Blog by Dr. Mariana Bozesan
Attending the ENCI was one of the highlights this year. In one group session entitled What tools do we have and what obstacles do we encounter on the way to creating the new civilizations, we put the debate between climate emergency and exponential technology at center stage because it is deeply connected with our own raison d’étre in the world, but also with how we show up in the world as parents, caring global citizens as well as a scientists, investors, entrepreneurs, politicians and/or business persons. These are our tools and strengths that we must throw into the game. We agreed that by getting on the right side of history, we together have a lot to gain and nothing to lose that would not be taken anyways away by our mother Earth once she loses patience with us.
The biggest obstacles we identified are on the inside our own mindsets and on the outside the existing structures including regulations, financial systems, businesses, economies, as well as education systems. They are still dwelling in archaic and dysfunctional 20th century systems and mindsets and are not providing the necessary leadership to transformation.
Thus, the ENCI will provide an invitation, solid know-how, and a framework to awakened high-net worth individuals, investors, entrepreneurs, business people, and other agents of transformation to join in to bypass outdated and destructive systems and to timely lead into the future.
Regarding concrete action that we must take, we discussed about the best way to address the three major existential threats the planet faces: (1) Climate Change (2) Nuclear Threat (3) Artificial Intelligence, that could become more dangerous than nukes. Given the structure of the ENCI participants, we thought that ENCI could provide leadership in Climate Change and AI for the time being.
On (1) Climate Change, I brought to attention the 2018 report to the Club of Rome Transformation is Feasible that was released following the October 2018 IPCC warning. The question addressed in the extraordinary report is Can we achieve Agenda 2030 with its 17 SDGs within the Planetary Boundaries? And the good news is Yes!!!! This provides a lot of hope through solid scientific data and the SMART scenario with its five action items that are actionable and must be implemented today. We only have 11 years left to fulfill the Paris Agreement and this is the reason why in my own work as an investor I am currently working on a Climate Endowment.
On (3) AI Threats, I shared my own activities. As an AI trained serial entrepreneur and investor, I encouraged the signing the Asilomar AI Principles and the active participation in important activities including the Augmented Intelligence Summit with the intention to guide and deeply influence future human-centric regulations, laws, and AI development.
In summary, the ENCI provides hope, direction and encouragement to use our passion, resources, intelligence and creativity to transform the global civilizations toward holistic sustainability within planetary boundaries by eliminating human-caused CO2 emissions by 2050.