We empower changemakers
to transition humanity
into an Earth
regenerative species
before 2050

UNIVERSITY FOR THE EARTH

We are a networked learning organization committed to the urgent transformation of human activities into Earth regeneration practices by 2050

1
Accelerating, incubating, and promoting entrepreneurial & social projects based on regenerative technologies and practices

2
Cultivating regenerative skill sets, mindsets and culture

3
Establishing a global network of local centers dedicated to Earth regeneration solutions and communities

4
Reshaping the financial and policy landscape to make it conducive for an Earth regenerative humanity

  • Accelerating, incubate, and promote entrepreneurial & social projects based on regenerative technologies and practices
  • Cultivating regenerative skill sets, mindsets and culture
  • Establishing a global network of local centers dedicated to Earth regeneration solutions and communities
  • Reshaping the financial and policy landscape to make it conducive for an Earth regenerative humanity

THE TIME IS NOW TO CHOOSE BETWEEN...

by 2050, scientists see high risk of:
by 2050, humanity could:
55% shortfall in water supply
30% reduction of global crop yields
37% species bound for extinction
40%deforestation of the Amazon rainforest
save, store, reuse naturally clean water
restore soil fertility and forest health
rewild cities, decreasing urban temperatures
boom resilience to extreme weather
DOOM
BLOOM
or

THE COST OF INACTION IS TOO HIGH

Formerly the 3rd largest lake in the world with an area of 68,000 km², the Aral Sea began shrinking in the 1960s after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects.
By 2009, the southeastern lake had disappeared and the southwestern lake had retreated to a thin strip at the western edge of the former southern sea. In subsequent years occasional water flows have led to the southeastern lake sometimes being replenished to a small degree.
By 2007, it had declined to 10% of its original size, splitting into 4 lakes: the North Aral Sea, the eastern and western basins of the once far larger South Aral Sea, and the smaller Barsakelmes Lake.
Satellite images by NASA in August 2014 revealed that for the first time in modern history the eastern basin of the Aral Sea had COMPLETELY DRIED UP. The eastern basin is now called the Aralkum Desert.

We know humanity can Regenerate Earth

Fazenda Bulcao, BRAZIL
Loess Plateau, CHINA
Cheonggyecheon, SOUTH KOREA
Old Highway, NETHERLANDS
Loess Plateau
China
Around 3,000 years ago, farmers settled on the fertile Loess Plateau in western China, a region about the size of France. By the 7th century, the rich soils were feeding about one quarter of the Chinese population. But intense pressure on the land eroded the soil. By the 20th century, desertification had condemned the remaining population to poverty. “It was a desperate place,” says Juergen Voegele, an agricultural economist and engineer at the World Bank who first visited the region in the mid-1980s. But that would soon change.

Voegele returned in the 1990s to lead a major 12-year World Bank project to help restore dirt to healthy soils on a vast scale. “This was absolute desert. A few years later the whole thing came back,” he says. “We saw birds, butterflies, insects – the whole ecosystem began to recover. Even after hundreds of years of complete devastation, the seeds were still in the ground and things began to happen very quickly. We did not expect that.”
Fazenda Bulcao
Brazil
In the early 2000s, the famous Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado and his wife, Lélia Wanick, decided to revive the greenery of their piece of land — the 600-hectare Bulcão farm in Aimorés, Minas Gerais. Over 18 years, they planted more than 2 million tree seedlings, with the help of employees and volunteers, in the region located in the Rio Doce Valley. Native trees from the Atlantic Forest were used. With this, they created Instituo Terra, a non-profit organization that collaborates with the reintegration of native species in the region.

