This chapter investigates possible future directions of the DOHaD framework. Specifically, it discusses options to translate the framework into the Anthropocene. In a first step, I outline how recent research on epigenetics, the human microbiome, and planetary boundaries challenges notions of origin and development embedded in DOHaD research. I then outline three distinct modes of interdisciplinary collaboration: subordination–service, integration–synthesis, and agonistic–antagonistic. I discuss how each of these modes offers the possibility to conduct research across the nature–culture divide and address human bodies and environments as anthropogenic due to their complex natural, social, and political histories. I conclude that the DOHaD framework needs to embrace the idea of anthropogenic biology to address the challenges of the Anthropocene and take responsibility for the knowledge that it produces in an attempt to shape a politics of habitability for our planet.

In Chapter 6, the bioeconomy is examined in light of basic notions from the field of ecological economics and sustainability science, such as natural capital substitutability, planetary boundaries, social needs, growth and de/post-growth, justice, and equity. Overall, such notions highlight the need to pursue sustainability solutions that are simultaneously safe for planetary ecological health and just for people across space and time.

Civilisational collapse could occur. The cascading risks attached to climate change could happen within decades or half a century, so it is no longer the next generation that will carry the burdens of the climate emergency. Before the dominoes collapse, we must take climate risks seriously and act accordingly. If we act now, climate risks can be minimised, if not avoided.

We are at war with life. The Earth ecosystem, our common home, is being destroyed by industrial technologies which have led to massive pollution of all ecosystems, greenhouse effect, deforestation, impoverishment of the soil, overexploitation of fresh water, acidification of the ocean. We are now engaged in a sixth mass extinction. It is time to recognise the ongoing ecocide, the destruction of our common home, as a crime. It is also time to relearn to live in harmony with Nature, to recognise its intrinsic value and its right to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, in all its life forms. The Rights of Nature allow us to protect the rights of future generations, human and non-human. This chapter presents various new initiatives and legal cases from around the world to that end.

This chapter discusses how to integrate sustainable value creation corporate governance, through company law, corporate governance codes and corporate documents, notably the companies’ constitution. Currently, all of these, law, codes and constitutions, tend mainly to limit themselves to regulating the relationship between the board, senior management and shareholders, making minimal reference to the existence of and crucial contributions by other involved parties and affected interests comprising the business. Potentially laws, codes and constitutions can be remodelled in order to integrate sustainability into the governance of business. The chapter analyses the emerging concept in company law and corporate governance of sustainable value creation and positions this within a research-based concept of sustainability. On this basis and drawing on a decade of collaborative research, we suggest how sustainable value creation within planetary boundaries could be integrated through company law reform. We discuss how this could be followed up through reform of corporate governance codes, as a support for a law reform or as an alternative way to promote sustainable business while waiting for a legislative reform. Finally, we explore how the potential of integrating sustainable value creation in company constitutions can contribute to shifting business towards sustainability.

This chapter asks whether the Sustainable Development Goals have advanced planetary ecological integrity, that is, strengthened policies towards the preservation of global commons at various levels of governance. We start with a brief account of the concept of planetary integrity, before engaging in a theoretical debate about the potential role of the Sustainable Development Goals in advancing planetary integrity, drawing on a literature survey. Finally, we assess the transformative potential of the goals for planetary integrity by focusing on governance interventions at international, regional, local and transnational levels. Our research shows that while the Sustainable Development Goals have raised concern about environmental protection, they do not motivate transformative change towards planetary integrity. Specifically, the literature raises doubts about the actual steering effects of the goals owing to their poor additionality with respect to existing environmental agreements, their inherent contradictions, and their weak ambition when it comes to planetary integrity.

The nature of stewardship varies based on shareholder structures. In the Nordic region (similar to many Asian jurisdictions), the role of states, sovereign holding companies and wealth funds, other public market actors such as public pension funds, families, family-controlled investment companies and family-based foundations is significant compared to (other) national and international institutional investors. In this chapter, we discuss the peculiarities of Nordic stewardship as a backdrop for our analysis of Norwegian stewardship, which is dominated by the state and the municipalities, but also to some extent by private investors. In Part II we discuss the Nordic stewardship in light of international stewardship discussion, before concentrating on Norway and the current regulatory framework of stewardship there in Part III, reflecting on the Norwegian choices concerning stewardship in light of global challenges. Part IV reflectss on why a stewardship code is not needed in Norway. What Norway does need, is a clear and mandatory regulation to ensure that Norwegian business and finance contribute to the transition to sustainability. A stewardship code would not be a sufficiently strong measure. Conversely, it could hold Norwegian business and finance back in the face of the rapid developments on EU and international level.

In a world of growing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, ensuring a safe Anthropocene for humankind is essential. This introductory chapter outlines five key principles of an "economics" for a fragile planet: ending the underpricing of nature; fostering collective action; accepting absolute limits; attaining sustainability; and promoting inclusivity. Each of these five principles is briefly outlined in this introductory chapter, which are the building blocks for new thinking on economics and policies for an increasingly fragile world. The aim of this book is to explain what this “economics for a fragile planet” might look like. This chapter ends with a brief overview of how each subsequent chapter tackles this challenge.

Chapter 2 reviews the mounting scientific evidence of the growing “fragility” of the Earth system and its implications for the planet. It traces the long history of how humans have exploited nature to create wealth, starting with the Agricultural Transition 10,000 years ago up to the Fossil Fuel Age and its global consequences. The chapter then focuses on the four threats created by current human impacts on the biosphere: climate change, land use and biodiversity loss, freshwater scarcity and deteriorating marine and coastal habitats. Each of these global challenges will be examined in more detail in later chapters (see Chapters 4–7).

The chapter first considers the nature of ecological theory, then provides an overview of a series of different theoretical ideas in relation to ecosystem collapse and recovery. These include disturbance theory, succession, state-and-transition models, dynamical systems theory, planetary boundaries, critical loads, resilience, food webs, ecological networks and extinction cascades. A set of propositions are then presented that might provide a basis for understanding ecosystem collapse and recovery, based on these theories. These propositions are revisited in subsequent chapters, in light of the empirical evidence that is considered.

This chapter introduces the Handbook, providing an overview of its aims and structure, as well as the core research questions that the contributions to it collectively address. It discusses sustainability-related problems associated with the legal form of the corporation, and provides background on state-of-the-art research in natural sciences and other relevant fields that inform our understanding of sustainability. It concludes with specific research questions and a presentation of the Handbook’s structure.