A Sustainable Shared Future: Multidimensional Cooperation in Service of Life
“We must never forget that we are living beings in a living world.” This reflection by Edgar Morin expresses with great simplicity one of the fundamental challenges of our time: recognizing that we are part of the living world and understanding that the future of human societies is inextricably linked to that of the ecosystems that make them possible.
This realization calls for a new way of thinking about our relationship with the planet. Michel Serres, in his book *Le Contrat naturel* (The Natural Contract), published in 1990, invites us precisely to invent a new bond between humanity and the Earth. He writes: “There is a bond to be invented between humanity, as it is creating its unity, and this new object that is the planet Earth. ” These words lead us to conclude that the relationships between human societies can no longer be considered independently of their relationships with living things.
These reflections serve as the starting point for the collaborative initiative in 2026, as part of the “Sustainable Common Future” chair at the Collège de France.
The ecological, climate, health, and geopolitical crises shaping our century reveal a reality that is now undeniable: humanity will not be able to meet the challenges that lie ahead without fundamentally rethinking its relationship with the natural world. The collapse of biodiversity, climate upheavals, the degradation of ecosystems, the depletion of natural resources, diffuse pollution, tensions over critical metals, and the emergence of new health risks are not a series of unrelated crises. They are manifestations of a single rupture between human societies and the major ecological balances.
In light of this reality, the sciences have a new responsibility. They can no longer limit themselves to producing knowledge or developing ever more advanced technologies; they must help rebuild development pathways capable of reconciling the preservation of life, the health of ecosystems, the circular economy, and the well-being of human societies.
This ambition requires a profound paradigm shift. For decades, development has been based on a linear economic model that relies on resource extraction, material processing, and environmental degradation. Today, this approach has reached its limits. Contemporary challenges require a shift from a primarily extractive economy to a regenerative economy, in which human activities contribute not only to reducing their impacts but also to restoring the functional capacities of ecosystems and strengthening the bonds of cooperation between societies and their environment.
Nature is no longer merely a heritage to be preserved; it is also becoming a source of scientific inspiration and a partner in innovation. The mechanisms developed by living organisms over the course of evolution offer models of organization, cooperation, resilience, and efficiency that we can now understand, respect, emulate, and harness responsibly. Nature-based solutions thus take on a new dimension: they become the intersection of scientific knowledge, ecological restoration, and innovation.
The research we wish to highlight fits within this framework. In particular, it explores the possibilities offered by phytotechnologies to protect and conserve ecosystems, as well as to restore degraded or polluted environments, with operational objectives that can be implemented in the field and on a large scale. These approaches draw on various complementary strategies: ecological restoration, phytosorption, and environmentally responsible management of invasive alien species. They aim to reduce pressures on ecosystems, limit the spread of contaminants, promote the recovery of ecological functions, and support the restoration of biodiversity.
A better understanding of the plant species studied has gradually revealed a particularly interesting property: some of them have unusual mineral compositions, resulting in particular from their ability to accumulate and tolerate certain metallic elements. This observation served as the starting point for a new scientific concept: ecocatalysis.
Ecocatalysis illustrates an innovative way to bridge the gap between ecology and chemistry. Plants, through their interaction with their environment, can concentrate certain metallic elements and contribute to the formation of mineral materials with unique catalytic properties. These ecocatalysts then become tools for developing chemical transformations using approaches that are more resource-efficient and incorporate the principles of sustainable chemistry. Thus, biomass derived from ecological restoration strategies or invasive species management can become a resource for innovation, particularly in the fields of fine chemistry, health, agroecology, and well-being.
This approach is therefore not limited to soil restoration, the remediation of aquatic systems, or the utilization of plant biomass. Instead, it proposes a new connection between ecological restoration and value creation, in which biological processes serve as sources of inspiration and resources for designing technologies that respect living systems. It thus opens up new possibilities for a regenerative economy, in which ecosystem restoration and scientific innovation are no longer viewed as separate goals, but as components of a single dynamic.
This ambition is based on a six-dimensional approach to cooperation, which serves as the guiding principle for all research conducted under the “Sustainable Common Future” Chair.
The first is cooperation within living systems, based on interactions among plants, microorganisms, soils, and ecosystems, whose mechanisms inspire ecological restoration strategies and nature-based solutions.
The second is interdisciplinary cooperation, in which scientific ecology engages with biochemistry, materials science, biology, process engineering, and economics to generate knowledge and innovations that no single discipline could develop on its own.
The third is cooperation between basic research and innovation, which transforms environmental and industrial challenges into scientific questions, while ensuring that discoveries are translated into concrete solutions that benefit society.
The fourth is cooperation between biodiversity and economic development, by making ecological restoration a driver of value creation through the regenerative economy, the recycling of critical metals, eco-catalysts, and new bio-based industries.
The fifth is cooperation among stakeholders, bringing together researchers, industry representatives, local governments, natural area managers, and citizens in a collaborative process where scientific knowledge addresses the needs of regions and societies.
Finally, the sixth pillar is cooperation between human societies and the natural world. It represents the ultimate goal of this entire approach: to shift our development model toward a reciprocal relationship with ecosystems, in which human innovations simultaneously contribute to the restoration of biodiversity, the resilience of regions, and collective well-being.
These six dimensions are inextricably linked to a cross-cutting principle: ecological ethics and responsibility. These principles lead us to recognize that all innovation must be evaluated not only in terms of its scientific, technical, or economic performance, but also in terms of its ability to preserve natural resources, restore ecological functions and balances, reduce environmental impacts, and contribute to the common good. They call for a simultaneous consideration of the challenges of biodiversity, ecosystem health, industrial sovereignty, intergenerational justice, and responsibility toward local communities.
Ecocatalysis is a prime example of this vision. Plants capable of naturally accumulating metals are no longer viewed solely as tools for decontamination or restoration. They are becoming biological partners capable of contributing to the formation of unique mineral structures that chemistry can then utilize through resource-efficient processes with controlled impacts. Ecological restoration thus becomes the starting point for responsible innovation, reconciling scientific excellence, value creation, and ecosystem regeneration.
Building a sustainable shared future ultimately requires training a new generation of researchers capable of transcending disciplinary boundaries, integrating environmental concerns into every stage of innovation, and developing solutions inspired by nature that meet society’s expectations.
A sustainable shared future does not rest on a dichotomy between ecology and development, between research and innovation, or between nature and industry. It arises from their cooperation, guided by an ethic of ecological responsibility that makes science a key player in the regeneration of life as well as in the progress of human societies.
Planete-terre.org
November 6, 2026
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