropocene have our technologies generated massive lasting effects. This creates a structural mismatch between the unprecedented reach of our technological power and the limited temporal horizon of human cognition. At the same time, such myopia may also be an unwillingness to acknowledge the consequences of our actions, manifesting itself as a focus only on specific short-term interests while ignoring the catastrophic future consequences of triggering tipping points and the incalculable ensuing human and planetary health costs. At both levels myopia has long reached pandemic levels and shows few signs of slowing its exponential growth. However, while the consequences of myopia as a medical condition are serious and impact negatively on individuals and societies in numerous ways, the consequences of myopia as a psychological condition hamper our ability to understand the temporal and spatial dimensions of vital issues related to planetary health that are devastating for the entire biosphere as we know it. Moving from an anthropocentric to an ecocentric perspective is essential to be able to see things from a distance and act to avoid these consequences, reducing our impacts and the reach and intensity of technological systems whose effects exceed our capacity to anticipate or control them. As we look back on COP 30, we can only conclude that, despite overwhelming scientific evidence of future catastrophes, at international level there is still a total lack of a long‐term and planet-wide perspective in line with science and the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks able to bring about action to change human trajectories and thereby mitigate and adapt behaviours and outcomes at environmental, economic, social and political levels. There is no explicit commitment to phasing out fossil fuels. Around 80 countries have not submitted any national climate plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, while the others have submitted vague and inadequate plans. Given the gravity of our predicament, many scientists now project that the world is heading for at least 2.6° C of warming by 2100 (Climate Action Tracker, November, 2025), a scenario that can only mean global biotic disaster. Nevertheless, scientific research continues to increase our knowledge of specific issues such as climate change and the multiple questions and challenges posed concerning diverse aspects of mitigation and adaptation strategies. Moreover, scientific research must necessarily continue to render this knowledge available in the effort to counter the myopia pandemic that encompasses large numbers of the current human population, creating literal or wilful ignorance of what is at stake and thereby endangering the very existence of humanity itself. This issue of Visions for Sustainability is part of our ongoing endeavour to contribute to this, and, in particular, continue to provide a platform for research from the Global South so as to ensure a truly planetary vision. Climate change, economic growth and technological innovation In recent decades a vast body of research has studied the complex relationship between climate change, economic growth and technological innovation from multiple perspectives such as causes, impacts, mitigation and adaptation (Bousina et al., 2025), and also increasingly of the necessity of assuming a post-growth or degrowth perspective (Kallis et al., 2025). In “Are we on the right track for mitigating climate change?”, La et al. assesses global climate mitigation efforts in terms of what they consider both achievements and persistent shortcomings. Despite growth in renewable energy, international agreements, and technological innovation, as well as a carbon market, greenhouse gas emissions remain at record highs, and climate impacts continue to accelerate. The ongoing hegemonic growth-oriented paradigm and belief in technological solutions reinforce existing exploitation paradigms rather than transforming them. They propose transitioning from an eco-deficit to an eco-surplus culture, where ecological restoration and protection are fundamental for socio-economic well-being and development. In “Towards an eco-surplus culture. From market failures to vulnerabilities and logical flaws of ‘artificial’ environmental protection systems” Vuong et al. continue their analysis of mainstream economics’ growth-oriented and technology-centric paradigms. They show how these perpetuate the illusion that continuous economic growth is compatible with environmental protection through prioritizing investment in technological solutions. As an alternative paradigm they propose the adoption of the semiconducting principle of monetary and environmental value exchange. This requires the cultivation of Nature Quotient (NQ) across society and a broader socio-cultural shift toward an eco-surplus culture, in which environmental protection, restoration, and regeneration are foundational preconditions for long-term economic resilience, political stability, and social well-being. There is an intimate connection between climate change and rural health and resilience. By 2050, an estimated 70% of the human population is expected to live in urban areas. If an increasing majority of people becomes urban dwellers, they still totally depend on those that live in rural areas and the rural ecologies they are a part of, many of which are particularly vulnerable and at risk. In “Climate resilience to floods on rural roads in Cambodia” Ly & Yeom examine the vulnerability of rural roads in Cambodia to flooding and ways of enhancing climate resilience through spatial and hydrological analysis. The study utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and a Rational Method to assess flood risks and identify infrastructure vulnerabilities in Siem Reap Province. To mitigate the risks of the growing impact of climate variability, they recommend infrastructure improvements such as enhanced drainage systems, road elevation, and the use of permeable materials. They argue that the results of their sudy offer valuable insights for policymakers and engineers to prioritize investments and develop climate-resilient infrastructure strategies and foster sustainable rural development. In “Ecosystem-based adaptation as a strategy to increase climate resilience of small island communities in Indonesia” Sekarwulan & Rachmawati examine communities on small islands are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Through a literature review of 31 key studies they consider the potential of the ecosystem-based climate change adaptation model (Ecosystem-Based Adaptation) to increase climate resilience in small island communities. They identify gaps that need to be filled in current research and argue that for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to be effective, it needs to be community-led alongside empowerment, integrative-collaborative, and adaptive. Circularity visions and discourses Circularity thinking is linked to a global economic model that decouples economic growth and development from the consumption of finite resources. This has led to a range of visions and discourses related to circular economy systems that focus on extraction, production, consumption and waste processes in the context of R-frameworks or hierarchies and a regenerative vision (Kopnina et al., 2025). In “Circular economy in action. Co-creating shared value in the tapioca industry of Indonesia” Istanto et al. argue that previous studies on Circular Economy (CE) and its correlation with Creating Shared Value (CSV) predominantly focus on developed nations. Their research aims to fill the gap by showing an empirical investigation of the implementation of a circular business model in the tapioca industry of Indonesia. Their study employs the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework and analyses 132 survey responses from tapioca business managers and owners in Indonesia using a quantitative approach with SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that CE and CSV practices positively influence TBL performance and reveal a strong association between CE practices and CSV opportunities, demonstrating the transformative potential of CE and CSV practices in driving sustainability, profitability, and social equity in the global agroindustry. In “The sustainability lag. A cross-regional analysis of techno-dependency and e-waste outcomes in Africa and Asia” Chisika & Yeom argue that while digital technologies are expanding rapidly in developing countries, their environmental consequences—particularly electronic waste (e-waste)—remain poorly integrated into digital development discourse, leading to limited empirical evidence on how digital infrastructure impacts waste management, They introduce the concept of a “sustainability lag” to explain why rising digital access does not automatically translate into improved environmental outcomes in the Global South. They propose a series of measures whereby policymakers and international development actors can ensure that digital expansion is accompanied by capacity building, not just connectivity, to prevent the externalization of environmental harms to the most vulnerable countries. In “Land use conflicts. Urban expansion vs. mangrove conservation in the Portoviejo River estuary, Ecuador” Zambrano Ureta et al. examine the paradox of how territories prioritize economic development over the conservation of the very environmental resources that sustain their economy. Their study of the Mangrove Community Reserve of the Portoviejo River Estuary shows how the ecosystem has been affected since 1950 by the expansion of urban boundaries, intensive agricultural practices, and, most notably, aquaculture activities, which have deforested approximately 86% of the original mangrove cover. Their findings demonstrate that the urban footprint has increased by 146% since 2006, the population is growing around the mangrove reserve, and their socio-productive activities have fragmented the ecosystem and transformed the natural landscape. In “Theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks. Lessons for agroecology business networks and markets in Eastern Uganda-Teso region” Namanji et al. examine problems involved in transitioning from conventional market-driven agriculture to agroecology-based systems. They analyse various theories and models for sustainable agroecological business networks in the attempt to identify interventions that catalyse the transitioning and sustainability of agroecological business networks through enhanced marketing. Their analysis leads them to propose a model called EquiAgro: A gender-inclusive Agroecological Business Model for Agroecology Business Networks and Markets, together with strategies for co-creating sustainable, resilient and socially inclusive agricultural systems that prioritize environmental stewardship and community well-being. In “Rethinking sustainability. When social conformity and identity transform students’ consumption” Mulyono et al. argue that although environmental education is widely endorsed as a key driver of pro-environmental behaviour, its real-world impact often remains limited when psychosocial dynamics are overlooked. They investigate how conformity, social environment, and self-concept function as moderating factors that enhance the impacts of environmental education on sustainable consumption behaviour. Their study aims to contribute to sustainable consumption literature by integrating educational, social, and psychological constructs within a cohesive theoretical framework for designing transformative educational interventions that cultivate social influence, internalized norms, and environmentally responsible identities among students. An ecocentric nature-human dialogue Cultivating environmental responsibility involves recognizing the massive debt we owe to natural systems and understanding that the further we continue in the myopic enterprise of plundering resources and exploiting other forms of life in the name of economic growth, and the supposed contribution this makes to a particular idea of human well-being and sustainable development goals, the more we will multiply the extent to which we are a threat to and live in conflict with those systems. In “Peace with nature as the new nature of peace” Vuong et al. examine the relationship between ecological crises that act as “threat multipliers” and violent conflict. They argue that peace in the twenty-first century must extend beyond the absence of armed conflict to encompass harmony between humanity and the natural environment and that promoting lasting peace requires reinvestment in ecosystems as critical foundations for resilience, prosperity, and stability. Cultivating Nature Quotient (NQ) - the capacity to perceive and act upon ecological interdependence - is a prerequisite for leaders and societies to secure peace with nature and safeguard civilization’s continuity. Cultivating NQ means developing ecological wisdom, the basis of knowing “how to live on Earth enjoying and respecting the full richness and diversity of life-forms of the ecosphere” (Naess, 1989, p.185). This requires a combination of both exospection and introspection in an ecocentric nature-human dialogue unhampered by near-sightedness or short-sightedness. In “Green Mindfulness: A systematic review of the literature” Ghezzi et al. present a systematic review designed to ascertain whether Nature-based mindfulness (Green Mindfulness) is synergistic, neutral, or antagonistic compared to indoor mindfulness or Nature exposure considered separately. They show how the field of Nature-based mindfulness is still emerging and highly heterogeneous in activity design and reporting and suggest that the lack of superior efficacy in some studies suggests that formal, introspective mindfulness may impede the necessary sensory relationship with the environment. They propose an ecopsychological perspective for future research together with an ecocentric green mindfulness model that includes the locus Naturae (the place as a living presence) and an ecotuner (a specialized facilitator) to better capture and maximize the bi-directional, restorative effects of the human-Nature relationship. Taken together, the contributions to this issue illuminate how planetary health challenges manifest across interconnected domains: climate dynamics, economic models, resource circularity, behavioural and cultural patterns, rural and coastal vulnerabilities, and the evolving relationship between humanity and the wider ecosphere. Although they differ in scale and method, each study exposes in its own way the limitations of prevailing growth oriented, technologically centred, or socially narrow perspectives that reflect the figurative myopia shaping contemporary human systems. At the same time, they collectively point toward directions for addressing and attempting to overcome this short-sightedness: through more ecologically grounded economic paradigms; through infrastructural and ecosystem-based approaches sensitive to local contexts; through attention to social and psychological dimensions of consumption and identity; all through renewed understandings of nature-human interdependence. References Bousnina, R., Lajnaf, R., Mnif, S. & Gabsi, F.B. (2025). Economic growth, technological innovation and CO₂ emissions in developed countries: Is there an inverted U-shaped relationship? Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal 36 (8) 2106-2016. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-12-2024-0555 Clark, R., Kneepkens, S. C. M., Plotnikov, D., Shah, R. L., Huang, Y., Tideman, J. W. L., Klaver, C. C. W., Atan, D., Williams, C., Guggenheim, J. A., & UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium. (2023). Time Spent Outdoors Partly Accounts for the Effect of Education on Myopia. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 64(14), 38. