for Well-Being of People and Planet
Speaker:- Laurie Ross
Worship Leader:- Shirin Caldwell
This requires Transformation of the Neoliberal Economic System to serve our higher values (the 7 Principles of Unitarian Universalism).
Video to come.
Audio to come.
Read below, or download the PDF – to come
Laurie Ross © 19 July 2026
The goal of an Eco-Economy will only be achieved if there is a Transformation of the global Economic System, to truly serve our higher values, to protect and nurture the well-being of Humanity and the Earth. Te ira Tangata e Te Taiao.
This honours the Unitarian Universalist Principle #7 ‘Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.’ This means the realization that the natural environment is interwoven with human Beings in the Spirit Te Wairua.
The Higher Values for Growing an Ecological Economy are rooted in ancient spiritual wisdom and modern ‘Human Evolution of Consciousness’ to be Kaitiaki Guardians of Papatūānuku.
This is also the foundation for the realization of the Unitarian Universalist Principle #6 ‘The Goal of World community with peace, liberty and justice for all’.
The True Purpose of ‘a nation’s Economy’ should be Social and Environmental Well-Being for an equitable society and healthy Ecosystem. This means material, social, cultural, and ecological Health of People and Nature. It is rooted in justice, so peace can grow into the spiritual health of nations. You could call it a Spiritual Human Growth Economy.
Our current Neoliberal Economic system does not serve our Unitarian principles nor the higher common values of our society (Maori/Pakeha). The ‘market-driven economy’ is merely a man-made machine, whose purpose is to achieve maximum financial profits at minimum cost, to increase monetary wealth and state GDP.
It demands ‘fast-track extraction’ of natural resources for high turn-over wasteful consumerism. ‘This system’ does not care about harm to communities and the environment. There is no full cost accounting of ‘negative externalities’ on people and nature.
Thus, the system allows pollution of rivers, oceans, air, degradation of soil and forests, depletion and waste of precious resources, Climate Crisis, Poverty, etc. that fuels the ‘Profit Machine’. The adverse effects are regarded as collateral damage and ‘the price of progress’.
This is no longer acceptable, thus we must Transform the Economic System as a whole.
*World-Leading economist Kate Raworth’s book ‘Doughnut Economics’ (2017) provides a Transformation model for WELL BEING Economics for Humanity and the Earth.
She uses the analysis by Climate scientist Johan Rockstrom, in a graph showing Earth’s Ecological Ceiling in nine Planetary Boundaries, as the outer circle of the ‘Economic Doughnut’:
- Climate Crisis (atmosphere)
- Ocean Pollution (Acidification)
- Ozone Depletion (stratosphere)
- Air Pollution
- FreshWater pollution and scarcity (rivers/lakes)
- Chemical Pollution of everything
- Soil Degradation -Nitrogen–Phosphorus (overload)
- Land Erosion (deforestation, land conversion)
- Biodiversity Loss (habitat/species)
Kate’s Inner circle of the Doughnut shows the 12 Social Foundations for Human Well Being: Food, Water, Housing, Healthcare, Education, Electricity, Work Income, Justice Human Rights, Gender Equity, Political Freedom, Social Networks, ‘the Commons’ land in conservation of nature.
Scientific knowledge coupled with Maori whanaungatanga helps us understand the interconnectedness of Nature and Humanity expressed in the whakatauki/proverb:
‘Ko au te Taiao, ko te Taiao ko au’ ‘I am the environment and the environment is me’.
The 12 criteria for Human Well Being requires Transformation of the whole political economic policy system. It aligns with our UU Principle #2 ‘Justice, equity and compassion…’ applied to the legal and political framework for a Caring Eco-society.
Kate’s hypothesis is the Well-Being for all of Humanity and the Natural world can be achieved by Transformation to a ‘Regenerative –Circular Economy’ for 8 billion people and the Earth. This ‘Doughnut’ Eco-Economic system could nurture humanity and healthy Life on Earth forever.
*The 1992 United Nations Earth Summit Conference in Rio de Janeiro brought together leaders of 194 countries and formulated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Environment and Development. The road map to achieve these goals is guided by civil society in the EARTH Charter of ethical spiritual principles for Humanity and Nature.