Sebastião Salgado (Photo: Facebook/Reproduction)
The result, as can be seen in the images, is impressive! Around 172 species of birds returned to the site, as well as 33 species of mammals and more than 293 species of plants. And it didn't stop there: 15 species of reptiles and the same number of amphibians were also seen. In other words, a complete ecosystem!
Cheonggyecheon
Seoul, South Korea
The downtown was composed of too small plots and narrow roads to accommodate the new industries. Before the restoration, Cheonggyecheon was a place of deterioration and pollution. There were vague aspirations for change, without specific action plans. Since it had been used as a motorway for 50 years, people perceived Cheonggyecheon as a place for cars. Envisioning a place of nature and waterway in such a condition and realizing it required literally 'thinking-out-of-box' approach. By replacing cars and artificial structures with the nature, creating a human-oriented landscape in the city and equipping the area with historical values and identity, the Cheonggyecheon restoration project became a turning point in shaping the city of Seoul. It also triggered a remarkable shift in citizens' consciousness. When it comes to the controversial issue of the extent to which historical remains be restored, the municipality took the phased approach rather than restoring everything at once, since that requires excessive social costs in the complicated situation of downtown.
Old Highway
Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht, the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands, is known for its medieval architecture in the city center and its tree-lined canals. It hasn't always been that way. The pic from the '80s shows busy streets on either side of a highway running between them. Everything just looks gray and dreary.
The old highway, which cut through the city, created a barrier and disrupted the flow of the historic district. This situation led to traffic congestion, noise pollution, and a diminished sense of historical continuity within the city. Utrecht made the decision to restore the city's historical character and improve the quality of life for the residents, and it appears that's exactly what the city accomplished. Pedestrians and cyclists can freely traverse the once-divided areas, enjoying the picturesque views along the restored moat. The reduction in traffic congestion and noise pollution has also enhanced the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. The project stands as a testament to the city's commitment to preserving its past and embracing a greener future

THE FUTURE OF ECONOMY IS GREEN

The greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century:
  • 10 TN $
    per
year
    for regenerative
    food production
  • 1 TN $
    per
year
    to replace plastic packaging with plant based alternatives
  • >2 TN $
    per
year
    to address water
    scarcity crisis
  • 58 TN $
    per
year
    save up by preserving
    water sources
The greatest economic opportunity
of the 21st century:

10 TN $

per
year

for regenerative food production

1 TN $

per
year

to replace plastic packaging with plant based alternative

>2 TN $

per
year

to address water scarcity crisis

58 TN $

per
year

save up by preserving water sources

HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS?

U4EARTH PROJECT ARCHITECTURE

Acceleration & Education

A dynamic platform designed to develop fundable regenerative projects and train professionals for the regenerative economy.

The flagship program focuses on regenerative capacity building
and project acceleration:
  • 1
    Annual thematic contests gather the world's best regenerative ideas. Winners are invited to join the Earth Hub program.
  • 2
    Over 9 months, projects are accelerated using principles and methods of regenerative entrepreneurship. Participants gain skills and insights from leading global experts in regeneration. Graduates act as mentors and catalysts within a broad community of regenerative changemakers, enhancing collaborative learning and co-creation of solutions.
  • 3
    Through peer-to-peer learning formats such as learning circles and expeditions, participants form thematic communities of practice. These communities serve as hubs of specialized knowledge for regeneration, guiding and influencing broader efforts in the field.
  • 4
    Content from the flagship program supports additional professional and public programs.

Incubation & Community

A network of local spaces that nurture regenerative communities and provide infrastructure for sustainable projects, fostering regenerative ecosystems
Home base for Earth regenerators:
  • 1
    After concluding the acceleration program, regenerative project teams are granted residencies in Earth Cells to develop and integrate with local sustainable business ecosystems. Mature projects will be invited to install their operations in the nearby Earth Tech Parks, the Industrial Parks of Earth Regeneration
  • 2
    Earth Cells foster vibrant local communities focused on regeneration, drawing young and adult changemakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, artists, civic leaders, and policymakers.
  • 3
    Earth Cells serve as venues for meetings, learning programs, festivals, art events, and exhibitions that cultivate regenerative thinking, skills, and culture.
  • 4
    Functioning as showcase areas, Earth Cells demonstrate efficient, cost-effective regenerative technologies that are easily affordable to the local public, encouraging adoption in nearby households and businesses.

Knowledge Eden

A global think tank and knowledge-sharing platform focused on action research, policy and business advising, benchmarking, certification, and educational curriculum redesign.