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10683767/ Climate Action Tracker. (November, 2025). Warming Projections Global Update. https://climateactiontracker.org/documents/1348/CAT_2025-11-13_GlobalUpdate_COP30.pdf Kallis, G., Hickel, J., O’Neill, D.W., Jackson, T. Victor, P.A., Ranworth, K., Schor, J.B., Steinberger, J.K., & Ürge-Vorsatz, D. (2025). Post-growth: the science of wellbeing within planetary boundaries. Lancet Planetary Health, 9 e:62-69 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00310-3/fulltext Kopnina, H., Fellinger, E., de Jong, J., & Bowden, A. (2025). Bridging ESGand the Circular Economy.Advancing corporate sustainability through the updated R-Hierarchy and Circularity Scoring Model. Visions for Sustainability, 23. https://ojs.unito.it/index.php/visions/article/view/11829/9765 Lee L, De Angelis L, Barclay E, Tahhan N, Saunders K, McConnell E, Ghorbani-Mojarrad, N., Dahlmann-Noor, A., Jaselsky, A. Leveziel, N., Bremond-Gignac, D., Resnikoff, S., & Fricke, T.R. (2025). Factors affecting the lifetime cost of myopia and the impact of active myopia treatments in Europe. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 278: 212–221. https://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(25)00336-8/pdf Whitmee, S., Haines, A, Beyrer, C., Boltz, F., Capon, A.G., de Souza Dias, B.F., Ezeh, A., Frumkin, H., Gong, P., Head, P., Horton, R.., Mace, G.M., Marten, R., Myers, S.S., Nishtar, s., Osofsky, S.A., Pattanayak, S.K., Pongsiri, M.J., Romanelli, C., Soucat, A., Vega, J., & Yach, D. (2015) Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission on planetary health. Lancet. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60901-1 Wong, Y.L., Wong,S.W., Ting, D.S.J. Muralidhar, A., Sen, S., Schaff, O., Istre-Wilz, H., Erny, B. (2024). Impacts of climate change on ocular health: A scoping review. The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 15 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2023.100296
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Climate Resilience to Floods on Rural Roads in Cambodia
This article examines the vulnerability of rural roads in Cambodia to flooding, with a focus on enhancing climate resilience through spatial and hydrological analysis. The study utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and a Rational Method to assess flood risks and identify infrastructure vulnerabilities in Siem Reap Province. Data from a 12-year period (2012–2023) was analyzed to evaluate changes in rainfall intensity and peak discharge, revealing that certain road segments, particularly Siem Reap Roads 03 and 04, are highly susceptible to flooding. GIS-based flood mapping pinpointed flood-prone areas, while the Rational Method provided estimates of peak runoff, helping to identify critical infrastructure segments in need of upgrades. The findings demonstrate that road networks in low-lying areas and near water bodies are particularly vulnerable, with the highest peak discharge recorded in 2020, reflecting the growing impact of climate variability. To mitigate these identified risks, the study recommends infrastructure improvements such as enhanced drainage systems, road elevation, and the use of permeable materials. These results offer valuable insights for policymakers and engineers to prioritize investments and develop climate-resilient infrastructure strategies. Integrating climate resilience into rural road planning allows Cambodia to reduce adverse flood impacts on transportation and fosters sustainable rural development.
Ecosystem-based adaptation as a strategy to increase climate resilience of small island communities in Indonesia
The climate crisis is a global challenge significantly affecting the sustainability of both human system and ecosystem. Due to their geographical circumstances, communities on small islands are more vulnerable to its impacts. This study critically examines the potential of the ecosystem-based climate change adaptation model (Ecosystem-Based Adaptation) to increase climate resilience in small island communities, particularly in Indonesia. Through a semi-systematic literature review of 31 key studies, this research analyzes the characteristics of small island climate vulnerability and resilience, then compare the findings to Indonesia context. Ecosystem-Based Adaptation has several advantages compared to other climate adaptation models; however, some challenges and limitations associated with its implementation are also identified. Findings suggest that for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to be effective, it needs to be community-led alongside empowerment, integrative-collaborative, and adaptive. Furthermore, the literature review identified critical gaps in current research on Ecosystem-Based Adaptation on small islands, offering valuable avenues for further exploration and advancement of this vital adaptation approach.
Circular Economy (CE) integrates social and environmental considerations into business strategies, recognizing these aspects as crucial for achieving organizational and ecosystems sustainability. While previous studies on CE and its correlation with Creating Shared Value (CSV) predominantly focus on developed nations, this research aims to fill the gap by showing an empirical investigation of the implementation of a circular business model in the tapioca industry of Indonesia. This study employed the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, encompassing economic, environmental, and social performance and analysed 132 survey responses from tapioca business managers and owners in Indonesia using a quantitative approach with SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that CE and CSV practices positively influence TBL performance and reveal a strong association between CE practices and CSV opportunities. By aligning with the TBL framework, this study highlights the transformative potential of CE and CSV practices in driving sustainability, profitability, and social equity in the global agroindustry.
While digital technologies are expanding rapidly in developing countries, their environmental consequences - particularly electronic waste (e-waste) - remain poorly integrated into digital development discourse. Most existing studies treat digital readiness and environmental sustainability as distinct domains, offering limited empirical evidence on how digital infrastructure impacts waste management, especially across regions with varied governance capacities. This study addresses this gap by analyzing whether higher digital readiness correlates with improved e-waste management in 40 developing countries - 20 from Africa and 20 from Asia. Drawing on cross-national data, the study uses indicators such as the ICT Development Index (IDI), AI Readiness Index, GDP per capita, urbanization rate, and e-waste formally collected and recycled. Descriptive analysis shows that while the average ICT score was 4.12 (on a 10-point scale), only 14.2% of e-waste was formally recycled across the sample, with Africa averaging under 5%. Regression results reveal that in Africa, both IDI (β = 2.49, p < 0.001) and GDP per capita (β = 0.0012, p = 0.011) significantly predicted recycling rates, while in Asia, these relationships were weaker and statistically non-significant. AI Readiness was not a strong predictor in either region. These findings imply that digital infrastructure alone is insufficient for sustainable outcomes and must be paired with effective governance and investment in environmental systems. The study’s novelty lies in its cross-regional, comparative approach, bridging digital development and environmental sustainability. Theoretically, it extends Ecological Modernization Theory by demonstrating that technological capacity must be mediated by policy effectiveness. Empirically, it introduces the concept of a “sustainability lag” to explain why rising digital access does not automatically translate into improved environmental outcomes in the Global South.
