Negotiating the Planetary Commons: A Biosocial Compact for the Governance of Earth Systems

As Earth’s polycrisis heightens, the public and its leaders need to discuss the organization of a new world order. Negotiating a biosocial compact for the governance of Earth systems will require the delegation of sovereign power and responsibility downward to citizens in communities, municipalities, and bioregions for the flourishing of resource democracy in their commons; and upward to citizens and representatives of planetary institutions for the protection of Earth’s biosphere. States and corporations would then focus primarily on sustaining the needs of human and nonhuman beings through lateral fiscal allocations by governments and accessibility of products and services by businesses. Local, translocal, and transnational action is key in convening delegates from all nations with the aim of rebalancing the well-being, welfare, and wealth of their populations through an agreement for governance of the planetary commons.