In addition to the multimedia offerings below, see also the following playlists on YouTube for further material related to Ecological Civilization:
From COP27. Participants share cases about how different environmental issues, such as ecosystem protection, sustainable energy, pollution prevention and control, could synergize with climate action. They systematically demonstrate internal relation between the core concept of Ecological Civilization and tackling climate change. Speakers mainly come from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, international think tanks and relevant NGOs and enterprises which have rich experience and cases on different environmental issues.
We live in a world filled with conflicts and crises. But there are also beacons of harmony and hope. Every moment matters in the struggle between suffering and flourishing. We believe it’s about time to promote visions of transformation. It’s about time to engage in initiatives of innovation. It’s about time to create communities of compassion. It’s about time to build an ecological civilization. This event includes: Andrew Schwartz (Executive Director, Center for Process Studies) and Mary Elizabeth Moore (Board Chair, Cobb Institute); Musical Performance by Hope Montgomery (Musician Laureate of the Cobb Institute); John B. Cobb, Jr., Poetry Reading by Christina Hutchins (Poet Laureate of the Cobb Institute); Philip Clayton (President, Institute for Ecological Civilization); Mirian Vilela (Executive Director, Earth Charter International Secretariat); Jeremy Lent (Founder, Deep Transformation Network); Vandana Shiva (Founder, Navdanya); Artwork Sharing by Andre van Zijl (Artist Laureate of the Cobb Institute).
In this webinar, we aim to clarify the link between ecological civilizations and education. To do so, this panel will address the following questions: What does the term Ecological Civilization mean? How do you imagine the kind of education that fosters ecological civilizations? What are some specific examples of what is currently being done, or what could be done, towards this vision in the context of education?
Earth Charter International hosted a webinar on “East and West Dialogue on Ecological Civilization” on February 6. The event featured Mary Evelyn Tucker, Jinfeng Zhou, Zhihe Wang, and Julia Kim. Amanda Bennett and Sifan Jiang moderated. In this webinar we continued the conversation tackling the following questions: What does an Ecological Civilization look like? What are some good examples paving the way towards this vision and how can we scale up these efforts? What are some additional paths and driving forces to building these just, sustainable and peaceful societies?
In this Webinar on East and West Dialogue on Ecological Civilizations we explore the following questions: What is an Ecological Civilization? What are the possible paths and driving forces to get there? What are some good examples paving the way towards this vision? Speakers: Chen Xia, Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (P.R. China); David Korten, Living Economies Forum, YES! Magazine/The Club of Rome (USA); Andrew Schwartz, Institute of Ecological Civilization, Center for Process Studies (USA); Sukhyun Park, Kyung Hee Cyber University (South Korea); Moderators: Amanda Bennett and Sifan Jiang, Earth Charter International.
Join Rev. Lucy Hitchcock, David Korten, Michael Cox, and Aly Tharp on possibilities for cultivating an ecological civilization. Listen and consider your clarifying questions, ideas, and examples from your experience of what our next steps can be to build a more just, compassionate and equitable future. Sponsored by Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth, and Cedar Church Unitarian Universalist.
Although infrastructure is conventionally thought of in reference to human-designed systems such as railroads, pipelines, tunnels, and ports, landscapes, and nature itself are also increasingly being understood as infrastructure through terms such as “natural infrastructure” and “green infrastructure,” which tend to focus on the concept of ecosystem services. Taking an infrastructural lens onto natural infrastructure projects in the context of Xi Jinping’s call for ecological civilization, this paper argues that new calculative tools obscure the profoundly political nature of ecological red lines and ecological functional zones, which effectively enframe China’s national territory as an object of optimization. The paper then explores a specific aspect of the project of ecological civilization: campaigns to dismantle and destroy infrastructure deemed to be in violation of environmental regulations. I theorize this as a form of “destructive production” of natural infrastructure and provide two case studies of the dismantling of scenic areas not long after their reconstruction following the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan. This lecture was part of the Cornell Contemporary China Initiative Lecture Series and took place on October 19, 2021.
Follow this link to view the lecture.
From the 15th Biennial Conference of Nordic Association for China Studies (NACS) and Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) 14th Annual Nordic NIAS Council Conference (VIRTUAL CONFERENCE): China’s Rise/Asia’s Responses, which took place on 10-11 June 2021. Keynote speech by Mette Halskov Hansen, Professor of China Studies, University of Oslo: “Ecological Civilization: Chinese Dream or Global Strategy?” Chair of this session is Tiina Airaksinen (University of Helsinki).