Mangrove ecosystems are considered vulnerable environments with a high risk of disappearing due to anthropogenic activities. Currently, territories prioritize economic development over the conservation of environmental resources, which paradoxically sustain their economy and, therefore, their own existence. This is the case of the Mangrove Community Reserve of the Portoviejo River Estuary, an ecosystem that has been affected since 1950 by the expansion of urban boundaries, intensive agricultural practices, and, most notably, aquaculture activities, which have deforested approximately 86% of the original mangrove cover. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to understand how urban expansion, driven by the population growth of the communities within the estuary’s biocorridor and their associated economic activities, has generated significant land-use conflicts that hinder conservation efforts for the remaining mangroves in the community reserve. Three methodological phases were applied: (a) characterization of the study area, (b) evaluation of human interactions and environmental pressure, and (c) identification of key patterns driving land-use changes. It was concluded that the urban footprint has increased by 146% since 2006, the population is growing around the mangrove reserve, and their socio-productive activities have fragmented the ecosystem and transformed the natural landscape. It is estimated that 407.55 hectares of mangrove forest have disappeared over the past seven decades due to indiscriminate logging for the construction of shrimp farms and agricultural plots, causing significant environmental alterations in the reserve.
Theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks
We study theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks and lessons applicable to agroecology businesses and markets in Eastern Uganda. Agroecology, as both a science and social movement, offers promising solutions for building resilient food systems. However, transitioning from conventional market-driven agriculture to agroecology-based systems presents challenges, particularly in the marketing of agroecological products. To address this gap, we examine various theories and models for sustainable agroecological business networks, aiming to identify interventions that catalyse the transitioning and sustainability of agroecological business networks through enhanced marketing. Methods involved document analysis, following interpretive qualitative research, and stakeholder participatory market system mapping and development. The results indicated seven theories shaping the principles and practices of agroecology business networks, one approach for developing market systems, and ten models for social, economic, and environmental interventions in agroecology networks. The Model for Women’s Entrepreneurship in Agroecology and Food Systems scored the highest at 93% to address the disablers of transitioning towards agroecology. From this model, and with support of other literature, we proposed the EquiAgro; A gender-inclusive Agroecological Business Model for Agroecology Business Networks and Markets. Our conclusions provide strategies for co-creating sustainable, resilient and socially inclusive agricultural systems that prioritize environmental stewardship and community well-being.
In the face of intensifying environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption trends, fostering sustainable consumption behaviour among university students has become a strategic imperative for global sustainability agendas. Although environmental education is widely endorsed as a key driver of pro-environmental behaviour, its real-world impact often remains limited when psychosocial dynamics are overlooked. This study investigates how conformity, social environment, and self-concept function as moderating factors that enhance the impacts of environmental education on sustainable consumption behaviour. Employing a large-scale quantitative design, data were collected from students across 122 public universities in Indonesia using structured questionnaires. The model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) through WarpPLS. The findings reveal that these psychosocial factors significantly strengthen the link between environmental education and sustainable consumption, suggesting that social identity and peer context are critical enablers of behavioural change. The study offers a novel contribution to the sustainable consumption literature by integrating educational, social, and psychological constructs within a cohesive theoretical framework. It also provides actionable insights for higher education institutions and policymakers to design transformative educational interventions that cultivate social influence, internalized norms, and environmentally responsible identities among students.
Green Mindfulness: A systematic review of the literature
Introduction. Humans possess an innate tendency towards life which, through fascination, facilitates the restoration of directed attention and stress recovery. Given the increasing urbanization, integrating Nature contact with mindfulness - a practice known for its analogous mental health benefits - is gaining attention. This systematic review investigates whether Nature-based mindfulness (Green Mindfulness) is synergistic, neutral, or antagonistic compared to indoor mindfulness or Nature exposure considered separately. Methodology. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search on Google Scholar using the string "Nature-based mindfulness" AND (empirical OR experimental) was conducted, yielding 129 results. After screening, twenty empirical studies published in 2023–2024 were included, with only nine featuring a comparator activity in a real natural environment. Participants included adolescents and adults, healthy subjects, and those with mental/physical vulnerabilities. Outcomes included psychological (stress, anxiety, mood, Nature connectedness) and physiological (cortisol, heart rate) measures. Results. All twenty studies reported positive effects on well-being and health. However, the comparative analysis of the nine controlled studies showed heterogeneous outcomes, indicating that Nature-based mindfulness is not unequivocally superior to comparison conditions, with results being synergistic, neutral, or even antagonistic depending on the variable. Specifically, antagonistic effects and neutral effects were observed for some variables. Discussion and Conclusions. The field of Nature-based mindfulness is emerging and highly heterogeneous in activity design and reporting. The lack of superior efficacy in some studies suggests that formal, introspective mindfulness may impede the necessary sensory relationship with the environment. An ecopsychological perspective is proposed for future research, advocating for an ecocentric green mindfulness model that includes the locus Naturae (the place as a living presence) and an ecotuner (a specialized facilitator) to better capture and maximize the bi-directional, restorative effects of the human-Nature relationship.
Are we on the right track for mitigating climate change?
