Blue Planet Prize Story

Professor Walker thinks there is only one way to maintain a human society that can respond to unexpected change. That way is to develop a system with a high capacity for restoration, which means a society with high resilience.
Despite this, people nowadays tend to avoid thinking about change. For example, some people avoid facing the fact of climate change because of the high cost of responding to it, preferring simply to continue the existing ways. Professor Walker considers this attitude to be a problem.
Change may sometimes cause pain, but Professor Walker thinks it is necessary to accept such change to respond to difficult problems.
For humans to survive, it is necessary that we adapt to changes and increase our social-ecological resilience. Achieving this will ensure a desirable future.

There is also a hope. Technology is currently advancing rapidly. Professor Walker hopes that a wide range of technologies will help us to adapt to the new environment, climate change and changes in the amount of resources.
He also thinks that a society in which we recognize ourselves as a part of an ecosystem and make choices that ensure that we live healthily and happily is the best for us.

Research on resilience being passed down to the next generation

Professor Walker advises young researchers, lectures at overseas universities and is involved in research programs at CSIRO. He also enjoys strolling in nature with his wife, kayaking, swimming, and spending time with his grandchildren.
It has been about 20 years since research started at the RA. The concept of resilience has influenced programs on sustainability as well as international measures and policies relating to climate change. An understanding of the importance of resilience has spread broadly and has been accepted more and more.

Professor Walker considers the youth as the hope for the future. He believes that they are much more aware of the risks we face than aging politicians, who have been reluctant to accept changes.
Professor Walker and others involved in the foundation of the RA have already left and young researchers have joined to take their places. When Professor Walker participated in an RA meeting in 2017, many young participants said, "I do not agree with you. What you wrote was wrong." Although Professor Walker was surprised, he was very happy because they had their own opinions.