Flourishing in the Age of Climate Change: Public Lecture

Author William Throop will give a presentation based on his new book, Flourishing in the Age of Climate Change. The book explores skills we need to successfully navigate the distinctive environmental, social, and economic challenges of the twenty-first century. Our inability to address increasing resource constraints, social conflict, and ecological decline lead many toward a deep pessimism that saps motivation for change.

Drawing on research from environmental science, ethics, psychology, sociology and educational theory, Throop shows why cultivating underdeveloped skills involved in collaboration, humility, frugality and systems thinking can enable flourishing within our context. He also illustrates how we can strengthen such skills individually and how education can scale up their cultivation, which will be essential for achieving sustainability.

While not shying away from the challenges we face, this talk will be a hopeful, practical resource for those who are passionate about creating a world where we can thrive, and where flourishing is widespread.

William Throop is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Environmental Studies and former Provost of Green Mountain College. He is the editor of Environmental Restoration and coeditor of Reason and Culture.