Professor of Global Ecology and Founding Chair of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

"As an ecologist dedicated to advocating a global movement to change humanity's behaviour toward the planet, my mission is to find, create and support multiple individuals and organisations driving systemic, epochal change. While the book ‘Surviving and Thriving in the AI Era’ is framed as a guide for professionals navigating technological disruption, its core frameworks offer a powerful strategic blueprint for environmental advocacy. This is because the book provides key tactical tools needed to orchestrate a worldwide movement, leverage emerging technologies for conservation, and embed a lasting culture of ecological stewardship.

Our mission needs myriad organisations, ranging from international organisations and governments to remote farmers’ cooperatives, to commit to the cause if we are to transform the thinking and action needed to heal the planet. But commitment will never be enough unless it drives meaningful change, which requires hundreds of thousands of organisations to have aligned dynamic capabilities - the ability to ‘get things done despite difficulties’.

An organisation’s dynamic capabilities depend on the personal dynamic capabilities of those whose decisions shape its future, for good or ill. The authors of 'Surviving and Thriving in the AI Era' explicitly define "Personal Dynamic Capabilities" not merely as skills for corporate profit, but as the capacity to drive change that is "good for us, good for humanity and good for the planet.

Those who share the mission of a global movement to change humanity's behaviour toward the planet know that we will need to overcome immense societal inertia. This is where the book ‘Surviving and Thriving in the AI Era’ provides practical help by identifying essential components. These are: ‘Impactful Agency’—the authentic power to drive beneficial change and shape how others act—the bedrock of movement-building. Initiatives to make progress that depend on creating local opportunities require ‘Requisite Agility’. Altering humanity’s relationship with the physical world requires ‘Entrepreneurial Zeal’ — a passionate, unflagging pursuit of a cause. To coordinate a global response, rigid traditional hierarchies will fail. We must employ ‘Adhocracy Leadership’, organising flexible, temporary networks that distribute power to the ‘edge’ so local communities can make rapid, evidence-based ecological decisions. Finally, ‘Innovation Competence’ is essential for transforming ideas into tangible results.

Values are key. ‘Surviving and Thriving in the AI Era’ champions 'Systems Thinking'—the ability to see interconnected ecological, social, and technological patterns to design sustainable solutions—and 'Ethical Foresight',  which ensures that actions are evaluated by their long-term impact on the planet. Furthermore, it advocates for a ‘Service Imperative’, measuring success by positive impact and using technology as a force for good to protect life. Especially important is that AI and digital technologies can be harnessed as vital allies in conservation. The book illustrates this through the case of Scottish woodland managers who use the Internet of Things (IoT), satellite data, and AI-driven sensors to monitor tree health, detect forest fires instantly, and accurately measure carbon storage. By adopting the AI Era mindset, we can champion a movement where activists and ecologists use advanced technologies to scale their impact, transforming environmental ambitions into manageable, data-driven realities.

Ultimately, ‘Surviving and Thriving in the AI Era’ equips us with the actionable leadership architectures needed to scale our ecological vision, helping us transition advocacy from a compelling message to a technologically empowered, dynamically capable global movement."