In a time marked by cascading environmental crises, the permaculture movement offers a radical yet practical alternative to the dominant socio-economic systems that are driving ecological destruction. Originally developed in the 1970s as a response to the unsustainable practices of industrial agriculture, permaculture has since evolved into a global movement that transcends borders, cultures, and climates. It promotes not just sustainable land use, but a broader restructuring of how humans interact with natural systems.

As the climate crisis intensifies, permaculture’s foundational principles—Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share—are becoming increasingly salient.

“I think that permaculture has always been needed. Perhaps we wouldn’t have ended up in the situation we find ourselves today, if there had been more thought and action all along. However, we are where we are: past the point where we can avoid climate change. Then there are things like the loss of biodiversity and so on. Whether or not life/the environment etc has got worse, it would be better for the planet and all life forms in it if everyone were to engage in looking holistically at solutions and taking appropriate action” (Interviewee #31).

Permaculture’s rise can be understood as a grassroots corrective to the failings of our industrialised food and energy systems. These systems have prioritised short-term gains over long-term viability, with devastating consequences for biodiversity, soil health, and global climate stability. Permaculture offers an approach that seeks to rebuild resilience from the ground up, one community and one ecosystem at a time.

Permaculture was born out of a growing awareness of the damage wrought by industrial agriculture. Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, the movement’s co-founders, saw firsthand how conventional farming practices were depleting soil, polluting waterways, and driving species to extinction. They envisioned permaculture as a design philosophy that mimics natural ecosystems, creating resilient human settlements that are both ecologically and socially sustainable.

“Permaculture is a term that is hard to define but for me it is an integrated design system for resilient and low impact living. It was co-founded in the 1970s by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren as a practical approach to addressing many of the emerging problems stemming from mass agriculture and industrialisation” (Interviewee #34).

“I think I would describe it as being an organic and self-perpetuating movement.  It’s started with Bill Mollison’s early attempts to get the system out there by traveling all over the place and just saying, go forth and multiply basically, that was his approach.  Whereas David Holmgren, who was the other co-originator of the concept, decided he ought to prove it first.  So he went back and built up his place at Melliodora and studied it a bit more thoroughly and could put a bit of proof behind the assertions but it’s taken off a lot, especially in developing countries, because it works, and it’s a liberating approach to growing food and sustaining life that appeals to people who need that sort of thing.  It’s also very successful in the so-called Western world or the developed world or the first world or whatever we want to call it, but in a different way, I suspect” (Interviewee #49).

This design philosophy quickly expanded beyond agriculture. It now encompasses everything from urban water management to energy-efficient housing and community building. Permaculture systems are built on principles of observation, diversity, and resource conservation, prioritising long-term ecological health over short-term exploitation.

Permaculture has since spread across the globe, finding fertile ground in both rural and urban environments. Its adaptability has allowed it to take root in diverse settings, from European eco-villages to food security projects in Africa. Despite these differences, the core philosophy remains the same: permaculture seeks to empower individuals and communities to create systems that are not only sustainable but regenerative. This focus on local, context-specific solutions sets permaculture apart from other sustainability movements that often advocate top-down reforms.

“I think that it’s more a countercultural approach to decision making, rather than an urgent need to grow food and sustain life around you it as it is in developing countries.  I think it’s two different animals depending on where you are possibly more than two.  So I would say to somebody who is new to permaculture that there are heaps of opportunities in either of those spaces.  So if they were interested in, for example, overseas aid and development, then it’s a fantastic fertile ground for that.  There’s a lot of work being done right at the grassroots and lots and lots of people do go into it that way.  Whereas on the other hand, if they’re more interested in changing the planet from the point of view of consumption and the overreliance on fossil fuel-based production, then this is a great way to do it because every decision you make is governed by the principles and it becomes second nature.  So every time you do anything, you may still decide not to forego your overseas holiday but you will have thought through all the implications of what your decisions mean.  So people who are looking for a solution for themselves to make themselves feel like they’re making an impact is an equally great approach” (Interviewee #48).

This is key to permaculture’s appeal. While mainstream environmental strategies often prioritise legislative or market-based solutions, permaculture is about direct action. It emphasises tangible, community-driven projects that can be implemented at a local level and scaled to fit the needs of different regions. This grassroots approach allows permaculture to be highly adaptable, but it also underscores the movement’s scepticism of large, centralised institutions.