The knowledge heart of U4Earth:
  • 1
    Knowledge Eden serves as the intellectual core of U4Earth, actively collecting, refining, and disseminating knowledge across the Earth Hub projects and Earth Cell network.
  • 2
    The Knowledge Eden team, together with local "knowledge weavers," analyzes data from project acceleration and incubation, compiling it into the collection of regeneration technologies and practices. This information is released and curated as an open-source knowledge bank accessible to all citizens of the Earth.
  • 3
    Additionally, Knowledge Eden acts as a think tank for Earth regeneration, providing benchmarking, certification, and advisory services to professionals, governmental authorities, and companies.

Constant Forum for Future Generations

An online and hybrid platform designed for discussions, envisioning, design, and decision-making, aimed at promoting regenerative futures.

A space to strategize and catalyze the local & global
advancement of regenerative practices:
  • 1
    The Forum acts as a meeting ground where stakeholders, including the "voices of Nature," engage in defining pathways for local and global regenerative futures through facilitated discussions and online dialogues.
  • 2
    It hosts various face-to-face and virtual formats that promote unity and collaborative approaches to regeneration - including an annual gathering of global regenerative leaders, workshops on regenerative entrepreneurship and cultures, and dialogues that bridge societal and cultural polarities.
  • 3
    Drawing inspiration from these visionary discussions, the Forum employs a dynamic, stakeholder-driven process that continually shapes and adapts University initiatives to address emerging challenges and opportunities in regenerative transition.

Our impact during the first 10 years
of the Earth Regeneration

  • 1,000+

    Earth Cells established in places that are most in need
  • 15,000+

    Promising projects accelerated and incubated
  • 100,000+

    Jobs generated worldwide in the regenerative economy
  • 5,000,000+

    People actively engaged through regenerative
    education / events / exhibitions
1,000
15,000
100,000
5,000,000
Earth Cells established in places that are most in need
Promising projects accelerated and incubated
+
+
+
+
Jobs generated worldwide in the regenerative economy
People actively engaged through regenerative
education / events / exhibitions

OUR LATEST NEWS
U4Earth Talks
Herenboeren Nederland is a unique network of nature-driven mixed farms, providing healthy and high-quality food at lower prices while also restoring soil and improving the health of local ecosystems. Each farm is co-owned by a group of local households, collectively investing in starting their farm, and actively participating in decision-making alongside professional farmers. With 22 operational farms and over 35 initiatives underway, Herenboeren is creating a ripple effect across the Netherlands and serves as a role model for the world.
James Ehrlich is a serial entrepreneur in the areas of technology, media technology, and cleanTech. James will speak about the decade-long work of creating the VillageOS software - a revolutionary AI-based tool to help communities, architects, developers, and manufacturers around the world to create inexpensive, safe, and resilient housing with surplus energy, clean water, and high-yield organic food.
Evolutionary renaissance assembley
Jeremy Lent explains the need to transit towards an ecological civilization in the 21st century and covers dimensions of fostering such a civilization from economic, governmental, and cultural perspective.
Evolutionary renaissance assembley
Duane Elgin shares three key lessons from the four decades of personal journey to foster a regenerative future. First, there is a need to recognize that we are not facing a collapse - but a transition to the new stage of our species. Second, we need to undergo a paradigm shift, recognizing our species as a part of the living universe. Finally, we need to recognized that we are equipped with the tools for planet-wide collaboration - and it is the time to appropriate these tools for the benefit of all.
  • U4EARTH TALKS: Geert van der Veer
    Herenboeren Nederland: transforming agriculture through community-owned farms
    Watch recording
  • U4EARTH TALKS: James Erlich
    Future-proofing residental communities through integrated regenerative systems
    Watch recording
  • U4EARTH TALKS: Jeremy Lent
    Envisioning an Ecological Civilization
    Watch recording
  • U4EARTH TALKS: Duane Elgin
    From Bay Voice to Earth Voice: Choosing a Regenerative Future
    Watch recording
OUR PARTNERS
THOUGHT PARTNERS IN REGENERATIVE ECONOMY
PLACE-BASED INITIATIVES AND EARTH CELLS
LEADERS IN REGENERATIVE EDUCATION AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
LEADERS IN REGENERATIVE EDUCATION AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
TEAM
THE U4EARTH TEAM
STRATEGY BOARD
LET's DO IT TOGETHER!
NETHERLANDS

Het Klaverblad 13,
5283 TV Boxtel

06 - 29 42 69 17