(Recorded November 11, 2024) In today’s complex geopolitical landscape, battles and tensions seem to exist everywhere we look. Power shifts and compounding crises are opening up new landscapes for change. As we inhabit and define an unpredictable world order, we will increasingly face “battles” at the individual and community level, too. Now comes the real work for pro-social, pro-future, systems-aware humans. In today’s Frankly, Nate describes some of the battles - or polarities - of our...

(Conversation recorded on September 25th, 2024)     The Amazon Rainforest is one of the Earth's most vital systems, playing a key role in maintaining the balance and stability of our climate. Yet this extraordinary ecosystem, which influences global rainfall patterns and regulates temperatures, is increasingly threatened by human activity. What is the current status of the ancient Amazon Rainforest, and how could its trajectory shape the entire planet for thousands of years to come?  In...

(Conversation recorded on October 10th, 2024)    Our modern economic system is designed to maximize financial capital, viewing money as though it were wealth itself. But what would happen if we viewed wealth more holistically, taking into account our natural, social, cultural, and human capital, too?   In this conversation, Nate is joined by unconventional economist John Fullerton to discuss the principles of regenerative economics and the need for shifts in our economic paradigms from...

(Recorded October 27, 2024)   Somebody is going to win the upcoming US election. In a society deeply divided along partisan lines, individual identities and hopes/fears for the future may seem bound to a single choice: Republican or Democrat. Who wins is important, but if we take a step back and look beyond the short-term fervor of election politics, it becomes clear that what ultimately matters isn’t which person wins but how we - as individuals and as communities - respond.  In the long...

(Conversation recorded on October 17th, 2024)    As the trust in the U.S. presidential election process continues to be in question, alongside growing polarization and dwindling good-faith conversations, the precarity of our democratic systems is becoming increasingly worrisome. Amongst the rising tensions, calls for civility are sorely needed – regardless of who wins. In this conversation, Nate is joined by former Congressman Richard Gephardt to discuss the importance of democracy as a...

(Conversation recorded on October 16th, 2024)     Ahead of the U.S. Presidential Election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, both of whom have distinct monetary and fiscal policies, there is much debate on the potential systemic consequences for the global economy. What is the current status of the United States in the socio-political landscape, and how might trends in energy, commodities, and geopolitical tension affect the actions and capabilities of the next U.S. presidential...

(Conversation recorded on October 3rd, 2024)    While humans, like all animals, are subject to certain fundamental realities, we also possess the unique ability to shape the world around us through physical infrastructure, laws and institutions, and our economic and social systems. And yet, it’s important to remember that, as today’s guest would say, what we design designs us back. In short, the systems and structures we build influence our cultures, values, and identities. Today, Nate is...

(Conversation recorded on September 16th, 2024)    Where have all the elders gone? As the world grapples with its unfolding economic and energy crises, it can often feel like we lack capable guides to help our societies navigate these transitions. How can we cultivate ourselves as individuals to become balanced, true adults who are fully equipped to contribute to our communities, the planet, and the massive changes ahead? In this episode, Nate is joined by eco-depth psychologist Bill...

(Conversation recorded on September 25th, 2024)   There has been much discussion lately of Planetary Boundaries – the 9 biophysical systems and processes that regulate the functioning of life support systems on Earth, and ultimately the stability and resilience of the Earth system as a whole. But how close are we, today, to pushing these systems past their ability to function and recover?  In this special release episode, Nate is joined by Kari Stoever, Chief of Strategic Partnerships &...

(Recorded October 7, 2024)   In a polarized and fractured society, those who draw attention to the ecological devastation wrought by human activities, and those who champion the importance of protecting non-human life, increasingly face the label of being ‘anti-human.’ In this Frankly, Nate reads a poem he wrote 20 years ago this month “The Lament of the Bigfoot” which highlights the disproportionate role humans have on the ecosystems they inhabit and reflects on how his attitudes have both...

(Conversation recorded on September 5th, 2024)   The deeper we dive into the complexity of the metacrisis, the more it becomes apparent that the changes we desire in our communities, governments, and societies must start with individual mindsets and behaviors. But what practices can help us cultivate this shift in consciousness? Today, Nate talks with Erik Fernholm about The Inner Development Goals, a framework designed to foster the skills and capacities needed to tackle the existential...

(Conversation recorded on August 6th, 2024)     The damaging effects of humanity’s disconnected relationship to Earth’s ecosystems are broad and deep. Yet, despite targeted efforts to address these issues and mitigate risks, our insatiable appetite for fossil hydrocarbons continues to grow at an alarming rate. What will it take to reframe our relationship with nature to move forward in a symbiotic, life-supporting path?  In this episode, Nate is joined by longtime colleagues Tom Murphy and...

