Reconciliation Ecology and Environment
Siby Kollappallil Joseph
Reconciliation or reconciliation studies, which
emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1990s, have grown significantly and
draw upon a wide array of disciplines, including peace studies, sociology,
psychology, political science, and law. In environmental science, "reconciliation" is
primarily used within the concept of reconciliation ecology,
a growing field that studies how to encourage biodiversity in
human-dominated landscapes. However, the term has been gathering
momentum in broader discussions on environmental studies as a way to describe
rebuilding the damaged relationship between humans and nature. Thus, the term
"reconciliation" has two primary applications in an environmental
context: reconciliation ecology and environmental
reconciliation.
First, we have to understand what is environmental science
and ecology. Environmental science and ecology are closely related but distinct
fields. Ecology is the study of living organisms including humans and their
interactions with the physical environment. According to the Ecological Society
of America it seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and
animals and the world around them. Further it provides information about
the benefits of ecosystems and how we can use Earth’s resources in ways that
leave the environment healthy for future generations. While environmental
science is a broader, interdisciplinary field that examines how biological,
chemical, and physical aspects of the environment affect living organisms. This
term is most frequently used in a human context, and how their actions impact
the environment.
Ecologists focus on the study of the fundamental
interactions and relationships between living organisms and their environment.
They explore natural processes, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions -the
"how" and "why" of nature's mechanisms. Their research
provides the necessary data and understanding of how natural systems work. Environmental
scientists use this knowledge, integrating it with other disciplines to identify,
address, and mitigate large-scale environmental challenges, particularly those
caused by human intervention. The fields of ecology and environment often
collaborate closely to develop effective conservation and management strategies
that are both scientifically sound and practically implementable.
Now let us look at the etymological meaning of the
term reconciliation. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the noun
"reconciliation" has its earliest known use in the Middle English
period, around 1390. It comes from a combination of sources, partly a
borrowing from French and partly a borrowing from the Latin word reconciliātiō.
The Latin root reconciliāre means "to bring together again,"
"to regain," or "to win over again". According
to Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, "reconciliation"
means the end of a disagreement and the start of a good relationship
again. It can also refer to making two different ideas, facts, or situations
compatible. It describes the restoration of friendly relations or the process
of making opposing beliefs or situations compatible.
Why environmental reconciliation?
The term environmental reconciliation is gaining
currency in environmental science discourses now. It is very significant
in the context of growing environmental conflicts. The Global Environmental
Justice Atlas (EJAtlas) which began its work in 2011 documents and catalogues
social conflicts around environmental issues. It is an online interactive
platform coordinated and managed by a team of researchers and activists. The content
and data are the result of the work of hundreds of collaborators across the
world who tell their own stories of resistance or write about what they
witness. According to EJAtlas 4411 ( as on November 20, 2025)
cases have been reported so far. However, many are still undocumented and new
ones arise at a fastest rate. It is evident when we do a comparison between
various years. For example the conflicts registered in the EJAtlas in
January 2022 was 3,600 entries .It is pertinent to note that the absence of
data does not indicate the absence of conflict. The broad areas of conflicts
listed in the EJAtlas are Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy, Biomass
and Land Conflicts (Forests, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock
Management),Biodiversity conservation conflicts, Water Management, Tourism
Recreation, Infrastructure and Built Environment, Waste Management, Industrial and
Utilities conflicts, Mineral Ores and Building Materials Extraction and Nuclear.
Environmental conflicts arise when the interests of
different parties’ clash over the use, access, or distribution of natural
resources and the environmental burdens of their exploitation. It very
often occurs due to competition over resources like water, land, minerals and
so on. These conflicts are fuelled by issues like climate
change, water scarcity, land disputes, and pollution. They
involve various parties, including local
communities, governments, corporations, national /international
organisations and institutions.
|
Name of the Country
|
Reported Cases
|
|
India
|
371
|
|
United States of America
|
302
|
|
Mexico
|
224
|
|
Brazil
|
183
|
|
China
|
176
|
The Global Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas) June 20, 2025
According to Stehen Libiszewski "Environmental
Conflicts manifest themselves as political, social, economic, ethnic, religious
or territorial conflicts, or conflicts over resources or national interests, or
any other type of conflict. They are traditional conflicts induced by an
environmental degradation.” Further, environmental conflicts are
characterized by the principal importance of degradation in one or more of the
following fields: - overuse of renewable resources; - overstrain of the
environment's sink capacity (pollution); - impoverishment of the
space of living.
Joshua Fisher makes a distinction between environmental
conflicts and conflicts with environmental drivers. He defines environmental
conflicts as conflicts where environmental issues are the direct
cause. In contrast, conflicts with environmental drivers are
driven by other factors like political or economic goals, but are still
influenced by environmental considerations. The key difference is the
centrality of the environmental issue; in the first category, it is the primary
cause, while in the second, it is a contributing factor or
"driver".
