Holmgren, 2013: “Essence of Permaculture”

• “Thus permaculture is based on an assumption of progressively

reducing energy and resource consumption, and an inevitable
reduction in human numbers. I call this ‘energy descent future’ to
emphasize the primacy of energy in human destiny, and the least
negative bu clear description of what some might call ‘decline’,
‘contraction’, ‘decay’ or ‘dieoff’. This energy descent future can be
visualized as the gentle descent after an exhilarating balloon flight
that returns us to the Earth, our home. Of course that earth has been
transformed by humanity's ‘energy ascent’, making the future as
challenging and as novel as any period in history. In openly accepting
such a future as inevitable we have a choice between fearful
acquisitiveness, cavalier disregard, or creative adaptation.”