#7 Entangled empathy: the ethics of wild animal conservation with Emma Marris

In episode #7, we speak with environmental journalist, Emma Marris, whose new book, titled Wild Souls - Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World, is being published on June 29th (see link below). Emma has been writing about environmental issues for over 20 years in publications such as the journal Nature, National Geographic, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and many others. A common thread that runs through much of her writing is a critical perspective on what we mean by the terms nature and wilderness. Her new book explores the philosophical and ethical questions that arise when thinking about the responsibility that humans have for conserving the planet’s biodiversity. To develop the book, Emma travelled around the world, immersing herself in the work and practices of both conservation scientists and Indigenous Peoples in order to gain perspective on the various ways that we conceive of the natural world.

In our conversation we talked about the idea of ecological integrity, and whether or not it’s an appropriate measure or guiding principle for conservation, especially given the expected range shifts that species will undergo as a result of climate change, but also because of the historical and ethical baggage that surround the idea. The topic of environmental ethics runs through the entirety of Emma’s book, and we explored the idea in speaking about the role of zoos in conservation and the ethical quandaries that arise in the management of introduced species. We also spoke about how individuals and organizations involved in conservation can process and account for the ethical issues that arise when we try to rectify our impacts on the world’s biodiversity.

Emma’s new book is fantastic, as is her previous work "Rambunctious Garden", so please pick them up!

Buy Wild Souls: https://www.emmamarris.com/buy-wild-souls

Emma's Website: https://www.emmamarris.com/

Emma's TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiIcwt88o94