Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action

Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action

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Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action episodes

  • Sam Crowell | Education, Transformative Learning and the Earth Charter

    Quick Overview

    Dr. Crowell shares inspiring stories and projects behind a number of his publications. On systems thinking, he not only stresses on the interconnection reflected in the content of teaching and learning, but also draws attention to the interaction in the classroom, the connection among teachers, and the dynamics in the school. Seeing emergence as part of systems thinking, Dr. Crowell gives a lucid introduction to the process in emergent teaching. As for transformative learning, he sums up the essential aspects as participation, engagement, choice, and sharing. Dr. Crowell believes that sustainability should be the focus of education endeavours, and that the introduction of the Earth Charter to classrooms should go beyond reading and discussion. Educators should guide students to take the Earth Charter to their heart, their community, and ultimately, the world.

    1 hr 11 min
  • Peter Blaze Corcoran | Sustainability and the Earth Charter in Higher Education

    Quick Overview

    To Dr. Corcoran, the Earth Charter represents a fountain of thoughtful, informed hope. The idea of “living the Earth Charter” in the university where he works has yielded experimental and experiential programmes including the Colloquium, the Earth Charter Meal, and Blessing with the Food. With regard to the book Intergenerational Learning and Transformative Leadership for Sustainable Futures, Dr. Corcoran recalls how he was inspired by the Earth Charter to lift up young scholars, especially those that are underrepresented in English scholarship and to focus on intergenerational solidarity and collaboration as a living example of intergeneration equity. He shares many stories to illustrate how education, guided by the Earth Charter, is pivotal in the larger cultural shift towards sustainability. Dr. Corcoran delivers a heart-warming Earth Charter benediction to conclude this episode.

    55 min
  • Kartikeya Sarabhai | Education, the Earth Charter and Gandhi’s Philosophy

    Quick Overview

    The challenges of development in India have led Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai to consider the role of education, especially in the aspect of communication. He attaches great importance to the invisible word “for” in the acronym “ESD,” and distinguishes “ESD” (Education for Sustainable Development) from “SDE” (Sustainable Development Education). When comparing Education for Sustainable Development with conventional education, Mr. Sarabhai highlights three features of the former: integration, critical thinking, and observation. In the same vein, the Earth Charter presents a holistic view, evokes consciousness, and calls for ethical thinking in addition to critical thinking. From an alternative perspective, the Earth Charter echoes Gandhian thinking as they both question human lifestyles and how societies are organised and managed. He comments on the linkages between Gandhi’s philosophy and the Earth Charter, drawing from the publication he was involved in putting together: Earth Charter & Gandhi – Towards a Sustainable World (2010).

    1 hr 1 min
  • Laura Westra | Ecological Integrity and the Right to a Healthy Environment for Present and Future Generations
    Quick Overview
    Dr. Westra first became aware of the tremendous potential that the concept of “integrity” had before she got involved in the Earth Charter movement. In her opinion, ecological integrity equals no interference with nature, no interference even within a single natural organism. If we corrupt the environment, we are bound to corrupt our own physical health. This explains her strong criticism against the genetically modified organisms and their developers. Dr. Westra also expresses her frustration over the “mafia-like” non-state actors that infringe the right for a healthy environment for present and future generations. She believes that international environmental law is the solution, whereas environmental ethics has lost its direction.
    31 min
  • Anupam Saraph| Systems Thinking and the Need for Systems Literacy

    Quick Overview

    In this episode, Dr. Saraph shares his thought-provoking ideas on systems thinking and the interdependence of all parts in a system. Many decision-makers fail to recognize the interdependence and see the whole, as they focus on the parts or just the symptoms and become addicted to the three key tools, which only cover up the symptoms: technology, markets, and politics. The treatment of such addictions centers on systems literacy, which can be developed even from primary and secondary education. To be an individual systems thinker, Dr. Saraph’s advice is: be humble and work together with other parts of the systems in making the world a beautiful place.

