Ecology of Knowledges
( for Sustainable and Just Futures )
The Ecology of Knowledges is a platform seeking to cultivate pluriversal and decolonial imaginations around climate change and sustainable development by transcending disciplinary, geographical, and epistemological boundaries. The ecology of knowledges concept is founded on the idea that all knowledge systems are legitimate and knowledge is interknowledge[1]. Drawing from African Indigenous knowledge, artistic perspectives, critical ecological thinking and modern science, the research endeavors challenge extractive and Eurocentric models of progress. The framework seeks to create pathways for a sustainable, equitable future by interrogating the socio-ecological costs of modern technologies and emphasizing pluralistic, community-led approaches.
[1] de Sousa Santos 2012: 410
Guiding Principles
1
Acknowledge Climate Injustice
Recognize that the climate crisis disproportionately affects the global south, despite its minimal contribution to global emissions.
Highlight the historical and ongoing exploitation of these regions by industrialized nations.
2
Embrace Indigenous and African Knowledge Systems
Honor Indigenous intelligence and African epistemologies as critical for reimagining sustainability and life on Earth.
Revisit African cosmologies and archives as legitimate sources of technological and philosophical insight.
3
Interrogate Historical Patterns
Draw parallels between past colonial systems of resource extraction and the current green transition.
Ensure that the green future does not replicate historical inequities where the labor and resources of one region fuel prosperity in another.
4
Advocate for Plurality in Solutions
Encourage the fusion of modern science with traditional wisdom to address climate challenges in holistic and inclusive ways.
Shift the narrative from "global solutions" to localized, community-led approaches that respect diverse cultural and ecological systems.
