As we head into times where rising carbon levels have resulted in heat waves, superstorms, and mega-fires, what has happened to our disaster-averting solutions? In this episode of EcoJustice Radio, post-humanist philosopher Báyò Akómoláfé and environmental leader Paul Hawken, explore ‘The Carbon Conundrum’ and rethink our relationship with nature.
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Beyond Solutions: Embracing the Complexity of the Carbon Conundrum and Climate Action
Jack Eidt features a discussion with thought leaders Báyò Akómoláfé and Paul Hawken, moderated by Alex Forrester, Board Member of the Schumacher Center for a New Economics and Co-Founder of Rising Tide Capital. They delve into the failures of current climate strategies, the pitfalls of solutionism, and the importance of reconnecting with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This enlightening conversation challenges listeners to reconsider their approaches to environmentalism and climate action.
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The episode begins by acknowledging the failures of current climate strategies, particularly the reliance on solutionism—the belief that technological fixes can solve complex environmental issues. Akómoláfé and Hawken argue that this approach often leads us astray, as it fails to address the root causes of climate change and instead perpetuates the very systems that contribute to environmental degradation.
One of the most striking points raised in the discussion is the need to shift our language and mindset regarding climate action. Akómoláfé emphasizes that our understanding of presence must evolve; we need to recognize that we are not separate from the natural world but rather deeply interconnected with it. This perspective invites us to listen to the land, the waters, and the myriad of life forms that share our planet.
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How Carbon Becomes a Political Conundrum
Hawken adds another layer to this conversation by discussing the importance of viewing carbon not as a villain but as a vital flow of life. He highlights that carbon is integral to the existence of all living things and that our approach to it should reflect its sacredness rather than demonize it. This re framing challenges the narrative that we must eradicate carbon to save the planet, urging us instead to find balance and harmony in our interactions with the natural world.
As the episode progresses, the hosts delve into the complexities of rebuilding communities in fire-prone areas, questioning whether rapid reconstruction efforts truly serve the needs of vulnerable populations. They advocate for a more thoughtful approach that considers environmental laws and sustainable practices, rather than expedient solutions that may exacerbate existing vulnerabilities.
Ultimately, ‘The Carbon Conundrum’ serves as a powerful reminder that our environmental challenges are deeply intertwined with social justice. By rethinking our approach to climate action, we can foster a more inclusive and effective movement that honors the voices and wisdom of those often left unheard in mainstream narratives.
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This episode is not just a call to action but an invitation to reflect on our relationship with the Earth and each other. As we navigate these turbulent times, embracing a more holistic understanding of our place in the world may be the key to unlocking sustainable solutions for the future. Tune in to EcoJustice Radio to join this important conversation and explore how we can collectively work towards a more just and sustainable world.
Paul Hawken [https://paulhawken.com/] starts ecological businesses, writes about nature and commerce. He has written nine books, including six national and NYT bestsellers: ‘Growing a Business’, ‘The Next Economy’, ‘The Ecology of Commerce’, ‘Blessed Unrest’, ‘Drawdown’, and ‘Regeneration’. His latest book, ‘Carbon, The Book of Life’, is available from Penguin RandomHouse in February 2025.
Paul is the founder of Project Drawdown and Project Regeneration (https://regeneration.org/), which is the world’s largest, most complete listing and network of solutions to the climate crisis.
Báyò Akómoláfé Ph.D., [https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/] rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is a posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home (North Atlantic Books) and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak. Bayo Akomolafe is the visionary founder of The Emergence Network, a planet-wide networking project and inquiry at the edges of the Anthropocene that seeks to convene new kinds of responsivities, sensuous solidarities, and experimental practices for a posthumanist parapolitics. He currently lectures at Pacifica Graduate Institute, California. He sits on the Board of many organizations.
A frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, Dr. Akomolafe’s critically popular expression, “the times are urgent, let us slow down,” with which he attempts to frame new concepts (such as ontofugitivity, the Afrocene, iatropolitics, curapoiesis, white syncopation, ecocognitive assemblage theory, postactivism and parapolitics) that reframe and renaturalize human action, agency, and responsibility in an immanent, agonistic worlding of possibilities for life-death.
Dr. Akomolafe is a Member of the Club of Rome and an Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. He is currently writing his third book, ‘An Ocean of Milk: Morality, Desire, and the Monster at the Edge of the World’.
Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.
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Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 249
Photo credit: Carbon book cover
Updated 24 June 2025