This IIED Debates online event on Monday, 1 March 2021 explored the role of ‘eco-civilisation’ in China’s environmental leadership and what is required for China to become a global force for green economic transition in 2021 and beyond. Researchers and experts on China and green economy discussed China’s unique approach to green economic policy, and reflected on the themes of a new paper: ‘Engaging with China's ecological civilisation: a pathway to a green economy?'. The speakers discussed the implications of eco-civilisation for policy outcomes in the 14th FYP, as well as international development financing and key international processes (UNFCCC, CBD, Sustainable Development Goals) in 2021 and beyond. The event was jointly hosted by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Green Economy Coalition (GEC). The speakers were Lila Buckley, senior researcher in IIED's Natural Resources research group; Sam Geall, acting CEO of China Dialogue, associate fellow at Chatham House, and associate faculty at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex; Andrew Norton, director of IIED; and Yunnan Chen, senior research officer in the development and public finance programme at the Overseas Development Institute. The event was moderated by Oliver Greenfield, convenor of the Green Economy Coalition. More details.
YES! Media and the Institute for Ecological Civilization present “An Ecolological Civilization: The Path We’re On,” a virtual discussion with Leah Penniman, Winona LaDuke, and Jeremy Lent. The event was hosted by Zenobia Jeffries Warfield, YES! executive editor, and Andrew Schwartz, co-founder and executive vice president of the Institute for Ecological Civilization. Recorded live on February 25, 2021.
In this video, Fritjof Capra, the author of The Systems View of Life and the lead teacher of the Capra Course reflects on an inspiring article by his old friend and colleague, political activist and author David Korten. In this article, titled 'Ecological Civilization: From Emergency to Emergence,' the author presents a deep and eloquent critique of our current system of 'ego-nomics' and proposes a list of action steps for creating an alternative ecological civilization. Read the original article here.
Follow this link to view the video.
Speakers: Klaus Bosselmann, Tian Song, Jinfeng Zhou and Ellie Leaning; Moderated by Mirian Vilela. Streamed live on December 10, 2020. This webinar is organized in collaboration between Earth Charter International, University for Peace, Institute for Ecological Civilization, Center For Process Studies, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and PACE Institute.
Part of the Environment in Asia Lecture Series. Speakers: Judith Shapiro, Director of the Masters in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development for the School of International Service, American University.
Yifei Li, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at NYU Shanghai,Global Network Assistant Professor, New York University; Residential Fellow at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Munich.
Speakers: John Cobb, Song Li, David Korten and Sifan Jiang; Moderator: Andrew Schwartz. Streamed live on November 12, 2020. This Webinar was organized as a collaborative effort between the Earth Charter International, University for Peace, Pace Center for Green Sci-Teck and Development, the Institute of Ecological Civilization, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), and the Center for Process Studies.
Speakers: Fritjof Capra, Jeremy Lent, and Alice Hughes; Moderated by Mirian Vilela, ECI Executive Director. This event was streamed live on October 15, 2020.
Join us for an exploration of different paths toward common goal. We face climate change, massive species extinction, melting of the polar ice caps, increasingly severe weather, violence, economic inequality, political repression, and the debilitating effects of consumer culture. We are learning about the interconnectedness of everything on our planet and how our actions affect the entire earth. At the same time, we are learning about our embededness in, and responsibilities to, the local communities where we live. We find ourselves. hoping for, and wanting to work toward, a world of nurturing communities that are good for people, animals, and the earth. A world of beloved communities. How might religious and spiritual leaders help us realize this hope? What visions are needed? What forms of religious experience are needed? How did we get so off track in the first place? We will hear two different voices on this topic and how we can take different paths to arrive at the same destination: Love for our planet. This event was streamed live on September 26, 2020.
Speakers: Mary Evelyn Tucker, Meijun Fan, and Karenna Gore; Moderator: Andrew Schwartz. This Webinar was organized as a collaborative effort between the Earth Charter International, University for Peace, Pace Center for Green Sci-Teck and Development, the Institute of Ecological Civilization, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), and the Center for Process Studies.
EcoCiv’s president, Philip Clayton talks with Mary Evelyn Tucker—one of the world’s leading scholars in the field of religion and ecology. She has published hundreds of articles and many books, including Ecology and Religion (co-authored with John Grim) and Journey of the Universe (co-authored with Brian Swimme). She is also the co-founder and co-director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University, which explores religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in order to broaden understanding of the complex nature of environmental concerns. Philip and Mary Evelyn have a fascinating conversation about the ideas of ecological civilization, integral ecology, and the Ecozoic Era. They also talk about religious environmentalism, the Anthropocene, the work of Thomas Berry, religious cosmologies, fusing the sciences and humanities, and the need to cultivate resilience in a time of ecological crisis. This episode aired on January 31, 2019.
China has raised the concept of “Ecological Civilization” to guide future development, which takes the country's ecological capacity and constraints into account. Christine Loh, former under-secretary for the Environment at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSRA) Government, discusses the concept itself and China’s implementation along with references to Hong Kong. Filmed October 25, 2017.
This lecture by David Korten was given at the University of Alberta, Edmonton during their International Week. An audio recording of this lecture is found on the Alternative Radio site here: Toward an Ecological Civilization.
Wes Jackson is a pioneer of the sustainable agriculture movement. He places the focus there because, as he puts it, “If we don’t get sustainability in agriculture first, sustainability will not happen.”
