Integral Ecology in the Anthropocene: Africa and Beyond

Recognizing the integrated, co-evolving nature of earth and human systems, the late Pope Francis, former Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, called for a Care for Our Common Home that simultaneously addresses the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. The concept of the Anthropocene has emerged as a, if not the, primary descriptor of our modern moment. It signifies that humans have become the largest driver of geologic change on the planet. Recognizing the integrated, co-evolving nature of earth and human systems, the late Pope Francis, former Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, called for a Care for Our Common Home that simultaneously addresses the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. Specifically, he called for an integral change of the heart to live and love each other and the earth differently such that ‘sustainability’ and ‘planetary health’ benefits unfold from a core conversion of individuals and societies, not new parts in the same system. This, he called ‘integral ecology’. The call to integral ecology is a call to a revolutionary transformation not just in how we are in the world and how we impact it, but also in how we see and experience the world—it starts with how we see and treat each other. This volume explores the many pathways, mechanisms, and operationalizations of integral ecology, while developing its contours, potential limitations or uncertainties, and opportunities for all people of goodwill.