Climate change, primarily driven by human activities, is becoming one of the most urgent global challenges of our time. Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to address the climate change crisis, resulting in certain impacts in combating climate change and raising awareness about its consequences. This paper critically assesses global climate mitigation efforts, highlighting both achievements and persistent shortcomings. Despite growth in renewable energy, international agreements, and technological innovation, as well as a carbon market, greenhouse gas emissions remain at record highs, and climate impacts continue to accelerate. Key strategies that predominantly rely on a growth-oriented paradigm and technological solutions have fallen short, often reinforcing existing exploitation paradigms rather than transforming them. Drawing on Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), the paper proposes transitioning from an eco-deficit to an eco-surplus culture—one that views ecological restoration and protection as fundamental for socio-economic well-being and development. Mitigating climate change requires not only scaling proven solutions but also reimagining socio-economic and governance structures to align with planetary boundaries and long-term sustainability.
Following the Paris Agreement, global actors intensified climate action through ambitious pledges, financial alliances, and investments in green technologies. However, despite continued rises in atmospheric carbon concentrations and global temperatures, a series of structural regressions have emerged, exposing the deep vulnerabilities and inherent flaws of artificial environmental protection systems—systems predominantly shaped by mainstream economics’ growth-oriented and technology-centric paradigms. This paper, grounded in Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), seeks to uncover the logical flaws embedded in such systems. It explains how they perpetuate the illusion that perpetual economic growth is compatible with environmental protection through prioritizing investment in advanced—yet often costly, low-impact, and highly uncertain—technological solutions. This bias also results in an overdependence on a limited range of technologies, heightening the risk of economic bubble formation and immiserizing growth. To address these systemic shortcomings, we advocate for the adoption of the semiconducting principle of monetary and environmental value exchange. This principle ensures that environmental values can be translated into monetary values, but not vice versa—thereby preventing monetary valuation from undermining ecological sustainability. Operationalizing this principle effectively requires the cultivation of Nature Quotient (NQ) across society and a broader socio-cultural shift toward an eco-surplus culture, in which environmental protection, restoration, and regeneration are not peripheral trade-offs, but foundational preconditions for long-term economic resilience, political stability, and social well-being. Such a profound transition will inevitably increase systemic entropy—manifesting as uncertainty and disruption across established socio-cultural and political patterns, norms, and structures. Accordingly, this paper also explores the major challenges that may hinder the emergence and diffusion of an eco-surplus culture, as well as strategies for addressing them.
Peace with nature as the new nature of peace
Mounting ecological crises—climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource depletion—act as “threat multipliers,” undermining livelihoods, intensifying insecurity, and fueling violent conflict. This perspective argues that peace in the twenty-first century must extend beyond the absence of armed conflict to encompass harmony between humanity and the natural environment. Lasting peace, therefore, requires reinvestment in ecosystems as critical foundations for resilience, prosperity, and stability. Cultivating Nature Quotient (NQ) - the capacity to perceive and act upon ecological interdependence - is a prerequisite for leaders and societies to secure peace with nature and safeguard civilization’s continuity.
EDITORIAL - On natures and human nature. Ethics, aesthetics, ecologies
The vision According to Raymond Williams (1980), the term nature is “a case of a definition of [a] quality which becomes, through real usage, based on certain assumptions, a description of the world”. What is most striking in the linguistic history of the term nature is the coexistence of that common idea, a state of nature, with the almost unnoticed, because so habitual, use of nature to indicate the inherent and essential quality of any particular thing [which] is, of course, much more than accidental. Indeed there is evidence that it is historically the earliest use. In Latin one would have said natura rerum, keeping nature to the essential quality and adding the definition of things. But then also in Latin natura came to be used on its own, to express the same general meaning: the essential constitution of the world. […] The multiplicity of things, and of living processes, might then be mentally organized around a single essence or principle: a nature (p.68). This “singular abstraction” becomes “a nominal continuity over more than two millennia” so pervasive “that we may not always realize quite all that it commits us to. A singular name for the real multiplicity of things and living processes may be held, with an effort, to be neutral, but I am sure it is very often the case that it offers, from the beginning, a dominant kind of interpretation: idealist, metaphysical, or religious” (p. 69), each of which has a specific historical and cultural context. The aim of this special section is to focus on the interpretation of this “singular abstraction” through the diverse lenses proposed by the contributions to the international conference Natures and Human Nature. Ethics, aesthetics, ecologies. A comparative approach, organized by Viviana Toro Matuk and Salima Cure in April 2024. The conference was designed as an occasion for reflecting from different disciplinary perspectives on the possibility of using the analytical tools of British anthropologist Mary Douglas’s Cultural Theory to lay the foundations for comparative research. Scholars of social and cultural anthropology, bioethics, cultural studies, psychology and biology contributed with presentations of ethnographic cases and theoretical reflections. Organizing the conference represented what the Murui indigenous population calls hacer amanecer or giving concrete form to an idea (Salima Cure, personal communication, October 31, 2024). Among the Fula of Guinea-Bissau, the figure of the visionary plays an important role in the community and is a person who has the ability to see what others cannot see. They have the ability to perceive dangers and warn in advance people who might be affected by them. This protective function is fundamental, as it helps prevent people from falling into traps set by sorcerers or other malicious individuals. The visionary acts as a guardian of the community, using their powers of perception to protect others from invisible dangers. The work presented in each of the papers in this special section resonates with that function. Ecological vision is the capacity to detect the traps inscribed in our dominant conceptualisations of nature, whether in the idea of the dualism of nature and culture or in the anthropocentric assumption that non-human beings exist primarily as resources. To exercise vision is to recognise dangers before they become irreversible but also to recognise openings: relational, epistemological, and ethical pathways toward alternative interpretations and possible futures. The Cultural Theory framework The conference aimed to explore the various ways in which humans perceive, interact with, and comprehend nature, both as a physical environment and as a symbolic concept. It also sought to examine from different perspectives human behaviour