From Half Earth to Whole Earth: Towards just and integrated forms of conservation and development

Global crises have led to the emergence of new approaches to conservation, such as the ‘Half Earth’ movement, which calls for a big increase in protected areas. While we welcome approaches that challenge conventional conservation strategies, we believe they do not yet adequately address some important issues nor challenge the forces behind environmental destruction. As such, we explore a ‘Whole Earth’ approach as an alternative. Whole Earth envisages a convivial relationship between humans and non-humans across the globe and has environmental justice at its heart. It accepts the need for transformative change within conservation and challenges the global political economic system driving environmental destruction. Indigenous leaders, activists, practitioners and academics will present their Whole Earth visions/strategies, with a focus on the foregrounding of just and sustainable relationships with place. We also discuss how to pursue these approaches as a wider IUCN coalition.