Paul Hawken's 'Carbon': Bottom‑Up Climate Hope

Paul Hawken, a renowned environmentalist, author, lecturer, and entrepreneur, has dedicated decades to advocating for the regeneration of nature and humanity. His latest book, "Carbon," explores how solutions for planetary healing are rooted in a deeper appreciation for the complexities of the natural world.

The True Meaning of Apocalypse

Hawken redefines "apocalypse" from its Greek origin, meaning "a revealing of what is hidden." He suggests that we are currently in such a period, where hidden truths are being unveiled, which is a necessary step towards rebirth and rebuilding. This perspective offers a hopeful reframe of a word often associated with disaster, emphasizing that seeing the problems clearly is the first step toward addressing them.

The Limitations of Top-Down Solutions

Hawken criticizes top-down approaches to environmental issues, such as the Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings on climate, nature, and land use. Despite ardent attendance, these conferences have largely failed, with climate conditions worsening. He argues that nature and life are not top-down systems, and therefore, solutions cannot be effectively imposed from above by governments or institutions. While acknowledging the sincerity of those involved, he points out that these methods simply don't work.

He also cautions against individuals abdicating personal responsibility by relying solely on top-down solutions. Instead, he advocates for a bottom-up approach, where individuals take action in their own spheres of influence.

A New Narrative for Environmentalism

Hawken believes the prevailing narrative of the climate movement, based on fear, threat reduction, and blame, has failed. He likens it to an ineffective advertising campaign that scares people without inspiring action. Less than 1% of the global population actively addresses climate change daily, indicating the narrative's ineffectiveness.

He argues that objectifying carbon as a "bad boy" or "culprit" to be sequestered or eliminated (as in "net zero" or "carbon neutrality") is problematic. This objectification, he contends, mirrors the mentality that has caused environmental degradation—treating the living world as something to be exploited.

Instead, Hawken proposes a narrative rooted in human need, delight, wonder, and curiosity. He encourages a way of looking at plants, creatures, and other cultures that fosters awe and respect, leading to a transformative personal experience. This shift in perception, he believes, is the true source of regeneration, rather than declarations from international meetings.

Beyond David Attenborough: Finding Wonder in the Everyday

While appreciating the beauty of nature documentaries, Hawken suggests that they can inadvertently create a sense of separation from the natural world because they showcase scenes most people will never experience. He advocates for finding wonder in more accessible, "down-to-earth" ways.

He shares an anecdote about a scientist who counted 14 million roots on a single rye seed, each connected to mycelia engaging in complex transactions with the plant. This illustrates the profound complexity and interconnectedness of life beneath our feet, highlighting how little we truly understand about the world we inhabit.

Another example involves the 20 senses plants possess, compared to humans' five. He recounts realizing that the redwood trees outside his home were "noticing" him, a profound shift in his perception that instilled a deeper sense of connection and respect. This awareness, he argues, extends to human interactions, fostering compassion.

The Humility of Complexity

Hawken critiques the reductive approach of modern science and medicine, which often isolates problems and seeks singular solutions without appreciating the holistic complexity of systems. He draws a parallel between pharmaceutical advertisements, which list numerous side effects, and climate solutions that often ignore potential negative consequences.

He specifically calls out direct air capture technology, which aims to remove carbon from the atmosphere, as an example of a flawed, energy-intensive solution that attempts to cure entropy with entropy. He argues that such approaches, despite billions in investment, are fundamentally unworkable from a physics perspective. Similarly, electric vehicles, while a step forward, are still extractive technologies due to battery production and energy sourcing.

Carbon: The Narrator of Life

Hawken emphasizes the need to reframe our understanding of carbon itself. Far from being merely a pollutant, carbon is the fundamental building block of life, a ubiquitous element that stores energy and has memory. He describes carbon as a "flow," like a river or wind, present in every cell of every living organism.

