Are we in the midst of a modern ‘war of the worlds’?

Professor Mark Everard argues that we are, but it’s between different world views, not different planets. On one side, sustainability, and on the other, monetarism at the expense of a long-agreed consensus.

Around the world, politics and populism have begun challenging that consensus, posing the threat of environmental regression in policy and regulation.

These changes pose an ethical question for the environmental sciences: is the role of professionals just to carry out the actions that the system requires, even if that system operates against the ideals at the core of sustainability?

To help environmental professionals make sense of these new conflicts, the IES is holding an online workshop, as a platform for members and stakeholders to discuss these developments and what action should be taken in the face of what could be a ‘war of the worlds’.

• Sign up for the free workshop on the IES website

This briefing sets out five opinion pieces as a provocation for discussion:

• Mark Everard: War of the worlds: Championing sustainable development in contested times
• William Calendar: Sustainability is an existential concern, not a political debate
• Mark Everard: A War of Evidence
• Mary Davis: The false dichotomy of environment vs wealth
• Mark Everard: Constraints as opportunities

As a membership organisation, we provide a convening space where members can share their views and engage in healthy debate. The goal of this briefing is to stimulate thought and discussion amongst environmental professionals. The articles contained within are the views of their authors, and do not represent the perspective of the Institution of Environmental Sciences.