Sustainable development can be thought of as living behind the capital curve.  This directly relates to current crises.  The financial crisis has resulted from short-termism.  If your objective is short-term, it is not long-term.  Whatever capital means, it seems not to mean the short-term only.  Global climate change has resulted first, from ignorance, and later, from misplaced values or even denial.  True capital needs to be based on the way things are, and legitimately reflect the interests of those affected.

The first thing to focus on is avoiding exacerbating the situation.  Financially, this may mean not focusing on more credit as a solution.  For global climate change, it may mean learning more fast, for example re-directing half of the resources we devote to keeping track of the money economy toward understanding our planetary system and its resource flows.

For the future, the priority needs to be a focus on education which authentically and genuinely prepares students to participate in dealing with world challenges.

 "To prepare for one year, plant rice. For ten years, set trees.  And, for a hundred years,  educate people!"  (Chinese proverb)

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