Neste episódio do Podcast da Carta da Terra, conversamos com o professor Moacir Gadotti sobre Paulo Freire, educação, cidadania planetária e sua trajetória com a Carta da Terra. Abordamos também temas como ecopedagogia e seu livro Pedagogia da Carta da Terra. O professor Gadotti descreve a Pedagogia da Terra como uma abordagem que insere o ser humano em uma visão mais ampla do universo, buscando restaurar nossa conexão e vínculo com o todo. Ele destacou que essa proposta pedagógica foi um sonho inacabado de Paulo Freire.

In this episode, we talked with Secretary Barcena about the United Nations, its role as it marks its 80th anniversary, and the growing questions surrounding multilateralism. Dr. Bárcena shared that “the erosion of confidence in multilateralism is rooted in unmet expectations, rising inequalities, and the powerlessness of global institutions,” and emphasized that while “we need the UN,” there is also a need to restructure key areas and improve how it operates to make it more effective. She also shared her views on the Escazú Agreement and the connections between the erosion of democracy, social inequality, and environmental breakdown.

This episode features Sabrina Brando discussing the vital link between animal and human wellbeing in professional animal care and conservation-related professions. We talk about the importance of supporting both human and animal welfare across animal facilities and supporting those who work in education and other purpose-driven professions. We reflect on what it means to “treat all living beings with respect and consideration”, including in zoos, aquariums, and sanctuaries, and their roles in urban spaces today. The conversation explores the role of education, research, and conservation in advancing animal wellbeing and conservation and how the Earth Charter offers a guiding framework for ethical and sustainable practices for zoos, aquariums, and animal sanctuaries. Sabrina also shares insights from her doctoral research on employee wellbeing in zoos and aquariums and the importance of self-care and fostering a culture of care within organizations. Additionally, she highlights the work AnimalConcepts is doing to integrate the Earth Charter into zoos, aquariums, animal sanctuaries and academia worldwide. 

In this podcast episode, we discuss the Earth Charter, the Hague Principles, and the concept of Earth Trusteeship, as well as the connection between trusteeship and ethics. We reflect on what Earth Trusteeship means, why it is important, and how it builds on the Earth Charter. We also explore Earth Trusteeship education, intergenerational justice, the Rights of Future Generations, The Pact for the Future, and the roles of states and citizens in these matters. Additionally, we delve into the 2023 book Reflections on Earth Trusteeship: Mother Earth and a New 21st-Century Governance Paradigm, edited by Justin Sobion and Hans van Willenswaard. 

This interview emphasizes the message that “We are all Earth Trustees, and we have a responsibility to one another and to future generations… and the importance of the rights of future generations.” 

In this podcast episode, Akpezi Ogbuigwe reflects on her experience in the context of Nigeria and as the head of education at UNEP and shares her views on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and its connection to environmental education, climate change education, and broader education for change. She explains that environmental education focuses on managing and improving the relationship between human society and the environment, emphasizing problem-solving skills. Akpezi also discusses the link between environmental education and ethics in educational settings, offering insights into the publication project she contributed to, called Environmental Education, Ethics, and Action: A Workbook to Get Started. She highlights the idea that “ethical awareness leads to practical action.” Toward the end of the conversation, Akpezi offers valuable perspectives on the Earth Charter, discussing its role in expanding "Planetary Consciousness," fostering "the Ethics of Care," and promoting "Intergenerational Justice."  

En este episodio de nuestro podcast, hablamos sobre la importancia de la colaboración entre múltiples actores de la sociedad para abordar los desafíos socioambientales y cómo la comprensión de este tema ha evolucionado en los últimos años. Se destaca cómo la Cumbre de la Tierra de 1992 surge como un momento histórico para involucrar a diversos actores de la sociedad en el desarrollo e implementación de políticas públicas relacionadas con la sostenibilidad. Yolanda comenta algunas experiencias y lecciones aprendidas en su trabajo a lo largo de más de cuatro décadas en el ámbito de la sostenibilidad y conservación. Reflexiona sobre cómo ella ve los desafíos para abordar la crisis ecológica y social, así como el tema de la justicia social y económica que vivimos actualmente en América Latina. También hablamos sobre la UICN y cómo percibe las resoluciones que esta adopta, como la de la Carta de la Tierra 

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Yu Miaojie, president of Liaoning University (LNU), to explore the key ideas of his book China-US Trade War and Trade Talk, the challenges of trade relations between China and the US, and the impact of China trade liberalization in the world. We also reflect on China’s commitment and vision regarding Ecological Civilization—what it means, how institutions are aligning to this idea, and how LNU is embracing this commitment.  Dr Yu shares his views on the role of higher education in shaping a more sustainable world, the connection between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Ecological Civilization, and how the Earth Charter can help guide this path. We also talk about his vision on where he wants to take LNU.

