Towards sustainability: Modelling a democratic green economy based on evolved human behaviour by integrating social and natural sciences

Human behavioural ecology is in a position to perform a holistic analysis, from brain research to politics and economy, both intra-, interculturally and historically. Climate change is ultimately a symptom of cognitive drivers evolved in Africa long ago, still present in our minds. These drivers are being physically mapped by MRI research (refs in Bongard & Røskaft 2010). By using human behavioural ecology as a catalyst, we will model a democratic green economy through a network of scientists covering beh avioural, political, economical and natural sciences (Mooney et al 2012). A central fact is that humanitys few successful ancestors lived and evolved in small societies, close to family, friends and the nearest environment. No prudence or concern for glob al issues was necessary to be a successful carrier of the human lineage. Science has shown that we change behaviour according to group size. We may easily act altruistic, cooperative, prudent and generous when being in an ingroup, closely observed by peer s and aquaintances. In outgroups (i.e. larger societies), the Tragedy of the Unmanaged Commons dominate (Hardin, 1994). Some central points: 1. Alienation. Western democracies and globalisation fail to give people a feeling of responsibility and co-deter mination. The future, national conflicts and resource overexploitation are often perceived as being beyond democratic influence. 2.The problem of relative values, as the TEEB initiative addresses. Todays economy measure values in terms of the money symbol , which hinders solutions related to the real values of resources, food, transport or energy. In case of shortage of ecosystem services, the value of capital, gold, art or any other symbol, will dwindle. 3. Global business is dependent on short term profi t. This is incompatible with long-term resource planning: The unanimous solution to the financial crises, poverty and unemployment is based on increased production and consumption,regardless of ecosystem services.