Host: Silke von Brockhausen, founder of The Regeneration Collective
Guest: Eduard Müller, Rector and Founder of the University for International Cooperation (UCI), Costa Rica; global trailblazer in regenerative development.
Why “regeneration”—and why now?
In this episode of the Regeneration Collective Podcast, Silke von Brockhausen asks: How can the UN become the platform through which people, institutions, and the more-than-human world repair and transform broken systems so life can thrive?
Eduard Müller’s answer is disarmingly clear: “Regeneration is creating conditions for life.” Not for some life, or only human life—for all life. Sustainability, he argues, is no longer enough when many planetary boundaries are already overshot. Our task is to restore vitality—in soils, watersheds, cultures, economies, and institutions.
Müller’s life’s work spans 40+ years across 50+ countries, weaving bioregional practice with policy and learning. From Regenerate Costa Rica to the Savory Hub and UCI’s transdisciplinary programs, he has shown that regeneration is not a slogan—it’s a repeatable, measurable practice.
The mindset shift: from reductionism to living systems
Eduard names three inner and institutional shifts:
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Remember we are nature. It’s not “us vs. nature”; it’s us as nature.
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Move beyond reductionism. Complex problems aren’t solved by siloed expertise; they need whole-systems practice.
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Unlearn to re-learn. Old mental models (GDP above well-being, yield above nutrient density, carbon above biodiversity) misguide solutions.
He illustrates how abundance—not just “species counts”—drives ecosystem function, and why biodiversity and soilshould be primary metrics for policy and program design. His critique of “carbon tunnel vision” is not denial—it’s a reframing: carbon cycles are restored by living systems (soils, mycelium, perennial grasses, diversified agroforestry), not by spreadsheets alone.
Proof beats persuasion: visible wins that spread
Rather than fighting the system head-on, Eduard channels Buckminster Fuller: build what makes the old system obsolete.
A few of his field-tested examples:
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From chemicals to life: Training students in regenerative agriculture and letting their families witness better yields, lower input costs, improved health, and returning pollinators.
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Holistic grazing: Rotational, nature-mimicking systems that increase productivity, restore waterways, rebuild soil carbon, and create wildlife corridors—win-win for farmers and ecosystems.
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Urban rewilding: One “messy” garden becomes a block-wide butterfly corridor within months; compost loops turn waste into water-holding, life-supporting soil.
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Food density over tonnage: A single regenerative tomato can out-nutrient many conventional ones; nutrition per hectare should beat “tons per hectare.”
Takeaway: When people see life returning—blackening soils, insect symphonies, birds, clear water—they don’t need MRV dashboards to believe. Results are self-evident.
What this means for the UN
Silke presses the practical question: How can the UN embrace and enable regeneration—inside and out?
Outside (programs & policy):
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Curate and connect living exemplars. The world is full of regenerative pilots; the UN can map, fund, and amplify them into a movement.
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Shift metrics. Elevate biodiversity abundance, soil carbon/health, water infiltration, nutrient density, cultural vitality, and youth participation alongside standard outputs.
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Bioregional development. Plan by watersheds and foodsheds, not only administrative borders. Re-strengthen Local Agenda 21-style processes: communities co-design their futures.
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Culture is core infrastructure. In many regions, culture = resilience. Fund cultural regeneration the way we fund roads and clinics: as democracy and prevention.
Inside (organizational culture & operations):
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Learn from nature. Eduard’s “first 100 days as SG” starts with biomimicry training and site visits to successful projects in each region.
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Bridge knowledge systems. Pair indigenous and scientific knowledges without extraction; treat Mother Nature as a stakeholder in governance decisions.
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Fund what works, simplify access. Reduce paperwork that stifles grassroots innovators; create trusted, light-touch channels for communities to lead.
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Measure what matters. Reward teams for ecosystem health and community agency, not just spend rates and activity counts.
A 100-Day Regenerative Agenda (if Eduard were UN SG)
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See and feel: Every senior leader completes a biomimicry crash course and visits nearby successful regenerative sites.
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Map the mycelium: Launch a Global Regeneration Showcase—a living atlas of projects, practitioners, policies, and open-source playbooks.
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Recode incentives: Pilot bioregional compacts that tie funding to soil, water, biodiversity, nutrient density, and cultural vitality outcomes.
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Un-silo the system: Convene cross-agency cells (FAO-UNESCO-UNDP-UNICEF-UNEP, etc.) around bioregional missions rather than sectoral mandates.
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Open the tap for the ground: Create micro-grants with minimal admin for community stewards; pair with mentorship from the global network.
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Shift UN learning: Replace “soft-skills” stigma with core skills: facilitation, conflict transformation, cooperation, systems sensing, place literacy.
For UN staff and partners: start here
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Change your metric. In any project you touch, ask: Does this create conditions for life? If not, redesign.
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Pilot a living indicator. Add soil infiltration tests, insect counts, nutrient-density checks, or cultural participation to your logframe.
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Prototype a bioregional lens. Convene local actors by watershed/foodshed, not just sector. Map assets, flows, and feedbacks.
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Rewild your office/home edges. Native flowers, no pesticides, compost loops—then share the story with your team. Momentum is contagious.
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Host a knowledge dialogue. Invite local indigenous knowledge holders, farmers, youth, and scientists to co-sense and co-design.
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Make culture visible. Budget for language, ritual, music, and crafts as part of resilience—not an “extra.”
A daily regenerative practice
Eduard’s invitation is beautifully simple: rewild a corner of your life. Start with pollinator habitat, stop spraying, compost organic waste, pull up a bit of concrete, and let grasses and “weeds” work with the mycelium. Watch the insects return, then the birds. Feel your own nervous system follow.
“We don’t want to live on a silent planet. We won’t be able to.”
Learn more & get involved
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Listen to the full episode here:
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Spotify:
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Youtube:
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Apple:
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Connect with Eduard Müller — Rector & Founder, University for International Cooperation (UCI), Costa Rica: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduard-m%C3%BCller-a618229/
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Join UCI's Flagship program: Certificate in Regenerative Entrepreneurship (10 months; life- and work-transforming for 100+ graduates) www.uci.ac.cr
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Forthcoming: Mycelium Learning Network—a global, bioregion-anchored platform for regenerative learning and doing
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Join the RE:Generation Collective: www.regeneration-collective.org
Final word
Regeneration isn’t a niche—it’s a North Star for governance, economics, education, and daily life. The UN can be the global mycelium that connects what already works, funds what communities lead, and helps the world unlearn what no longer serves.
Create conditions for life—and let the results speak.