Global environmental problems in the 21st century has totally different characteristics from those in the past centuries. The Earth system is now operating in “a no-analogue state”, meaning that previous experience may not be a reliable guide to the future. Human actions occurring in one place can have dramatic effects in faraway places. The Earth system has entered a new phase in which human actions are threatening the Earth’s life support systems and drawing down the planet’s natural capital in an unsustainable manner. How could humans and social systems respond to these challenges? What are the ways to narrow the gap between global problems and international system based on nation states?