in relation to different forms of social organisation and modern institutions responsible for environmental protection. The nature versus culture dichotomy and the cultural origins of this dichotomy are focal points of numerous anthropological studies. In this respect, various diverse and complementary perspectives challenge Eurocentric notions of subjectivity by offering an alternative viewpoint on the relationship between humans and nature. Descola (2005) proposes a fourfold classification of the relations between human beings and nature: animism, totemism, naturalism, and analogism. Ingold (2019; 2020) emphasizes the significance of comprehending nature by using the notion of lines. Nature is depicted as a dynamic and interconnected continuum of processes, movements, and relationships. The significance of lived experience in comprehending and constructing the natural world is paramount. Moreover, Ingold underlines the fundamental connections and interdependencies between culture and nature, challenging the idea that they are different from one another. Viveiros de Castro (1998) posits that within Amerindian cultures, subjectivity and consciousness are discernible in both human and non-human entities. The conference situated the question of natures and human nature within the conceptual framework of Cultural Theory (Douglas, 1970), with particular regard to the ongoing discourse surrounding global warming and the multiple environmental changes resulting from human activities. Cultural Theory is a comparative approach based on the idea that there exist different ways individuals relate to society, forming different cosmologies, which can be synthesised within four cultural types. Douglas et al. (2003) assert that it is conceivable that a finite number of fundamental forms of social organisation could be identified, from which a vast array of ultimate forms of social and cultural existence could emerge. According to Cultural Theory four primary methods of organising, perceiving, and justifying social relations, also referred to as “ways of life” or “social solidarity”, exist: 1. Fatalism 2. Equality 3. Hierarchy 4. Individualism (Table 1). These forms of social solidarity imply distinct versions of “nature” and of “human nature”. Douglas and Ney (1998) point out how such configurations, or ways of looking at the environment, often also correspond to specific ways of understanding human nature, combining the themes of ethics (values and behaviours valued towards the non-human), aesthetics (sensitive appreciation of the world) and ecology (cosmological view related to nature). From situated and specific ethnographic cases in different historical and cultural contexts, it is possible to find a shared explanatory model that is able to shed light on contemporary cultural biases regarding the relations between humans and non-humans. Table 1. Cultural Theory methods of organising, perceiving, and justifying social relations INDIVIDUALISM - Perception of nature as benevolent and robust. - Human beings are driven by self-interest and atomistic tendencies. - Faith in others until shown otherwise. - Advocate for fair rewards for those who work more. - Believe in market-orientated institutions. HIERARCHY - Views the world as controllable. - Nature is stable if not pushed beyond discoverable limits. - Human beings are malleable, flawed but recoverable through reliable institutions. - Equitable distribution based on rank, position, or need, determined by experienced authority. FATALISM - Sees no logic or reason in the natural world. - Believes that man is unpredictable and inconsistent. - Lack of equity and constructive transformation. - Deficits in bonding with the natural world and fostering trust. - The process of learning is considered to be unattainable. EQUALITY - Nature is interdependent and fragile. - People are caring. - Equality is the foundation of equality and leads to equality in results. - Equality and trust are related. - Institutions of unequal distribution are disregarded. Towards a transdisciplinary approach In order to address questions that must be investigated on multiple levels, from the microscopic to the macrosocial dynamics of the contemporary world, we need an approach that combines the science that studies the mechanisms of living systems, biology, with the sciences that deal with the ways in which human beings know and recognise living beings, both inside and outside themselves. How can biology, ecology, aesthetics and ethics be intertwined to explain the anthropological continuities, models or mechanisms of action that characterise what is considered alive? As Ingold (2013) argues, a biosocial approach does not imply reducing the social to the biological, or vice versa, but involves considering life as a unique process, in which living cells and human behaviour in groups show identical patterns, in constant correspondence with other human and non-human beings, sharing a common condition of becoming, which can be compared: …to a hemp rope, twisted by multiple strands, in turn twisted by multiple fibres, each in turn twisted by its cellular and molecular constituents. In principle, it could be examined from near or far, microscopically or macroscopically. But at each level of resolution we find the same complexity, the same intertwining of threads, the same metabolic exchange. Like rope, becoming is biological to the top and social to the bottom (p. 9). Through the study of ethnographic cases, anthropology poses us questions first and foremost on an epistemological level. Can we find correspondences in the ways we know the world, both outside and inside ourselves, that lead us to think of a joint human endeavour? Although different scientific disciplines vary in terms of their objects, methods, purposes and the worldviews that drive them, together they can provide complementary visions. Rather than describing the relationship between, for example, anthropologists and biologists as a question of ontological differences, we can talk about different, but reciprocally enriching, epistemological perspectives. For the Achuar, there is no term corresponding to what we mean by the word “nature” (Descola, 2005). Relations between humans and the world are not experienced in an oppositional way. Plants and animals differ from humans only in appearance, but they share the same soul, the same ethics. From the differences observed between our way of relating to nature and that of the Achuar, Descola hypothesised two initial different ontologies, understood as forms of identification and anchoring of subsequent cosmologies, and then described two further types. The ontology specific to a culture can be deduced by observing the combination of interiority and physicality that guides the different processes of world-making. Naturalism emphasises the continuity between humans and nature in physicality, dissociating itself from it in interiority. Animism is characterised by an emphasis on the eco-anthropological continuum with physical discontinuity and continuity of interiority between humans and non-humans. Analogism highlights a discontinuity between humans and non-humans in terms of both interiority and physicality. Totemism is an ontology in which there is continuity of both physicality and interiority. A tension between matter and spirit seems to be present everywhere and resolved in different forms. Ingold (2012) has argued for an inescapable bio-social continuity that characterises human beings, which, in his view, could be better understood if we were able to think in procedural terms, abandoning our cognitive predilection for substantial and prime essences. He outlines nature as a dynamic continuum of processes, movements and relationships. He proposes an epistemology based on the metaphor of interwoven lines, capable of better representing the dimensions of process, openness and the possibility of entering into relationships through intersecting nodes. All life can be seen as bundles of lines where, for example, human