Coordinators: Tristan G Brown (MIT), Serguei Saavedra (MIT), Or Porath (Tel Aviv University)
The Idea: Motivations & Scope
How can we sustain biodiversity in a world shaped by human influence? This pillar explores the deep interconnections between culture, ecology, and sustainability, moving beyond crisis narratives to uncover historically and geographically diverse models of environmental stewardship. While much of modern discourse frames biodiversity loss as an inevitable consequence of human expansion, history tells a more complex story. Across cultures and time periods, societies have responded to environmental shifts with creativity, resilience, and innovation. Some cultivated sustainable landscapes, embedded conservation in religious and ethical traditions, or devised governance systems that balanced human needs with ecological limits. Others failed, leaving behind cautionary tales of collapse.
By synthesizing insights from history, anthropology, religious studies, ecology, and data science, this pillar aims to reshape how we understand and address environmental challenges. It provides an intellectual framework for projects that integrate historical knowledge with cutting-edge research, policy engagement, and public advocacy, ensuring that the humanities play a central role in shaping sustainable futures.
Guiding Questions
- What cultural, technological, and institutional strategies have enabled societies to protect biodiversity? How have human perceptions of nature—whether as sacred, animate, or mechanical—shaped environmental practices? How might these lessons inform contemporary policymaking, global governance, and future approaches to planetary stewardship?
- What cultural beliefs, governance systems, and practices have historically contributed to environmental sustainability?
- How have societies interpreted and responded to biodiversity loss and ecological crises?
- What are the historical models of successful human-environment interactions that could inform contemporary sustainability efforts?
- How have different cultures conceptualized human agency in shaping the environment—whether through religious, philosophical, or scientific worldviews? • How can historical and cultural insights inform interdisciplinary collaborations on climate resilience, biodiversity preservation, and ecological restoration?
Goals & Actions
- Develop a global, historically grounded framework for understanding sustainability beyond Eurocentric models
- Bridge the gap between environmental history, policy, and public discourse, influencing real-world decision-making
- Expand research methodologies by integrating historical case studies with AI-driven data analysis and modeling
- Provide policymakers and stakeholders with actionable knowledge about long-term human-environment interactions
- Engage the public in rethinking sustainability through exhibits, digital storytelling, and collaborative global initiatives
PROJECT: The Past, Present, and Future of Weather Modification