Polis and the dynamics of governments in social and environmental health: From IFAC's III Environment Week

It is not the possessions but the desires of mankind which require to be equalized - Aristotle: Politics. Source: Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mar 02, 2021.  

In practical reality to know oneself and the external world - at/on the basis of science

During the IFAC's Environment Week, a very interesting question was presented to me about the vision of governments in relation to their actions as polis agents. My opinion on the issue was basically to argue about individual limitations and the absence of a polis vision by governments.

As subjects, we humans are always faced with multiple possibilities to build and develop joint solutions for the common good of our own nature. However, this is not always as efficient as it potentially should be.

The biggest problem is not limited visions, but the traits of corruption and the emotional limitations of agents in the face of intrinsic and external factors. Far from it, the results happen. However, under such effects, results are not always the necessary and corresponding efficiency for the fact of being a Homo sapiens, one who knows or thinks to know.

In all social spaces, even when corruption tends to be absent, individuals can be affected by vanity and the absence of more altruistic traits, as many factors add up to form or produce such limitations.

In this sense, I think that corruption and non-altruistic emotional states are the main challenges to attenuating the Anthropocene's climate change. And as we know, the result is always much more than local losses, as every society (and our own nature) under such factors tends to lose.

From constant discussions with some early childhood and elementary school teachers, we dialogue that identifying exceptional skills and the non-altruistic and corrupt traits can be the one light needed to make a social difference now and through the challenges ahead.

Outside this line, of identification and exercises of knowledge of our own nature, it can mean more losses and socio-environmental instability. It is in unity that the balance of knowledge can fly faster, farther and with equity, which means going beyond climate and environmental justice. 

The issue that motivated this communication here on polis and governability was based on the activity at the IFAC's III Semana do Meio Ambiente. More light on challenges, solutions and our key social role as agents of change are available at the Café com Ciência channel.