Conference Agenda

Given the need for transformative change to address sustainability challenges including biodiversity loss and climate change, there is a necessity to envision and create radically different societies. In such societies, humans are not the only relevant actors. Currently, the perspectives of other animals and non-human entities are largely neglected in exisitng institutions and governance arrangements. However, with concepts such as the ‘rights of nature’ gaining traction and already adopted in the national constitutions of Ecuador and Bolivia, posthuman perspectives are a reality. Yet, there is still limited exploration of the form such governance could take. Ideas such as multispecies justice have been discussed theoretically but explored in only a limited way empirically. How do we anticipate living in multispecies communities in future? The biopolitics and governance of such communities will require innovation and imagination. This interdisciplinary panel brings together insights from the fields of law, geography, political ecology and tourism to explore posthuman perspectives for sustainability. The panel will critically reflect on the transformative governance required to create truly just and sustainable societies beyond the Anthropocene, where the interests of other-than-human entities are also taken into account.

The onset of the Anthropocene sparks imagination and discussion about desirable futures, shared fears, and visions of social progress; in turn shaping practices of governance. That space needs to be shared between species is an old yet pressing concern in fields such as planning and ecology, yet how cohabitation of species is given shape is rife with contestation and questions about implications for justice. This paper starts from the phenomenon that more-than-human species have become a central part to the planning of climate adaptation through the design and implementation of natural and nature-based solutions, such as oyster reefs and wetlands. It asks: how should we understand this move theoretically? Drawing from empirical materials from coastal resiliency planning in New York City, this paper considers two possibilities for theorising multispecies involvement in the planning and governance of climate adaptation: (1) as an extension of biopolitical governmentality; and (2) as a practice of mutual aid. The paper lays out the characteristics of these different interpretations of multispecies participation, discussing their limits and possibilities while paying attention to justice dimensions, and considering their implications for climate governance.

In human geography, landscapes have been predominantly studied as cultural productions governed by humans, leaving almost no imagination of the role of animals in such processes. Using insights from Actor Network Theory, ethnographic observations, mapping, a review of documents and key informant interviews conducted between 2014 -2019 at Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area (BMCA), this paper conducts a more-than-human analysis of how gorilla tourism has been steered over the years to show how animals have been included or not in governing gorilla tourism. The analysis reveals that despite the formal exclusion, animals - through their behaviour – have still played a central role in these processes by reconfiguring the physical, political and policy landscape. The Conservation Area is made up of multiple networks of more-than-human relations where gorillas, their changing behaviour, movements and activities play a central role thus, the term Gorillascapes. The rules, policies, and practices around these parks relate to the mobilities and behaviours of the gorillas. And, the gorillas have turned out to be a brand for almost all products, places and establishments both within and outside the geographical confines of BMCA. This perspective highlights the more-than-human governance of gorilla tourism of the Conservation Area and challenges all human policy makers to explicitly acknowledge the role of animal agency in governance processes.

When considering the governance of the earth system, there is limited consideration of the interests of animals other than humans. This is probably because of animals’ legal status as property and the economic benefit derived from them, sometimes leading to disregard for their welfare. Nevertheless, states cannot achieve sustainability transformations without considering animals. This is particularly the case in Africa. Many states here have made strides in improving animal welfare by combating factory farming and cruel treatment. This paper focuses on the continent of Africa and existing initiatives on animal welfare. I analyze the response of selected states to the action plan contained in the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa (AWSA) and the viability of existing initiatives. The AWSA is perhaps the most comprehensive document that indicates a serious commitment by the member states of the African Union to improving animal welfare at the regional level. Using a document analysis of the AWSA, I seek to answer two questions. First, how sufficient is the proposed action plan in achieving sustainable governance among African nations? Second, to what extent can the activities of other nations provide guidance for the effective implementation of the AWSA strategy as a whole? For Africa, the prospects are promising. The AWSA envisions a continent in which animal welfare is enhanced as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By unpacking the AWSA, I bring to light the fundamental role that animals play in earth system governance and explore implementation strategies that lead to sustainability transformations.

What do One Health, sustainable development, the environment and animal welfare have in common? They have all been addressed in the recent UN Environment Assembly’s ‘resolution on the animal welfare-environment-sustainable development nexus’, which was adopted in March 2022 in Nairobi. This resolution connects the dots which have been overlooked for too long. We cannot strive for ‘harmony with nature’ if we continue to exclude nonhuman animals, their intrinsic value and their welfare. It is vital that animal welfare is no longer approached separately but in connection with the environment and sustainable development. Integration is key as is illustrated by the One Health discourse which emphasizes the interlinkages between environmental, human and animal health. The COVID-19 pandemic, which is in its origin a zoonotic disease (animal health-human health) that is fueled by deforestation (environmental health), is a textbook example of how all three health angles interact. The One Health approach is also one of the central approaches that is reflected in the animal welfare nexus resolution. Will this anthropocentric approach help to address the interests of nonhuman animals? What can we expect from this resolution and from the sustainable development angle for animal welfare? This pioneering resolution might be a unique milestone and will produce a firm scientific basis which leaves room for transforming from this soft law approach to a hard law approach. Moreover, it is the first time that the UN(EA) has adopted a resolution with explicit and in verbatim reference to animal welfare, indicating that animal welfare is finally gathering momentum at UN level. This paper discusses whether this long-awaited breakthrough will ultimately enable harmony with nature, including human and nonhuman animals.