– issued in advance of the G-20-Summit on 7/8 July 2017 in Hamburg, Germany – „It would be a bad thing for science if later generations were not permitted to add new insights on the knowledge of their predecessors.“ (Georgius Agricola, De Re Metallica, 1548) „How fleeting are the wishes and efforts of man! how short his time! and consequently how poor his products be, compared with those accumulated by nature during whole geological periods. Can we wonder, then, that nature’s productions should be far ‚truer‘ in character than man’s productions; that they should be infinitely better adapted to the most complex conditions of life?“ (Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection, 1859) Today, climate change, extinction of species and environmental destruction are the gravest existential challenges threatening the lives of all human beings irrespectively of their different cultural and political conditions. In view of this, we call on the business, scientific and political communities to switch to an ecologically sustainable and participative economy in order to reduce the threat to nature and mankind and to develop a new modern style of economics. (Deutsche Version) I. Many countries have already decided to phase out nuclear power due to the hazard potential of radioactive waste, which can last for hundred thousands of years, and prioritize the use of renewable primary resources for electricity generation (energy transition). Further important steps are to: stop extracting fossil fuels („stranded assets“) altogether from the ground; make electricity generation more effective and decentralise storage; reduce air pollution, particularly in regional conurbations, through a transport transition, e.g. free, integrated, low exhaust emitting public transport; as well as invent interconnectable road- and rail vehicles (Frederic Vester). And also to: reduce water pollution allowing the associated processing costs of drinking water to decrease improve the living quality of the soil by organic management protect oceans from overfishing and oceanic life from death by plastic waste implement afforestation and preserve primeval forests as oxygen-producing „lungs of Earth“ keep the natural reserves free from human interference as much as possible to allow the natural biodiversity to flourish. As a general rule, ecologically sustainable management has to be prioritised over recycling strategies, as it avoids environmental damage from the start. II. Efforts to reduce damage, however, alone will not be sufficient, unless they are accompanied by an economic transition: The way we deal with nature has to be modernised. We know nature does not need us, but we (Adam Smith: human animals) live from our natural basis. We are heterotroph, we live from organic matter. With every breath we take in air and give back to nature no longer needed gases. Therefore, our today’s view of nature solely as an external object, disposable at will by man (Karl Polanyi: „fictitious commodity“) has to be overcome. It was an historic and reductive assumption (Peter Bendixen). It has to be modernised. We have to follow now the understanding and insights of modern physics (Carlo Rovelli). We know that we, as natural beings, interact with the nature external to us in a continuing, open and reciprocal process directly, immediately and unmediated. It follows that external nature can no longer be treated as if it only is our environment, we have to recognise it as our co-world (Klaus-Michael Meyer-Abich). We discern three different forms of our exchange with nature: direct, immediate and unmediated reciprocal interaction (= nateconomy) (Aristotle, Charles Darwin); exchange mediated by a means, i.e. money culturally developed by humans (= culteconomy); and the interchange between the means and the aim (= economicult), which diminishes our co-world, as well as our own natural abilities, as pure means for the increase of money. Suchan interchange is neither fair nor without repercussions. We understand that destroying our living co-world is the consequence of our present way of acting on it and viewing it. It is a culturally developed form of interaction, not a natural one. This insight allows us the understanding that we are the culprits, and also the victims of such a logic. Against all better knowledge, this logic is still defended as having no viable alternative. Unless that traditional economic view of nature is modernised, any call for change might be iscredited as a kind of threat to existing industries, economic growth, tax revenue and jobs. Therefore we call for not only a quantitative, but also a qualitative transition in our approach to nature; a paradigm change. III. Many international and national institutions have already implemented strategies for sustainable development