Ecological grief: Mourning the past, fearing the future and finding hope

In the second episode, we speak with Ashlee Cunsolo, a leading voice on climate change and ecological grief, about the growing issue of ecological grief, how it is being experienced and the power that can come from mourning.

“For so many people all over the world and particularly Indigenous Peoples all over the world, this connection to the environment, this grieving over the loss of more than humans - whether they're plants or animals or ecosystems - that kinship with other beings and then grieving other beings is certainly not new,” Cunsolo says. 

Cunsolo continues: “If we are facing ‘code red for humanity’ - if we are facing 1 million species at a risk of extinction and decline; that is an era of loss and damage. And that is an era of grief. And we're going to be called to grief-work. And we're going to have to do this together. And do it hopefully in a way that doesn't cause more harm, but actually might bring us together for big ethical and political changes. And for really uniting people to create a different future.” 

About today’s guest: 

Ashlee Cunsolo is the founding Dean of the School of Arctic and Sub-Arctic Studies of the Labrador Institute of Memorial University, a former Canada Research Chair, and a member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Artists, Scholars, and Scientists. She is a leading voice internationally on climate change, mental health and ecological grief, a regular contributor to media and policy and editor of Mourning Nature: Hope at the Heart of Ecological Grief and Loss. She is a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and partner, living and learning as a guest on the homelands of the Innu and Inuit in Labrador, Canada.

Transcript of this episode can be accessed at georgebrown.ca/TommyDouglasInstitute or here. 

Image: Ashlee Cunsolo  / Used with permission. 

Music: Ang Kahora. Lynne, Bjorn. Rights Purchased

Intro Voices: Chandra Budhu (General Intro./Outro.), Nayocka Allen, Nicolas Echeverri Parra, Doreen Kajumba (Street Voices); Bob Luker (Tommy Douglas quote)

Courage My Friends Podcast Organizing Committee: Resh Budhu, Breanne Doyle (for rabble.ca), Chandra Budhu and Ashley Booth. 

Produced by: Resh Budhu, Tommy Douglas Institute and Breanne Doyle, rabble.ca

Host: Resh Budhu