Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action
by Earth. Charter International
Hosted by Mirian Vilela, Earth Charter International’s Executive Director.This podcast seeks to generate some new insights and inspire informed action. Through these conversations, we aim to help interested people expand their understanding of the worldview that is articulated in the Earth Charter, the current challenges humanity faces, education for sustainability, new paradigms of education, and more.
Episodes
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Francisco Marmolejo | Higher Education and Its Role in Social Transformation
In this conversation, Francisco Marmolejo shares his vision for the future of higher education, the role of internationalization, the potential of universities as drivers of social transformation, the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, and the knowledge, skills…
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Cormac Cullinan | Rights of Nature and the Earth Community
What if the law did not see Nature simply as something we own, use, or protect, but recognized Earth as a living community with rights of its own? What would change if rivers, forests, ecosystems, and the living world were not merely objects of human concern, but subjects deserving respect and...
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Jessica den Outer | Exploring the Rights of Nature and the Earth Charter
In this conversation, Earth Charter International Executive Director Mirian Vilela speaks with author, and Rights of Nature advocate Jessica den Outer about the movement’s evolution and its connection to the Earth Charter. Den Outer explains how recognizing rivers, forests, oceans, and other...
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Michael A. Peters | A Conversation on the Handbook of Ecological Civilization and the Future of Education
In this episode, Michael Peters discusses the concept of ecological civilization as a transformative response to today's planetary challenges. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience living and working in China, he reflects on the cultural and philosophical foundations that inspired...
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Julia Kim | Inner Well-Being, Social Change, and Gross National Happiness
Julia shares the origins of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan and how its origins in the 1970’s has impacted the development of Bhutan and shaped its policies and culture. By putting the happiness and well-being of all people and all life at the center of development and growth, there are...
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Carlos Manuel Rodríguez | Cuando la biodiversidad, el clima y las finanzas se encuentran
En este episodio, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, director del Fondo Mundial para el Medio Ambiente (GEF), explica que esta institución es el mecanismo financiero que apoya a los países en desarrollo a cumplir compromisos ambientales de la ONU. Describe cómo el GEF ha pasado de proyectos fragmentados a…
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Harald Lesch | Climate Science and how to communicate about it
In this podcast episode, we speak with Harald Lesch. He begins by exploring what makes Earth so special in the cosmic context and what this means for how we relate to our planet. He then discusses the responsibility of the wealthiest to support those less privileged, especially considering the...
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Kathryn Gwiazdon | Grounding Climate Action in Ethics and Confronting Disinformation
Join host Mirian Vilela in a insightful conversation with Kathryn Gwiazdon, Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Ethics and Law and Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law's Ethics Specialist Group. Katy shares key insights from The Routledge Handbook of Applied...
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Felix Dodds | Insights on the evolving process of global environmental governance
In this insightful episode, we talked with Environmental leader Felix Dodds, reflecting on the leadership of characters like Maurice Strong and the importance of stakeholder engagement in global policy environmental policy. He also explores the current state of the SDGs, and what could be the…
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Sithembiso Nyoni | Zimbabwe: A Beacon of Hope for Community Development and Climate Resilience
In this episode, Sithembiso Nyoni shares about her dedication to grassroots development and improving the lives of all people, especially vulnerable communities, which inspired her to found the Organisation of Rural Association for Progress (ORAP) in Zimbabwe in 1981. Ms. Nyoni expands on how…
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Moacir Gadotti | Pedagogia da Terra, Cidadania Planetária e a Carta da Terra
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...
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Alicia Bárcena | Climate Justice, Democracy, and the Future of Multilateralism
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,...
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Sabrina Brando | An Interconnected Approach to Animal, Peoples, and Planetary Wellbeing in the Care and Conservation Field
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...
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Neshan Gunasekera & Justin Sobion | Earth Trusteeship and Intergenerational Justice
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…
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Akpezi Ogbuigwe | Reflections on Ethics, Education, and the Earth Charter
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...
