MINE, Mapping the Interplay between Nature and Economy, is a digital archive and visual map about the intersection between nature and economy. Focusing on the interlinkages between fundamental concepts such as time, thermodynamics, evolution, responsibility or justice, a new outline of economic activity within nature emerges. This leads to new interpretations of current ecological, social and economic problems. And to an in-depth understanding about the modes of thought and policy needed for sustainable solutions.

On the most fundamental level, the dominant view of mainstream economics, which considers nature as a part of the economy, is replaced by a view that considers the economy as a subsystem of nature. On the practical level, the strength of mainstream economics are complemented by an interdisciplinary research project highlighting both its blinds spots and detrimental effects.

The research project giving the fundament of MINE was started in the seventies at the University of Heidelberg by an interdisciplinary group of scientists around Prof. Malte Faber, mainly economists, mathematicians, philosophers and physicists. It has contributed and can be broadly linked to the field of Ecological Economics.