“… that they may have life, and have it abundantly”

Abstract

The world is facing an epochal transition. Holding on to the development model of a growth-oriented and resource-intensive industrial society, which originated in Europe and which has been emulated in many countries, without critical evaluation, will result in a global dead-end. The social dislocation and ecological destruction, which accompany this model of social and economic advancement and have been comprehensively documented by experts, can no longer be ignored. Human-made climate change and overexploitation of natural resources are already destroying the means of existence for millions of people. The expected consequences for society of the unlimited continuation of the current environmentally destructive trends, are reason enough to be extremely concerned. In spite of the momentum of growth within the global economy, it has so far not been possible to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger across the world. Although there has been a substantial reduction in extreme poverty and hunger, the gap between the rich and the poor has grown considerably. The globalisation of the Western idea of development and a resurgence of “catch-up development” within emerging nations are likely to further exacerbate the crisis.