and some have even anchored the expression „conservation of nature“ in their constitutions. In the light of this statement, important next steps are to: reformulate this as „conservation of nature’s capability to evolve“. ensure that direct, immediate, unmediated interaction with our co-world as the basis for all life is made a basic human right. Ecological sustainable modernisation must be prioritised in all areas of life, in the public and business sector, as well as in the scientific and private sphere: Legislative powers should not regard themselves only as the governor of others‘ behaviour. All public actors have the duty to practice sustainability in the pursuit of their own dealings. It is not enough to install environment ministries/departments or sustainability advisory councils. Ecologically sustainable modernisation is a cutting-across sectional task. Public buildings, whether federal or local/regional, police stations or judicial institutions, technology centres or universities, schools or nurseries, shall be modernised sustainably. Planning authorities have to shift their primary focus away from short-term cost advantages to long-term pay-offs. Higher one-off investments pay for themselves by reducing costs for heat and power in the long run. A review of academic courses, for example architecture and engineering, should be initiated in order to establish ecologically sustainable construction and renovation as normal. Economic courses have to be modernised with the aim to teach an understanding of nature with self-value and our three-dimensional unmediated reciprocal interaction process with her. Sustainability standards should become binding for all public programmes. In addition to the statutory duty to submit an annual financial statement, banks and all businesses should be obliged by an EU directive to disclose their interaction with nature in precise physical units, as for example weight, volume etc., via an Integrated Balance Sheet, because our interaction with nature can only be measured by physical units and not in money. As a cultural invention, money has no relevance to nature. The Integrated Balance Sheet is to be separated into business-, product- and human ecology. That way, it is possible to state nature’s annual profit through reduced utilization, which can become an equally important objective to the entrepreneurial pursuit of financial profit. A key area in terms of transitioning towards a fundamentally fair and cooperative interaction with our co-world is the financial industry: Public banks should cease to accept as minimum reserves financial products that are damaging to people or our co-world. Central banks should cease to accept as minimum reserves financial products that are damaging to people or our co-world. All commercial banks should submit verifiable information on sustainability standards for their own business and the financial products they offer. Approval of new financial products should be subject to compliance with Sustainable Development Goals based on the Agenda 2030. An independent, publicly inspected rating agency (sustainability „control board“) should be set up for financial products. Speculation on foodstuffs should be restricted to genuine hedging transactions for food-producing companies. Furthermore, we demand that labour and income are decoupled. An unconditional basic income of the same amount for men and women is necessary. Additionally, „houses of self-work“ need to be established. Not until then we will value our own abilities in the same way as paid dependant labour. It means progress when everybody can enjoy more freedom and self-determination in their work. Last but not least, as the US economist Kenneth E. Boulding wrote, „Anyone who believes in indefinite growth in anything physical, on a physically finite planet, is either mad or an economist.“ IV. This statement was drafted on 2 May and last amended on 29 May. It is based on individual, subject-specific statements by environmentally conscious members of the scientific community. The authors of the individual sections are united by a common recognition of the urgent necessity for modernising. Although, agreement with all the demands presented herein is not a prerequisite. Initial signatories: Dr. Irene Schöne, Kiel Prof. Dr. Harald Bolsinger, Würzburg (for the section on the financial industry) Prof. Dr. Johannes Hoffmann, Kelkheim Prof. Dr. Volker Stahlmann, Ottensoos Additional signatories: Hayder Abbas Alhawani, Berlin Dr. Constanze Adolf, Brüssel/Belgien Bernd Ahlers, Berlin Helmut Alber, Stuttgart Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Nicole Allé, Berlin Ulrich Amelung, Berlin Thomas Andersen, Berlin Gerd Aschmann, München Dr. Enno Aufderheide, Bonn Prof. Dr. Antonio Autiero, Münster Bettina-Maria Avdulahi, Berlin