The global energy transition is proceeding dangerously slowly. The December 2023 COP28 meeting in Dubai repeated the familiar pattern—idealistic rhetoric without the ambitious, practical steps necessary to confront the global climate crisis. The politics of national and corporate self-interest continue to trump the health of the planet as a whole. Only a greater sense of ecological belonging—an awareness of our interdependence with nature and commitment to care for our common home—can reframe and transform the politics of climate change at the international, national, and local levels.
How can we draw on humanity's diverse spiritual and philosophical traditions to develop a sense of ecological belonging? What kinds of educational, cultural, and political efforts can advance an awareness and appreciation of ecological belonging in practice?
This workshop featured both a panel discussion and breakout groups that explored concrete ways to advance ecological belonging in practice—with a focus on the practical impact that young people can have in effecting positive change.
This event was part of the Georgetown Global Dialogues, which feature leading intellectuals from the Global South in forward-looking conversations with U.S.-based thinkers across a range of topics. It was co-sponsored by the Earth Commons Institute and the Office of Sustainability at Georgetown University.