    38 min
  • Elizabeth Ferrero & Joe Holland | The Earth Charter and Ecological Civilization
    Quick Overview
    Dr. Holland sees the Earth Charter as an alternative of globalization, and he points out the supreme importance of the document, especially from the viewpoint of the resistance against eugenics in the context of ecological civilization. Dr. Ferrero envisions the Earth Charter bringing people together for the shift of paradigm. She also stresses the need to bring the discourse of ecological civilization, which is central to the Earth Charter, back on the table for people from all walks of life to become aware of its significance. Moreover, these two experienced and passionate professors share their ways of teaching using the Earth Charter, as well as their appreciation of Pope Francis’ two encyclicals and their connection with the Earth Charter.
    38 min
  • Tineke Lambooy | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Earth Charter and the Business Sector

    Quick Overview

    Dr. Lambooy explains how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Earth Charter are complementary in three categories, and how these two documents provide the normative, ethical framework for every individual and group to play its part in overcoming the world’s fundamental challenges. Regarding the business sector, the Earth Charter in particular, can help shape the vision of companies large or small, so that they can contribute more towards sustainable development. In addition, the Earth Charter can be used to determine whether a business that claims to be a social enterprise truly serves a social purpose. Professor Lambooy also shares a story about how the Earth Charter was instrumental in addressing a trade conflict between The Netherlands and India, to find common ground and reach a resolution with lasting, positive outcomes.

    36 min
  • Oscar Motomura | The Common Good and Conscious, Ethical Leadership

    Quick Overview

    Confused by the competition culture in his early years, Mr. Motomura  drew inspiration from a poem and came to realise that the best  entrepreneurs are those who search for the common good. Mr. Motomura  considers opposite of common good to be selfishness and individualism,  and that these qualities have evolved to be collective egotism nowadays,  generating crises. The Earth Charter, in Mr. Motomura’s opinion,  defines what the common good is. He stresses the importance to convey  the essence of the Earth Charter in participatory dialogues and allow  people to adapt the essence to their local contexts rather than focus on  the letter (meaning the detailed of words). On leadership, Mr. Motomura  talks about being conscious about the reality in which society operates  today. Since systemic problems require systemic solutions, leaders are  advised to be courageous, to elicit participation of enlightened  citizens for the collective creativity, and be “three-fold strategic” in  the collective movement towards the common good.

    49 min
  • Donald Brown | Gaining Traction for Climate Change Ethics

    Quick Overview

    What amazes Dr. Brown, who has a diverse background in education, law, ethics, science, and engineering, is how ethical issues have been largely ignored by countries, neglected in higher education, and missed by the public and even the environmental community. He believes that climate change, more than any other environmental problem, demands governments to see it and respond to it as an ethical matter. Whereas two critical principles have been agreed upon in international agreements, the precautionary principle and the no-harm principle, scientific uncertainty has been used as an excuse for inaction. Dr. Brown reveals more details on the disinformation campaign and the situation in the United States. He also gives suggestions on the way forward with the Earth Charter.

    1 hr 3 min
  • Prue Taylor & Klaus Bosselmann | The Earth Charter, International Environmental Law and Global Governance

    Quick Overview

    Prue Taylor and Dr. Klaus Bosselmann recall how their concerns over the existing laws and systems led to their participation and collaboration in the drafting of the Earth Charter. On the document’s relevance nowadays, Ms. Taylor draws attention to the global citizenship movement and also explains how the Earth Charter is a tool to hold ourselves to account and to continue the needed ongoing dialogues on how to care and protect the Earth. Dr. Bosselmann stresses on the Earth Charter’s ongoing importance, especially to informing and influencing decision making. Additionally, he expresses his opinion on how the Earth Charter is neither a hard law nor a soft law.
    Additionally, Ms. Taylor and Dr. Bosselmann share their understandings of ecological integrity and elaborate on key concepts such as “the commons” and “trusteeships,” and relevant arguments in their publications. They conclude with a discussion on humanity’s major challenge, which Dr. Bosselmann believes is fear, and Ms. Taylor identifies as disturbed and fractured human-Earth relationships.

    1 hr 2 min

About Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Mirian Vilela, Earth Charter International’s Executive Director.