He highlights a poetic line from his book: "Carbon is presented as the narrator of life, the courier of existence and the lattice that permeates cultures and organisms."

The Astonishing Origins of Carbon

Hawken delves into the origins of carbon, explaining that most elements, including carbon, did not originate from the Big Bang (which only produced hydrogen and helium). He recounts Fred Hoyle's theory, initially met with skepticism, that carbon is formed in dying red giant stars when beryllium (two helium molecules) captures another helium molecule. This process, occurring in a trillionth of a trillionth of a second every 2,500 times beryllium is made, is incredibly rare.

Despite its improbable formation, carbon is found in 99% of everything on Earth and is essential to all life. This "incalculably small" chance of creation, coupled with its ubiquity, suggests that life is far more extraordinary than we can comprehend.

The Queendom (or Kindom) of Fungi

Hawken dedicates a chapter to fungi, calling it the "queendom" or "kindom" because it is essential for the existence of the other four kingdoms of life. He notes that we have identified only about 10% of fungal species, indicating a vast unknown.

He describes the intricate communication and nutrient exchange between mycelia and plant roots, where nutrients are transported in opposite directions within the same fungal vessel. Some scientists even suggest that fungi communicate using "words" and "sentences" as complex as Indo-European languages.

Hawken laments that modern agricultural practices, through plowing, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides, destroy the vital fungal networks in the soil. This destruction leads to weaker plants, nutrient-poor food, and a reliance on chemical inputs, ultimately killing the soil itself. He emphasizes that soil is a living organism, the largest on Earth, and the source of all life.

The Wisdom of Indigenous Cultures and the Power of Awareness

Hawken contrasts Western thought, which often views systems as separate parts, with traditional ecological knowledge, which sees life as a complex, interconnected system. He highlights indigenous languages, which are often verb-based, emphasizing relationships and connections rather than separation.

He shares an example of the Micmac people of Canada, who could name the specific sound a tree made in the wind, allowing them to understand its health and condition over time. This level of attunement to nature is a testament to a deep, relational understanding.

Hawken believes that a burgeoning awareness is emerging globally, driven by the interaction between Western science and indigenous wisdom. This collaboration is revealing how much we don't know, fostering a sense of discovery and delight.

The Elephant Story and the Sentience of All Life

He recounts the story of Anthony James, who rehabilitated a group of destructive elephants. After James's death, the elephants, who had formed a bond with him, surrounded his house in mourning and returned a year later on the same day. This story, also discussed in the context of animal sentience and emotional intelligence, illustrates the profound, often unacknowledged, interior lives of other creatures.

Hawken points out that we live on a planet "sussed with intelligence and sentience" from creatures we once thought had none, including insects. He mentions that mother bats communicate in a dialect, naming their children and teaching them to avoid certain male bats.

He argues that humans are the only species that disregulates the climate, questioning our self-proclaimed intelligence. While acknowledging human brilliance, he also notes the "craziest, stupidest times in history" in terms of our relationship with each other and the living world.

Hope in a Self-Terminating System

Hawken acknowledges that the existing system is "self-terminating" and accelerating. However, he finds hope in the "brilliance in the world that's arising and emerging."

He uses the analogy of fighting a wildfire: after the fire, the land appears as a wasteland, but in the spring, the grass is greener, and wildflowers bloom that were previously unseen. This represents the simultaneous existence of destruction and emergence. While the "fire" (problems) is easy to see, the "birth" (solutions and positive changes) is harder to perceive because it is decentralized and doesn't make headlines.

He emphasizes that hope doesn't have to come from grand, global solutions but can be found in addressing the suffering of children, migrants, or any cause that evokes grief. Grief, he suggests, is a gift from love, a pathway to action.

Hawken concludes by encouraging individuals to find their pathway to action in their own neighborhoods, recognizing the inherent sentience and interconnectedness of all life. He highlights the often-overlooked role of religious institutions in caring for people and places, suggesting that this inherent human capacity for care is a powerful force for good.