ABSTRACT: If we look at the natural world for how complex systems like economies work, we see that, contrary to economic assumptions of competition, survival of the fittest, equilibria and perfect rational actors motivated by self-interest, as derived from 19th century science, complex ecosystems function very differently.

They illustrate cooperation and reciprocity, unity in diversity, allowing every organism, not just the most productive, to contribute to total wealth.

They are dynamic and constantly evolving.

By recycling scarce materials in a resource-poor environment, they are able to build rich and productive communities comparable to human cities.

The science of ecology, in coherence with the Bahá'í teachings, provides practical examples of what an alternative economy could achieve.

Dr. Arthur Lyon DAHL of Geneva, Switzerland (http://yabaha.net/dahl), has more than 50 years international experience in sustainable development and environment. He is a retired Deputy Assistant Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), where he was Deputy Director of the Oceans and Coastal Areas Programme, Coordinator of the UN System-wide Earthwatch (http://yabaha.net/dahl/earthw.html) and first Director of the Coral Reef Unit. He co-coordinated a UNEP Major Groups and Stakeholders Advisory Group on International Environmental Governance, in preparation for Rio+20.

He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Brighton (UK), is Visiting Professor at the European Center for Peace and Development in Belgrade, and designs and teaches advanced studies courses on sustainable development, including online. For five years he coordinated the UNEP/University of Geneva/Graduate Institute Programme of Advanced Studies in Environmental Diplomacy.

He is a consultant to international organizations and research programmes on values-based indicators, environmental assessment, observing strategies, indicators of sustainability, coral reefs, biodiversity, islands (islands.unep.ch), environmental education, and social and economic development. He holds an AB in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and a PhD in Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

A specialist on small islands and coral reefs, he spent many years in the South Pacific as Regional Ecological Advisor with the Pacific Community (www.spc.int), and organized the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (www.sprep.org). He represented the Baha'i International Community at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment (1972), was in the Secretariat of the Rio Earth Summit to prepare Agenda 21, the global action plan for sustainable development, and organized and contributed to several parallel events at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002), the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20, Rio de Janeiro, 2012), and the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015.

He has taken part in many interfaith meetings on the environment such as the World Summit on Religions and Conservation and the World Parliament of Religions. He is President of the International Environment Forum (https://iefworld.org), and on the Governing Boards of ebbf - ethical business building the future (http://ebbf.org) and the Global Governance Forum (https://www.globalgovernanceforum.org/).

He has published many scientific papers and books including: "Unless and Until: A Baha'i Focus on the Environment", "The Eco Principle: Ecology and Economics in Symbiosis", "In Pursuit of Hope: A Guide for the Seeker", and (with Augusto Lopez-Claros and Maja Groff) "Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century".