However, the hope is hindered by Transnational Corporations demanding Economic Financial Growth costing the Earth.
It is vital to understand Transformation is not a ‘top down’ system but requires people at the ‘grassroots’ to engage in deliberative Democracy for restructuring the economy in their town or region. They would apply criteria for Ecological health and Community Well-being to all economic development projects. This requires a process of ‘Citizen Assemblies’ that employs UU Principle #5 ‘The right of conscience and use of the democratic process in our congregation and in society.’
Currently, the NZ government centralizes corporate control, deregulates industry, decreases environmental protection, privatizes public assets for profit (and overseas shareholders).
Thus, NZ citizens have to fight to defend their ecosystem from each separate harmful form of commercial exploitation. The economic system only rewards profitable production (for a narrow selection of products/services) not the mahi/work for social or environmental well-being.
This is driven by the Artificial Intelligence AI Technological Revolution imposed upon us by the Transnational Techno-Corporation Billionaires (1%pop). The Global Technocracy enforces the ‘Profit Rules Economic system’ running the digital treadmill we are on.
We witness loss of thousands of jobs to robots that replace human workers. Why? Because they are cheaper, smarter, faster, more efficient, safe and effective, blah!
Meanwhile, AI Datacentre corporations gobble up clean green NZ electricity power and premium pure water at low prices, depleting our resource, plus free extraction of our personal data, with profits going overseas. Do you think this is right or fair?
In addition, underpaid workers are made to pay more for water, food, housing, electricity, healthcare, education.
This system erodes the foundations of a caring NZ society and undermines the UU Principle #1 ‘The inherent worth and dignity of every person’. Good governance would ensure essential needs are met for all citizens to live a life of dignity.
However, the NZ Government prioritises multinational corporate welfare over human welfare. It invests more in military instead of environmental defence and Human Security.
The 2025 NZ Defence Capability Plan will spend $12billion of taxpayers hard earned money on Military warfare technology to be interoperable with US demands and warmaking plans.
Do NZers need to be a US pawn in Pacific warfare? ( to avoid US Economic tariffs?).
Military Techno-Industrial Warfare production is the most profitable industryin the worldfor conventional ‘Economic Growth’ so it is promoted by government. NZer Sam Vye, CEO of Synos company, won the 2026 NZ Business Award, for mass production of drones, making millions from warfare. Rocket Lab launches multi-million dollar Black Sky Palantir satellites essential for US/Israel Warfare Combat targeting for genocide in Gaza, plus murder and destruction in Lebanon and Iran.
Do NZers want to be complicit in this war economy?
Most NZers would not want our country to make millions from Militarism. Thus, it is vital for us to lobby MPs of all parties to invest in human welfare not warfare.
*The Wealth of this whenua/land and New Zealand workers should serve an Eco-Peace Economy for Humanity and the Earth to Thrive for a ‘World Beyond War’.
Changing the political party in power at this election-will not solve the problem. WE must change the economic ideology that rules all parties. I invite you to ‘think outside the box’. Let us apply the UU Principle #4: ‘A free and responsible search for truth and meaning’ in an Economic system whose purpose and result is Well Being of People and Planet.
Gareth Hughes has established the NZ organisation Well Being Economy Alliance Aotearoa for this purpose. He makes public education presentations around the country, showing the international film ‘Outgrow the System’ and how WE All can work in NZ.
He promotes Maori models for Economic Well Being- Te Taiao and explains how communities, business and government can Transition to an Economic System for Social and Ecological Well Being.
This involves on-going dialogue, reading, learning, listening and developing new ways of thinking. We need to help each other grow in realization of higher common values in our community, in NZ society and in the political economic system for the world.
This is a communication practice of the UU Principle #3 ‘Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregation’. This cultivates Aroha/Love at the heart of Unitarian and Universal Higher Values of Humanity.
This is the lifeblood of a Peaceloving Ecological Economic System.
Thankyou – Tena koutou katoa.
Meditation / Conversation starter
- Imagine Transformation of the NZ Economic System to Genuinely Serve our Higher Values of Social and Ecological Well Being.
- Talk about one Outcome of an Eco-Economy you want to see. (when cutting costs and increasing profits is no longer the ultimate goal).