Ecological empathy: The missing construct

Urban areas in Bangladesh have substantially higher per capita plastic use (9 kg per person in 2022), whereas per capita plastic consumption in Dhaka city corporation areas is 24kg. Photo: TBS

This year marks the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day. World Environment Day 2023 focuses on spotlighting solutions to plastic pollution. 

Plastic pollution has become a significant contributor to pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the global plastic industry was valued at USD 522.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to double by 2040. 

The widespread societal acceptance of myriad forms of inexpensive, lightweight, and available products has made plastics globally ubiquitous. Among the total amount of plastics emitted to the global ocean surfaces, Asia contributes slightly more than 80% of the emission. 

Recent data from a report by the World Bank shows that per person mismanaged plastic – the plastic is either littered or inadequately disposed of – was 6.27 kg in 2019, and the total amount of such plastics was 1.02 million tons per year until 2019 in Bangladesh. Urban areas in the country have substantially higher per capita plastic use (9 kg per person in 2022), whereas per capita plastic consumption in Dhaka city corporation areas is 24kg. 

Given the severity of the issue, the concern should be to find out how to stop this synthetic material from permeating every area of the earth and if technical solutions are adequate to mitigate the crisis.

This article highlights the empathy-nature relationship as a vehicle for sustainable interactions with the natural environment. A plethora of research argues that empathy reconnects humans to the natural world, laying the foundation for pro-environmental behaviour and action. Humans living in urban and industrial settings tend to be more disconnected from nature, shaping their devastating and overwhelmingly exploitative actions towards nature. 

The rise in microplastics in the environment is an environmental crisis that requires greater human empathy on top of the available technical solutions that are currently available and employed. Humans must understand the emotional experience and the distress of the natural world in the first place. 

Empathy is an essential ingredient of a civilised society and is a required skill to recognise and respond to others' feelings. Lack of it essentially leads to antisocial and anti-environmental behaviour, and people do not regard human and natural well-being. 

Sitting in a cosy conference room and discussing difficult graphs representing climate change, salinity intrusion, and other environmental problems does not necessarily make policymakers inclined to act for environmental protection. 

We often think our feelings and emotions are integral to moral, social, and personal well-being. However, emotions and feelings are vital to guide the complex processes of solving environmental challenges individually, collectively, and even as a species. Learners who participate in environmental activities and practices at an early age develop a greater sensitivity and orientation toward nature. 

Education has a fundamental role in transforming children's mindsets by developing pro-environmental worldviews. For young kids, it is critical to foster a connection with nature, because that way they grow up with its appreciation into adulthood. Modern education predominantly takes an approach to fragment knowledge into specialised disciplines, posing challenges in developing an integrated worldview among students. To address this issue, educational systems should incorporate interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, emphasising the connections between different fields of study. 

Education can provide students with a more holistic understanding of the natural world by promoting systematic thinking, encouraging breadth of knowledge, alongside specialisation, and fostering collaboration across disciplines. This integrated worldview is crucial to solving complex problems, fostering innovation, nurturing responsible global citizenship, and promoting environmental stewardship.

A good starting point for developing this mindset is to nurture a suite of feelings known as "self-transcendent emotions". Incorporating environmental topics into the curriculum helps children understand the importance of ecological conservation, the consequences of human activities on ecosystems, and the urgency of sustainable practices. By integrating environmental education across various subjects, such as science, social studies, IT, and language arts, children can develop a holistic understanding of environmental issues and their interconnectedness with other disciplines. 

Forming student environmental clubs in elementary educational institutions can develop environmental leadership skills among children. For instance, in an educational institute or children's club, incorporating the teaching of different ways of recycling plastics can be an engaging and hands-on activity. 

By involving the children in creating useful products from plastic waste, they can learn about recycling and develop practical skills and a sense of environmental responsibility. The journey begins with raising awareness about the importance of recycling plastic and its positive impact on the environment. 

The children can be educated about the consequences of plastic waste on ecosystems and the benefits of recycling. They will also learn about the different types of plastic, their recycling codes, and how to sort and prepare plastic waste for recycling. 

Once the children create their recycled plastic products, they will be encouraged to use them in their homes or classrooms. This reinforces the idea of recycling as a practical and beneficial practice, and the children can experience the satisfaction of seeing their creations being used. 

Reflection and evaluation are integral to the learning process. So the children will engage in discussions and share their thoughts on recycling projects, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they learnt. The broader significance of recycling can be explored, highlighting how their actions contribute to reducing plastic waste and protecting the environment. 

Children with a greater attachment to nature have greater gratitude for nature and empathy for natural elements. Therefore, if empathy is taught in early childhood through school education, it will bring about a sustainable learning outcome. This will undoubtedly develop the foundation for more abstract environmental stewardship among kids when they grow up.

Md Ekhtekharul Islam/Academic & Md. Abu Asif Shamsuddin Naveed/Contributor. Illustration: TBS

Ekhtekharul Islam is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science and Management at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and Md Abu Asif Shamsuddin Naveed is an Innovation Associate at BRAC Social Innovation Lab. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.