lines interact with other human lines, rhododendrons’ lines intermingle with those of other plants, and the lines of clouds and winds are in constant interplay. The interconnectedness of all things in such a “meshwork” is in stark contrast to the idea that is central to our philosophy of a substance, something more similar to a bubble, which refers to original and eternal essences, which, like individuals in the West, close in on themselves, feeling their own end within the confines of their own skin, an expression of a given DNA, making the central dimension of human experience, that of relationship, impervious to analysis (Ingold 2019; 2020). In this respect, we must ensure that alternative knowledges – indigenous, artistic, experiential – are not dismissed but integrated as equally necessary for the planetary conversation. As bioethicist Professor Lolas-Stepke pointed out in his paper, when we try to assume multiple perspectives, we generally talk about multi- inter- or trans-disciplinarity, but it is possible to distinguish between these three modes. A team can be said to be multidisciplinary when some people have a common commitment. They try to solve a problem or set a problem from different perspectives, but each one maintains their own discourse, perspectives and contexts. When people agree on the content and meaning of terms, we can speak of interdisciplinarity, where, in addition to a common goal, the content and categories are also shared. Finally, the transdisciplinary perspective is when each one of the participants loses their “specialist chauvinism” and contributes to the development of the problem, participating in a process of agreeing on the terms with which the narrative is constructed and the context in which these different perspectives intersect or integrate. These are ways of structuring discourse, and different discourses need to be translated (trans-lātus = “carry across/over”, “take from one place to another”) from given fields or contexts to others. Issues of epistemic injustice may come into play here, since some discourses appear to be more valid than others in a hierarchically organised arena of knowledge. This conference can be seen a step towards a transdisciplinary approach able to look at a common problem by overcoming the cultural prejudices inherent within the disciplines themselves. The contributions to this special section The contributions published in this special section discuss from different perspectives the question of the relationship between man, human beings and nature, and how this relationship is determined on the one hand and also determines on the other the very conception of human beings. In this respect, various contributions from different disciplines have brought out both convergences and discontinuities. Francesco Della Costa, a cultural anthropologist at the University of Milan Bicocca, presented a paper entitled “The planetary man: nature and visions in a post-Christian cosmology”. He examines the eco-anthropological perspective of Ernesto Balducci, Italian Catholic philosopher and activist, in his 1985 text L’Uomo Planetario (The Planetary Man), as a proposal akin to those of Donna Haraway and the ontological approaches of Descola (2005) and Viveiros de Castro (1998). While the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has only recently begun to directly address ecological issues, some exponents of Christian thought, such as St Francis of Assisi, had long emphasised the centrality of the relationship between humans and non-humans. This relationship must be re-interpreted within a process of globalisation of the human species, whereby the planet is no longer conceived as a resource to be dominated and exploited for human needs but as a common home for humans and non-humans, to be preserved. The religious vision, or the sense of the sacred, which emerges when nature is fascinans et tremendum, is what can restore this planetary condition to us. The perception of the fragility of the world, akin to human fragility, should lead us to a creaturely commonality, to establish forms of cross-species solidarity with a view to survival. In her paper “Natures, territories and the Breath of Life: The maintenance of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ among the Murui people in the present, Colombian Amazon”, Judy Marcela Chaves-Agudelo, a postdoctoral researcher at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, explores the Murui people’s philosophy of life, centred on Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ – the Breath of Life – as a form of contemporaneous native aesthetics. Through fieldwork, interviews with elders, and participation in rituals, she shows how this concept, rooted in the sacred Word and in practices such as the mambeadero and maloka, continues to guide everyday life and responses to social, political, and ecological upheavals. The analysis highlights four contemporary contexts in which the Breath of Life is maintained: the foundation of the Indigenous school House of Knowledge; the “cooling” of armed conflict; the re-creation of practices in contexts of displacement; and contributions to the Colombian Truth Commission. The article demonstrates how, by contextualising ancestral knowledge and practices, the Murui enact a living aesthetics that defends cultures, natures, and territories, while simultaneously offering a philosophy of resilience and coexistence. Miria Gambardella, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral candidate in social and cultural anthropology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, presented a paper entitled “Revolutionary grounds: political ontology of zapatista land relations”. She offers a reflection on nature as an analytical tool that highlights the strategic uses of ethnicity for the construction of political and economic alternatives through the Zapatista coffee trade. When linked to international activism, the coffee trade networks reveal themselves to be much more than simple monetary transactions. Ethics, nature and culture permeate every aspect of militant action. Through multi-sited research between Europe and Mexico and applying decolonial and post-development theories, Gambardella analyses how solidarity relationships are narrated and performed, investigating the strategies implemented by Zapatista coffee producers and European activists to build economic and epistemic alternatives by re-signifying their relationship with the land. In her paper “Visions and ecologies: A comparative analysis on human-nature relationship”, Viviana Toro Matuk proposes a comparative reflection on the materials of the conference, adopting the lens of Cultural Theory. This theoretical framework, which identifies the four fundamental cultural configurations of individualism, hierarchy, egalitarianism, and fatalism, enables interpretation of the plurality of visions that emerge within the transdisciplinary dialogue. Her article seeks to highlight how each cosmology translates into specific representations of both nature and the human, and how, at the same time, possibilities of convergence and conflict between different perspectives may arise. Through the analysis of ethnographic cases and theoretical reflections, it becomes evident that cultural configurations shape not only models of human-environment relations but also disciplinary epistemological frameworks and research practices. The article concludes by emphasising the need for a comparative approach capable of recognising the coexistence of heterogeneous visions and of constructing dynamic interpretative models, able to bring knowledges and practices into dialogue in order to grasp the multiple “natures” that define the relationship between humans and the non-human world. What unites the contributions in this volume is the recognition that the relationship between humans and nature is not only descriptive but constitutive. How we envision nature shapes how we envision ourselves. The ecological vision advanced here is not a single doctrine but a plural, transdisciplinary conversation. To conclude, we return to the metaphor of the visionary. Just as the Fula visionary perceives dangers invisible to others, so too must we cultivate a collective ecological vision capable of discerning the traps laid by anthropocentrism, extractivism, and epistemic closure. To envision nature otherwise is to envision humanity otherwise. It is to recognise our fragility not as a limitation but as the very ground for solidarity with all forms of life. References Douglas, M. (1970). Natural symbols: Explorations in cosmology. Barrie & Rockliff. Douglas, M., & Ney, S. (1998). Missing Persons: A Critique of the Social Sciences. University of California Press. Douglas, M., Thompson, M., & Verweij, M. (2003). “Is Time Running Out? The Case of Global Warming.” Daedalus 132 (2), 98-107. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270160764_Is_time_running_out_The_case_of_global_warming Descola, P. (2005). Par-delà nature et culture. Gallimard. Ingold, T., & Gísli P. (eds). (2013) Biosocial Becomings: Integrating Social and Biological Anthropology. Cambridge University Press. Ingold T. (2019). Art and anthropology for a sustainable world. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 25, 659–675. https://rai.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-9655.13125 Ingold, T. (2020). Meeting art with words: the philosopher as anthropologist. International Society for Adaptive Behavior, Volume 30: Issue 6. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1059712320970672 Viveiros de Castro, E. (1998). Cosmological Perspectivism in Amazonia. Hau. https://haubooks.org/cosmological-perspectivism-in-amazonia/
Visions and Ecologies: A comparative analysis on human-nature relationship
Drawing on contributions to the conference Natures and Human Nature. Ethics, Aesthetics, Ecologies. A Comparative Approach, held on April 24, 2024, this article proposes a reading based on Douglas, Vildavsky and Thompson’s Cultural Theory of different “visions” of the natural world. Cultural theory posits that there are four cultural configurations or worldviews that influence how human beings represent their relationships with the environment and how they think about themselves. Individualists believe that nature is robust and benign and that human beings are autonomous and driven by self-interest. Hierarchical groupings perceive nature as a stable system governed by authoritative positions. In such a society, individuals are regarded as passive and require governance by robust and reliable institutions. Egalitarianism views nature as delicate and interconnected, highlighting reciprocal care and equality as fundamental principles. Fatalism embraces a perspective characterized by chaos, wherein neither nature nor humanity adheres to a discernible or rational order. Ethnographic experiences and theoretical reflections demonstrate how these configurations can be useful when evaluating both field research results and disciplinary epistemological frameworks.
Despite evidence of a biblical influence on the anthropocentric model of man’s dominance over nature, some trends of Christian thought dialogue with the contemporary philosophical and anthropological insights on nature and human relationship with it. Beside Pope Francis’ relevant contribution to the debate on climate change and anthropocentrism at large, and his call for integral ecology, other Christian experiences are of great interest in this regard. The article focuses on the work of an Italian Catholic thinker who anticipated some of the current theoretical questions about Anthropocene, and envisioned a novel post-Christian, generally post-religious and even post-cultural, cosmology which is worth to investigate. In L’uomo planetario (The Planetary Man) (1985), Ernesto Balducci presents a vision of human interdependence with nature, echoing themes later explored by posthumanist anthropology. Balducci advocates for transcending the human-centered view of nature as a separate object, and embracing a planetary consciousness, urging a re-evaluation of the human-nonhuman relationship. His perspective, which predates current onto-ecological debates, underscores the urgency of overcoming anthropocentrism and embracing a holistic approach to environmental stewardship. Balducci’s vision aligns astonishingly with Chakrabarty’s concept of the “planetary age” and resonates with his argument on overcoming sustainability toward planetary habitability. Revisiting Balducci’s insights, we can find inspiration in our constant search for new visionary visions of nature and our place within it.
Natures, territories and the Breath of Life.
The Murui people’s concept of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ signifies Breath of Life. This concept represents the genesis and the end of the Murui existence, as it was exhaled by Moó and the material world was created. Furthermore, it is the sole means through which human life is possible, as we breathe. This study presents Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ as a native aesthetics or philosophy of life. It demonstrates how this concept is perpetuated through the contextualisation of social practices according to events lived in and out of the territory of origin. I conducted interviews with several elders and participated in community events in Leticia in the context of academic projects and cultural rituals. Furthermore, I conducted a review of the relevant literature. I present four examples illustrative of the maintenance of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ has occurred in recent times: 1. The foundation of Nɨmaɨrafiya or the Indigenous School ‘House of Knowledge’; 2. The cooling of the presence of illegal armies and the internal war in territories; 3. The cooling of daily life in foreign lands; 4. The contribution to the Commission of Truth’s Final Report. I conclude that the symbolic and physical violence expressed through extractivist economies, internal armed conflict and displacement from the place of origin are the events recognised as decisive for the hybridization of social practices, and the maintenance of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ represents a strategy for the defence of the cultures, natures and territories of the Murui people, which may be regarded as contemporaneous native aesthetics.
Revolutionary grounds: political ontology of Zapatista land relations
This study explores Zapatista communities' relationship with the land and their participation in transnational networks of coffee distribution, focusing on the political ontologies behind their resistance to capitalist destruction. The research highlights how their collective fight challenges privatization and extractive economies by analyzing their approach to land through the lens of political ecology and anthropology. Rooted in indigenous ontologies blended with anticapitalist ideologies, the Zapatistas' rejection of private property and their creation of autonomous territories represent a radical stance in the ongoing struggle for indigenous rights and agrarian reform in Mexico. Ethnographic fieldworks with both Zapatista producers and European solidarity networks reveal tensions between autonomy, processes of political subjectivization, and resistance to commodification, as well as the risk of romanticizing indigenous and peasant movements. The research contextualizes these dynamics within broader challenges posed by increasing violence, state repression, and organized crime in Chiapas. The findings contribute to ongoing debates about the commons, indigenous autonomy, and the contradictions of participating in transnational markets. By integrating insights from anthropology, political ontology, and social movement studies, this research offers a deeper understanding of how Zapatista communities and their allies strive to build sustainable economic lives, underlying their significance in reimagining dignifying alternatives to current predatory capitalism.