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Yolanda Kakabadse | Tejiendo redes para el cambio: Reflexiones sobre cuatro décadas de sostenibilidad
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...
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Yu Miaojie | Building Bridges: Trade, Sustainability, and Education
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...
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Heather Eaton | Bringing Ecology, Justice and Ethics into education
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…
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David O. Wiebers │Compassion and Consciousness: Rethinking Reality
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....
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Fritjof Capra │Systems Thinking, Science and Ethics driving a paradigm shift
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...
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Brian Swimme | From Stars to Consciousness: The Universe Story
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...
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Storytelling Through Documentaries: Nature, Self Love, and Interconnectedness with Céline Cousteau
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…
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Jeremy Lent | Ecological Civilization, Deep Transformation and the Web of Meaning
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...
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Mamphela Ramphele & Nolita Mvunelo | African Self-Liberation and New Narratives of Hope
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...
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Nicholas Robinson | Environmental Law, The Earth Charter, and 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…
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Vandana Siva | Earth Democracy and Ecological Civilization
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...
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Tu Weiming | Confucianism, the Earth Charter, and Ecological Civilization
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...
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Douglas Bourn | Education as a driver of social change
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,...
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Carol Anne Hilton | Indigenous worldviews and the Indigenomics approach
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…
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Thomas Legrand | The Politics of Being, when basic needs having been met and mindful eating
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...
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Edgar Gutiérrez Espeleta | Gobernanza Ambiental Global y Nacional, Sostenibilidad y Liderazgo
En esta entrevista Edgar Gutierrez, incluye una reflexión sobre el papel de la Asamblea Ambiental de Naciones Unidas, la UNEA por sus siglas en inglés, creada en 2012, de brindar un sistema más eficaz de gobernanza ambiental internacional. Comenta su experiencia, como presidente de UNEA en dos...
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Michelle Maloney | Reflections on the Rights of Nature, Earth Laws, and Earth-centered Governance
In this episode, Dr. Michelle Maloney discusses the need for systems change toward an Earth-centered culture where people re-consider their relationship to the Earth and their place within it. She sees Earth Jurisprudence and Earth Law as effective tools to make this cultural shift and to protect...
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Lisa Miller | Spirituality in Education and exploring The Awakened Brain
In this episode, Mirian Vilela talks with Dr. Lisa Miller about the role of spirituality in mental and emotional health, the importance of spirituality in education, and the connections between her work and the Earth Charter. Dr. Miller explains that while religion is completely environmentally…
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Amr Abdalla | Creating Lasting Peace Through Education
In this episode, Dr. Amr Abdalla, professor emeritus and former vice-rector at the University for Peace, talks with Mirian Vilela about his 25 years of experience teaching peace and conflict resolution. He discusses the importance of participatory, interactive approaches when teaching peace and...
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Nika Salvetti | Ten years later: Lessons learned by the garment industry from the Rana Plaza disaster
In this episode, Nika Salvetti reflects on the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh and its impact on the garment industry. When the Rana Plaza building collapsed in 2013, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring another 2,500, it served as the tipping point for reforms in the garment industry.…
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Leonardo Garnier | Insights from UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative and Report with Leonardo Garnier: Reimagining Learning for a Changing World.
In this podcast episode, Mirian Vilela, Executive Director, Earth Charter International, interviews Leonardo Garnier, former Minister of Education of Costa Rica about the UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative and its report "Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for…
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Laura Chinchilla | Desafíos, oportunidades y la esperanza de la democracia en América Latina
En este podcast, Laura Chinchilla ofrece un análisis sobre los desafíos y el deterioro de la democracia y la polarización en América Latina. Nos habla de la importancia de luchar por mantener los derechos civiles, de la transparencia y del liderazgo ético. Nos invita a considerar que hay que...
