Multispecies Justice in the Entangled World: Towards Sustainable Development

Bringing together expertise in ethics, public policy, animal-computer interaction, and animal-centred design, OU academics Professor Natalia Szablewska, Professor in Law and Society, and Professor Clara Mancini, Professor of Animal-Computer Interaction, have built a reputation for their innovative work in the area of multispecies justice in response to the challenges of the Anthropocene – the current geological period in which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are regarded as essential tools for achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and governance bodies have issued ethics guidelines for the technologies’ use. Researchers have warned against prioritising human interests in such policies, arguing for a multispecies reinterpretation of the policies and laws.

By using human-rights and animal-centre frameworks to examine multispecies justice and sustainable development, this project will inform an integrated approach to multispecies sustainable development – one which enables environmental, economic, and social goals – supported by responsible technological innovation.

Partners from scientific institutes, academic institutions, and the private sector internationally have informed the development of the project, bringing expertise in ethics, law, generative AI, animal behaviour, and conservation. This diverse partnership will enable sustainable development policies to be redefined and influence developments in the area of rights and personhood.

Funding is required to undertake this work, enabling practical implications for the development of smart sustainable cities of the future and public engagement to facilitate a shift in human behaviour and social norms that have contributed towards the climate crisis.

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Email Gillian Hosier or call on 01908 858285 to discuss this project