Ecological and Environmental Reconciliation
Ecological reconciliation is generally understood as the process
of developing ways for humans and other life forms to coexist within the same
landscape. While many academic and environmental discourses primarily focus on
the relationship between sentient beings (humans and animals), the
necessity for reconciliation is often argued to extend to non-sentient
entities (such as plants, ecosystems, and even geological features). This
perspective stems from the fact of interconnectedness of all beings. The
very survival of sentient beings is inextricably linked to the well-being of
the entire ecological system, including all non-living or non-sentient
components. All elements of nature possess intrinsic value, independent of
their utility to humans or their capacity for sentience. Environmental
reconciliation is now being developed as a specific approach within the broader
gamut of reconciliation in peace and conflict studies. It is not fundamentally
different but rather uses environmental cooperation as an entry point and
platform for trust-building between conflict parties involved in the field of
ecology and environment.
The “Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding programme”
(ECP) was founded by UNEP in 2008.The overall aim of the ECP programme is to
“strengthen the capacity of countries, regional organizations, UN entities and
civil society to understand and respond to the conflict risks and peacebuilding
opportunities presented by natural resources and environment.” The
efforts of UNEP in this direction is evident from the report “Addressing the
role of natural resources in conflict and peacebuilding : a summary of progress
from UNEP's Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding Programme, 2008-2015”
The term Reconciliation Ecology was coined by American
scientist Michael L.Rosenzweig in his 2003 book Win-Win Ecology: How the
Earth’s Species Can Survive in the Midst of Human Enterprise The premise is
that due to the lack of pristine natural areas remaining, traditional
nature preserves alone are insufficient to preserve all of Earth's
biodiversity, necessitating the integration of conservation efforts into
human-dominated landscapes. In the preamble of the book he wrote “There
is still time. There is good reason to believe that civilization need not
destroy most of the Earth’s nonhuman species. The trick is to learn how to
share our spaces with other species.” He further says that “ the book may
displease some of those who are devoted to “green” causes. They may not trust
my claim that we need to end the battle between ecology and economics” In
conclusion he asserts that “ this book is not a signal for environmentalists to
surrender their cause to those human beings whose job it is to exploit the
Earth. I want our developers, fishers, farmers, ranchers, and tree growers to
realize that I am not only calling for environmental peace and cooperation, but
also for a radical change in the way they treat the land and waters of this
planet. I am not asking them to stop earning a living or making a profit.
People and their enterprises will not be denied, and need not be denied. But we
can avoid a mass extinction of Earth’s species without ourselves committing
mass suicide. "
“It is the science of inventing, establishing, and
maintaining new habitats to conserve species diversity in places where people
live, work, or play.” It represents the "third 'R'"
of conservation biology, moving beyond the traditional approaches of
"reserve" (setting aside protected areas) and "restoration"
(returning damaged ecosystems to a natural state). The core idea is that
since humans now use the majority of the world's land surface, these working and
living landscapes can be better managed to reconcile human needs with those of
wild, native species. In his book he cites examples across various
landscapes where human-designed habitats are successfully used by wild species.
The question we have to discuss is whether we can create environments in our
locality that support both human needs and native biodiversity. Many
times, it happens unintentionally, but through our intervention with an
intentional design for the same.
In the month of June 2025, I had the opportunity
to visit Laxmi Ashram , Kausani , Uttarakhand . Radhaben Bhatt in one of the
interviews with us narrated how in 1951 the step they took to convert the
barren and dry the area into a dense forest. They planted Banj oak trees, which
release water and increase the local water source, reducing heat. The team
collected saplings from nearby hills and nurtured them, eventually creating a
dense forest that attracts wildlife like leopards, wild boars, and monkeys. This
effort transformed the area, which showcases the power of ecological
reconciliation and community-led conservation.
Environmental Reconciliation and Sustainability
Beyond the specific scientific discipline of Reconciliation
Ecology, the term is also used in a broader sense in the sustainability
discourses. Environmental reconciliation could be looked upon as a
practice of balancing three interconnected pillars of sustainability. They are
social, environmental and economic. To put it differently, people
represent the social pillar of sustainability, the planet represents the
environmental pillar of sustainability and profit represents the economic
pillar of sustainability. In order to understand the consequences of our
actions in a better manner in terms of sustainability it is necessary to
understand the interconnections and interactions which exist among environmental,
social, and economic factors. Reconciliation of these three factors is
essential for achieving a balance and is crucial for sustenance of the planet
and its inhabitants.
Lifestyle sustainability directory describes the fundamentals
of Environmental Reconciliation . Firstly it starts with a
simple definition of Environmental Reconciliation that is
“rebuilding a healthy relationship between humans and the environment.” It
emphasizes the crucial link between human well-being and a healthy planet.
Rebuilding our relationship with the environment is a core fundamental of
achieving a sustainable lifestyle. Thus Environmental Reconciliation isn’t
just about the planet’s health, but also about our own. It demands
fundamentally rethinking societal systems and values to create ecological
balance. It recognizes that environmental issues stem from historical and
systemic factors like industrialization, colonialism, and consumerism, not just
isolated incidents. Addressing these root causes involves shifting from simply
treating the symptoms of environmental damage to tackling the underlying forces
that cause it. (For details see https://lifestyle.sustainability-directory.com/term/environmental-reconciliation/)
Epilogue
Gandhi's philosophy on the environment emphasized
addressing the root causes of the environmental crisis, which he viewed as a
moral, ethical, and civilizational issue. His approach calls for a fundamental
reversal of a lifestyle based on consumerism, aiming to restore the delicate
balance between humanity and the natural world. The core question his
philosophy poses is whether society is ready for such a profound
reconciliation, which demands significant personal commitment and
transformation from each individual.