In her teaching, Heather uses the Earth Charter to inspire students, encouraging them to connect its principles with local projects that foster practical action and hope. She emphasizes the Charter’s relevance in today’s fragmented, crisis-ridden world, highlighting its comprehensive vision of the Earth community, eco-justice, and nonviolence.

In this interview, David O. Wiebers explores compassion for all life as the highest human pursuit, surpassing scientific achievement. He argues that compassion fuels creativity, wisdom, and survival. He links neuroscience concepts like resilience and coherence to creativity and social change. Critiquing the human-centric paradigm, he calls for a life-centric shift, emphasizing interconnection, climate action, and animal protection.

Fritjof Capra comments on key ideas from his books and his work advocating for a shift from a mechanistic worldview to a systemic and ecological perspective. He argues that the mechanistic thinking model has failed to address the complexities of our world. Capra emphasizes that life organizes itself in networks that are regenerative, creative, and intelligent, envisioning a systems-based leadership approach. Supported by systems theory, he affirms that this new understanding of life reveals that major global issues are interconnected and require systemic solutions. Capra also advocates for a paradigm shift in ethics and values to address these challenges effectively. In this interview, he provides insightful reflections on systems thinking, the intersection of science and spirituality, the four principles of life, and The Earth Charter.

Brian Swimme elucidates the philosophical and scientific underpinnings of humanity's relationship with the universe. He delves into the concepts of the “universe story” as a framework for understanding our existence, our interconnections as “cosmological beings,” and the evolution of humanity's shared knowledge. Through understanding our cosmological origins and the evolutionary saga, Swimme believes we can cultivate a new consciousness, recognizing ourselves as "cosmological beings" intrinsically linked to the cosmos. This expanded awareness, integrating science and spirituality, can lead to a more harmonious and responsible relationship with Earth and its inhabitants. Swimme sees the Earth Charter as an archetypal example of this evolving planetary wisdom, reflecting humanity's growing understanding of its interconnectedness and responsibility for the planet.

Céline Cousteau expounds upon environmental advocacy and storytelling by sharing her work in documentary filmmaking and public speaking over the past decade, focusing on inspiring hope through conservation success stories. Ms. Cousteau emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and how modern disconnection from nature and ourselves has led to internal suffering impacting our relationship with the planet. The speakers explore how connecting humans to nature through education, transformational leadership, technology, and self-care could help address issues like ocean pollution.

In this interview, Jeremy Lent starts by offering an overview of some key ideas he articulates in his book “The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe.” He emphasizes the importance of generating an alternative worldview based on the understanding of our deep interconnection, and the notion of flourishing, particularly flourishing as an integrated organism. On Ecological Civilization, he invites us to visualize how the world could look like if we changed the dominant underlying operating system of our current civilization from one of extraction and exploitation to one that seeks to set the conditions for all beings to flourish on a regenerative Earth. This means envisioning not just changing one aspect, but everything. He stresses that in order to get on the path to an ecological civilization, we can look at life itself and ecosystems and apply that learning to our human societies, such as by cooperating and working together for mutual benefit. Lent makes the point that deep transformation starts with the recognition that our own ways of thinking need to be questioned and changed.

Almost thirty years after the end of apartheid, Black South Africans still fight for African liberation from colonial narratives. While previous generations struggled to end apartheid, younger generations now face the task of reimagining themselves, their communities, and the world. Mamphela Ramphele and Nolita Mvunelo discuss the need for intergenerational collaboration to combine the wisdom of older generations with the energy of younger ones. The need for social equity ties into the idea of ecological civilizations as an alternative to our current society. Ramphele and Mvunelo emphasize the need to consider freedom for all life, not just humans and see the Earth Charter as an opportunity to help build a new narrative for ecological civilizations.

