Human societies are not external to nature, but embedded within ecological systems on which they depend. Yet the scale, speed, and cumulative effects of human activity exert profound pressure on these systems, with consequences that are increasingly systemic, unequal, and in some cases potentially irreversible. Therefore, understanding how nature is valued and how this shapes governance becomes crucial.

The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution — and the measures to mitigate and adapt to them — disproportionately affect certain social groups and regions. Those with the fewest resources, and those who have contributed least to these problems, are often most negatively affected.