This book, the second volume of Creating Tomorrow: Character Strengths and Positive Psychology in the Anthropocene examines how the virtues of Humanity, Justice, Temperance and Transcendence can guide action and orientation in an era marked by environmental disruption, cultural fragmentation and ethical uncertainty. It builds on the foundation of the first volume by shifting the focus from understanding to transformation, showing how strengths support social engagement, ecological responsibility and meaningful responses to planetary change.

Humanity includes love, kindness and social intelligence as capacities that nurture connection with natural and social systems, strengthen compassion and enable cooperative action. Justice brings together teamwork, fairness and leadership as resources for participation, shared responsibility and collaborative approaches to global challenges. Temperance, through forgiveness, humility, prudence and self-regulation, encourages deliberate choices and more conscious ways of living. Transcendence encompasses appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humour and spirituality, deepening emotional resonance, expanding imaginative perspectives and offering orientation in times of profound change.

This book integrates research from environmental psychology, cultural studies, education, ethics and community-based work. Its contributions draw on varied cultural settings to demonstrate how character strengths manifest across contexts and how they can support responsible, relational and future-oriented engagement with the Anthropocene. Addressing scholars, educators and practitioners in psychology, education, sustainability, cultural inquiry and applied ethics, the book combines conceptual clarity with practical relevance. It offers perspectives for reflection, learning and engaged action in conditions of global transformation.

Elisabeth Vanderheiden is an adult educator, mediator, and researcher. She serves as CEO of the Global Institute for Transcultural Research and of the NeuroTech Centre for Advanced Research. She is President of Catholic Adult Education in Germany and Managing Director of a Catholic adult education organisation in Rhineland-Palatinate. Her research focuses on shame, conflict, love, and transformative andragogy. Her publications have received several international awards, including the William B. Gudykunst Award and the 2024 Nautilus Award.