Professor Nicholas Robinson first explains the history of environmental law and the role of the IUCN in its development. He then continues to discuss the importance of the Earth Charter, its connection to environmental law, and its current relevance. Dr. Robinson believes that the Earth Charter is unique because of the diversity and number of people involved in its drafting. This resulted in a consensus on shared principles and ethics accepted by people all over the world. Robinson sees the Earth Charter as a beacon amidst the current anxiety about the environment and believes that it provides a framework to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Finally, Dr. Robinson discusses the concept of ecological civilizations and how it could be the answer to capitalism. 

Dr. Vandana Shiva shares key ideas from her book Earth Democracy and discusses the need to establish an Earth Democracy where we acknowledge that we are all part of the Earth, and that everything, including trees and rivers, have a right to exist. She connects this to the idea of Ecological Civilizations, democracies based on ecological oneness. These stand in opposition to today’s western civilizations that separate humans from nature and each other.

Shiva also talks about her work fighting industrial agriculture and promoting seed sovereignty. When companies like Monsanto began patenting seeds and making farmers dependent on them, she began to promote seed sovereignty and native seeds. She believes seeds are the embodiment of life and should not be treated as inventions or commodities, but rather as a commons. Through her work she has found that native seeds promote biodiversity and are more nutritious and outperform industrial seeds. If we work with the Earth and replace what we take, using organic practices, she believes we can meet our food needs, reverse climate change, and regenerate biodiversity.

Tu Weiming, one of the most influential Confucian thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, contributed to the drafting process of the Earth Charter bringing Confucian thoughts of the importance of interconnectedness and community into its principles. In this conversation he talks about Confucianism, how it can apply to our current societal and environmental challenges, and how it relates to the Earth Charter. 

He also discusses the importance of self-cultivation or “learning to be human” within Confucianism. He emphasizes that the purpose of this it not to attain inner happiness or develop individualism. Rather, the emphasis is on the communal act and becoming part of a network of relationships in four dimensions, the self, community, Earth, and heaven. 

Dr. Bourn shares some key ideas he addressed in his latest book and discusses education’s role in society and social change, particularly the purpose of higher education. Given that it can be difficult to differentiate between themes like education for sustainable development, global citizenship, and peace education, Bourn advocates for understanding the context and how the people using these terms define them. Dr. Bourn believes that higher education educators and administrators need to take the lead to create a pedagogy of hope to address the anger and anxiety students feel about environmental issues. Rather than viewing key topics like sustainability and decolonization simply as items to check off on a to-do list, Dr. Bourn believes higher education administrators should focus on creating spaces for dialogue about them. While there are no quick fixes or ready-made toolkits to remedy these issues, the Earth Charter can be used as an ethical framework to provide guidance. 

Carol Anne Hilton is the founder of the Indigenomics Institute and the Global Center of Indigenomics and author of Indigenomics: Taking a Seat at the Economics Table. Her work centers on rebuilding and strengthening Indigenous economies to combat Canada’s history of oppression against them. In her work, Hilton addresses the economic impacts of this history by shaping a new space around Indigenous economics using traditional Indigenous ideas of conservation, sustainability, and well-being, concepts that are closely connected to the Earth Charter.

In the episode, author, social scientist, and sustainability practitioner, Thomas Legrand speaks with Mirian Vilela about his new book, The Politics of Being, and his work with the UNDP Conscious Food Systems Alliance. Legrand believes that we must move away from a development model based on economic growth and instead to one that ties directly into the Earth Charter’s idea of “being more, not having more,” an idea he sees as very important but has of yet been mostly ignored. He sees an answer to this in reorganizing our society and politics to focus on helping individuals realize fulfillment through wellbeing, rather than emphasizing competition, status, wealth, and consumption.

Legrand discusses some concrete examples of achieving this shift toward an economy of being in which everyone’s basic needs are met. He proposes policies that emphasize secure attachment between parents and children by supporting childcare and parental leave. He also sees providing a universal basic income and healthcare as a way to allow people more time to achieve wellbeing and fulfillment through means other than work. He also emphasizes the importance of the rights of nature, restorative justice, moving from a global economy to local economies, and the need for all of these ideas to be incorporated into the education system and national policies.