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Rolf Winters | Reflections on Leadership, Learnings from the wisdom of Indigenous Peoples
In this podcast, Rolf Winters shares some of his experience and learning from a five years journey with this family seeking to learn from indigenous people’s beliefs and values. This experience, visiting indigenous communities in different regions of the world, led to the development of the Down…
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Severn Cullis-Suzuki | Reflections on Intergenerational and Climate Justice and the learnings from the Indigenous worldviews
“We are interconnected with nature, and with each other. What we do to the planet and its living creatures, we do to ourselves.” This is the phrase that opens this thoughtful and interesting podcast episode with Severn Cullis-Suzuki. She talks about intergenerational justice and its relation to...
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Tiokasin Ghosthorse | Living WITH Earth Rather Than ON Earth
Tiokasin Ghosthorse begins this podcast by painting a picture of his childhood and experiences as an indigenous person growing up in the United States and being forced to ignore his own culture. He talks about how western education is very binary and restrictive, whereas non-western education…
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Daniella Tilbury | The future of Higher Education and the hope for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
In this episode Daniella Tilbury talks about her expertise and experience working in sustainable development and the importance of Education for Sustainable Development to be implemented in Higher Education. She shares various examples and thoughtful insights into the current state and perception...
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Bob Jickling | Bringing Environmental Ethics into Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
In this episode Bob Jickling begins by painting a portrait of Yukon, Canada, and his experience living there and connecting with nature and his inner self. He then goes on to talk about his views of environmental ethics, and how he has made efforts to bring this topic into education with his...
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Namrata Sharma | Finding the linkages between Global Citizenship Education, Education for Sustainable Development and Value Creating Education
In this episode, Namrata Sharma discusses the existing connections between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCE). She talks about her work examining the underlying paradigms and perspectives of GCE and ESD, and how she situates her studies within the...
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Stephen Sterling | Transformative Learning and Education for Sustainable Development
Quick Overview Dr. Sterling asks: What is education for, particularly in our context of crises? The education that is required when we are concerned about ensuring social, economic and ecological wellbeing now and into the future in conditions of uncertainty and risk is what Dr. Sterling defines…
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Charles Hopkins | The Evolution of Education for a Sustainable Future
Quick Overview Dr. Hopkins shares his experience in drafting Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 towards the 1992 Rio Summit. He shares a unique story, which reveals the significance of education towards a sustainable future. Such significance is renewed and exemplified in SDG4, which constitutes a crucial...
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David Orr | Education, Ecological Literacy and Awareness of our Natural Systems
Quick Overview David Orr holds that the challenge for all educators is to bring young people to become aware of and appreciate the natural world so that they can discipline their lives to conform with how the world works as a natural system. We need to see ourselves as having a dual citizenship…
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Lorna Down | Education for Sustainable Development, Literature, and Critical Thinking
Quick Overview Dr. Down shares her career development as an educator, and describes her most impactful experience that made her reorient her work towards education for sustainable development (ESD). Dr. Down shares that ESD aims to have the students understand the concept of sustainable...
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Rosalyn McKeown-Ice | Education for Sustainable Development and the Futures of Education
Quick Overview Dr. McKeown-Ice has been one of the pioneers in education for sustainable development (ESD), and her understanding of ESD has evolved with the times. In today’s world, ESD has become part of educating for a more uncertain future; it includes educating for agency, adaptive…
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Mark Hathaway | Worldviews, Ecological Perception and the Earth Charter
Quick Overview Dr. Hathaway believes that the major challenges currently faced by humanity come down to the crisis of relationships, which refers to how individuals are related to other human beings, other species, and the planet. Far too often, we perceive the world as an object for our personal...
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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…
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About this show
Hosted by Mirian Vilela, Earth Charter International’s Executive Director.This podcast seeks to generate some new insights and inspire informed action. Through these conversations, we aim to help interested people expand their understanding of the worldview that is articulated in the Earth Charter, the current challenges humanity faces, education for sustainability, new paradigms of education, and more.
Hosted by
Earth. Charter International
Categories