Prof. Dr. Klaus Bade, Berlin Sibyle Bauriedl, Berlin Dr. Norbert Blüm, Bonn Olga Borobio, Berlin Dr. Mariana Bozesan, München Georg Brakmann, Waiblingen Prof. Dr. Peter Brandt, Hagen Dr. Joachim Braun, Berlin Tilo Braune, Bonn Dr. Christian Breyer, Lappeenranta/Finnland Prof. Dr. Benezet Bujo, Fribourg/Schweiz Rainer Burchardt, Mözen Prof. Dr. Edward O. Wilson, Cambridge/USA Ing. Mag. Paul Chaloupka, Dübendorf/Schweiz Maren Charlet, Kelsterbach Prof. Dr. John D’Arcy May, Melbourne/Australien Jürgen DeGraeve, Manching Thomas Deinlein, Nürnberg Ed, van Hinte Den Haag/Niederlande Rainer Diehl, Worms Günter Dören, Höxter Prof. Dr. Michael Düren, Gießen Alexander Ebel, Berlin Dieter Ernst, Berlin Petra Ernstberger, Hof-Marktredwitz Fahime Farsaie, Köln Jürgen Feist, Beckum Agnes Feist, Beckum Peter Finke, Bielefeld Manuel Flach, Ludwigsburg Claudia Friedrich, Stuttgart Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Gantke, Frankfurt Roland Geiger, Kiel Dr. Keivandokht Ghahari, Köln Matthias Giegerich, Frankfurt Dr. Henner Gladen, Erlangen Rüdiger Glodde, Berlin Dr. Wolf Grabendorff, Quito/Ecuador Thomas Gschwend, Oberriet/Schweiz Gerhard Guldner, Berlin Dr. Lothar Gündling, Porto/Portugal Prof. Dr. Heinz Häberle, Herrsching Prof. Dr. Andreas Häberle, Rapperswil/Schweiz Rainer Hachfeld, Berlin Ernst Haile, Ingolstadt Beate Hänska, Berlin Franz Hantmann, Münster Dr. Gerd Harms, Potsdam Dr. Jürgen Haselberger, Cuxhaven Martin Heindl, Wasserburg Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hempel, Gaggenau Prof. Dr. Bernd Hirschl, Berlin Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, Hanau Maria Hoffmann, Kelkheim Dr. Gerhard Hofmann, Berlin Walter Hofmann, Dachsberg-Wilfingen Hildegard Hofmann, Nürnberg Doris Holler-Bruckner, Orth/Österreich Dieter Holm, Hartbeespoort/Südafrika Norbert Hüttmann, Frankfurt am Main Uwe Hupach, Köln Hartmut Idzko, Berlin Severino Jallas, Bad Neuenahr Frank Jedanowski, Drensteinfurt Dr. Alla Ahmed Juma, Köln Nana Karlstetter, Berlin Josef Kastner, Wien/Österreich Heidrun Kessler, Werther Prof. Dr. Hans Kessler, Werther Dieter Klein, Bad Schwalbach Jutta Kleymann, München Stefan Klinkenberg, Berlin Dr. Erwin Knapek, Oberhaching Lorenz Knauer, München Prof. Dr. Andreas Knie, Berlin Dr. Gerhard Knies, Hamburg Ute Koczy, Lemgo Thorsten Kodalle, Bielefeld Alfons Kuhles, Meiersberg Roger Kutschki, Berlin Ernest Lang, München Eric Langenskiöld, Zürich/Schweiz Sigrid Latka-Jöhring, Bonn Alois Leibrecht, Pflaumdorf Gisela Lerch, Berlin Dipl.Kfm. Fritz Lietsch, München Joachim Lund, Berlin Doto Mann, Willebadessen Eckhard Markmann, Thomas Matussek, Berlin Monika Meerwald, Berlin Ursula Meiß, Herne Dr. Lutz Mez, Berlin Donald Müller-Judex, Inning Veronika Neukum-Hofmann, Berlin Dr. Knut Nevermann, Berlin Ewa Nitsch, München Robert Nünning, Münster Klaus Oberzig, Berlin Andreas Oberdorfer, Oberriexingen Prof. Dr. Haruko Okano, Toko/Japan Hartmut Palmer, Bonn Ewald Pankratz, Waldshut-Tiengen Uta Petersen, Berlin Dmitri Pogorzhelski, Berlin Prof. Dr. Dieter Puchta, Berlin Wilfried Rähse, Hamburg Werner Rehm, Berlin Marcella Rehm, Berlin Hardy Rehmann, Sinzig Prof. Dr. Ortwin Renn, Berlin Christoph Richter, Almeria/Spanien Dr.-Ing. Stefan Rinck, Kahl Dr. Klaus Hermann Ringwald, Brunei Klaus Rollenhagen, Berlin Dr. Helmut Röscheisen, Köln Prof. Dr. Michael Rosenberger, Linz/Österreich Ralf Ruszynski, Berlin Franz Schäufele, Lenningen Prof. Dr. Gerhard Scherhorn, Mannheim Prof. Dr. Robert Schlögl, Berlin Brigitta Schmidt, Bad Neuenahr Prof. Dr. Heribert Schmitz, Goldbach Martina Schmöllebeck, Nürnberg Martin Schmuck, Mönchengladbach Prof. Dr. Armin Schneider, Koblenz Sebastian Schönauer, Regensburg Heiner Schröder, Sottrum Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schroeder, Kassel Rainer Schubert, Hamburg Dr. Eberhard Schürmann, Hamburg Rosi Schusser, Berlin Manfred Schweda, Casablanca/Marokko Prof. Dr. Franz Segbers, Marburg Dr. Hyunju Shin, Seoul/Südkorea Norbert Spielmann, Kreuzwertheim Tina Stadlmayer, London/Großbritanien Prof. Dr. Franz-Josef Stendebach, Hünfeld Georg Stoll, Aachen Dr. Jean-Marc Suter, Bern/Schweiz Walter Tauber, Grünendeich Michael Thalhammer, Wien/Österreich Wolfgang Thierse, Berlin Lorenz Töpperwien, Köln Heinrich Trosch, Frankfurt Rolf Uhlig, Münster Umwelt-Akademie e.V., München Prof. Dr. Paul Velsinger, Dortmund Marcus Vietzke, Berlin Stefan Vögtli, Lupsingen/Schweiz David Volbracht, Münster Dr. Gerda Vonnahme-Bär, Bad Wünnenberg Monika von Brandt, Mannheim Benjamin Wagner vom Berg, Bremerhaven Dieter Walch, Nieder-Olm Rainer Weghake, Ahlen Dr. Mathias Wehkamp, Varel Wolfgang Weigel, Saarbrücken Matthias Wiegel, Berlin Stephan Wiehler, Berlin Andreas Wischnat, Dubai Peter Wittke, Kösching Gerhard Zander, Nürnberg Christa Ziller, Bonng Dr. Hannes Ziller, Bonn Amelia Zinke, München