(Recorded September 30, 2024)   Nate’s work tends to focus on systems-level analysis of the current (and future) global macro/ecological situation. But peering beneath the surface of that system lies the deeply personal, emotional experiences of individuals, locally and around the world. In today’s Frankly, Nate navigates the delicate balance between systems thinking and the profound emotional weight of the realities we face.  The Superorganism and the Self coexist in a recursive dance:...

(Conversation recorded on August 13th, 2024)     Humanity’s relationship with Earth’s forests is long and complex. While some societies have preserved their understanding of the intricate connections within woodland ecosystems, others have lost sight of their importance as modern life has deepened the disconnect between humans and nature. How is science helping our modern, industrial culture reconnect with the intricate relationships that build Earth’s invaluable forests?  In this episode,...

(Recorded September 22, 2024) 14.8% of Americans do not believe in climate change. Recently, a study mapping a 485-million-year history of Earth’s temperature and CO2 levels has been misinterpreted by some who downplay urgent climate concerns. Their argument suggests that, since the Earth has experienced much higher temperatures and CO2 concentrations in the past, the current rise of a few degrees won’t significantly affect us - and that climate concerns are being over exaggerated  What...

(Conversation recorded on August 5th, 2024)   While the global crises we face are on a larger scale than anything before, there is rich wisdom to glean from past civilizations who have faced existential challenges and survived – or even thrived. What lessons might we learn from history that could offer guidance for our future? In this episode, Nate is joined by social philosopher Roman Krznaric to discuss ways we might govern or lead during moments of crisis, using the lens of former and...

(Recorded September 18 2024) Over past decades, abundance and peace have become the prevailing narratives in modern societies. The reality, as usual, is both more nuanced and more complex. Today, our financial and material wealth exists in parallel with declines in natural and social capital. Similarly, recent decades have caused us to become uber dependent on global ‘just-in-time’ supply chains.  The unexpected exploding pager incident in Lebanon earlier this week throws the durability of,...

(Conversation recorded on July 30th, 2024)   The science surrounding our planet’s dynamic and complex climate can be difficult to understand, and perhaps even more challenging to decipher what the actual realities and trajectories are among so much media coverage. Yet the study of Earth’s systems has been ongoing for decades, with a majority of scientists reaching a consensus on the realities of human-driven global heating.  In this episode, ocean and climate physicist Stefan Rahmstorf...

(Conversation recorded on September 3rd, 2024)     As the United States continues to play a major role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the risk of a direct engagement, possibly leading to a nuclear exchange, may now be higher than ever. In this episode, Nate is joined by Professor Jeffrey Sachs to discuss the escalating tensions between the United States and other world powers - and whether there are possible avenues towards a more peaceful world order. Has the U.S. taken on...

(Conversation recorded on July 24th, 2024)   In the past century of abundant energy surplus, humanity’s globalized, large-scale approach to problem-solving has yielded remarkable benefits and innovations. However, as we face a future with reduced energy resources, mounting waste, and a biosphere in danger, the negative impacts of this approach are increasingly overshadowing its gains. How should we evaluate and change these tactics as we look to build future societies that can better attune...

(Conversation recorded on May 8th, 2024)   Without a systems lens, the full reality of the human predicament will never be understood. It is only when we adopt this kind of holistic, wide-boundary thinking that we are able to see the complexity and nuance of how the biosphere, geopolitics, economics, energy, and many other systems interplay with and influence one another. But historically, the scientific community didn’t utilize the power of systems thinking until a few groundbreaking...

(Conversation recorded on July 17th, 2024)   Addressing the risks we face on a global scale is a challenge that can feel both enormous in execution and personally daunting. When it comes to finding the motivation and inspiration to do such work, one of the best sources of insight comes from the visionaries and activists who have come before us, who know what it takes to battle – and successfully transform – entrenched systems of power. What advice and wisdom can we learn from their stories...

(Recorded August 11, 2024) The content of The Great Simplification (on Youtube and in real life) can be complex, nuanced and multi-faceted. In today’s Frankly, Nate offers reflections on a selection of viewers’ direct questions about the myriad topics covered on this channel.   The goal of this podcast is to integrate the head, the heart and the hands by building a generative conversation between many more humans. The learning process about upcoming constraints and opportunities will...

(Conversation recorded on July 25th, 2024)   Show Summary:  Human overpopulation is often depicted in the media in one of two ways: as either a catastrophic disaster or an overly-exaggerated concern. Yet the data understood by scientists and researchers is clear. So what is the actual state of our overshoot, and, despite our growing numbers, are we already seeing the signs that the sixth mass extinction is underway? In this episode, Nate is joined by global ecologist Corey Bradshaw to...