Reconciliation Ecology and Environment by Dr. Siby K. Joseph

 

   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.