Anthropocentrism—the belief that humans are superior and separated from other life forms—is profoundly embedded in many modern cultures and our globalized economic system. While some claim this to be a root cause of human-driven environmental collapse, others propose that anthropocentric approaches, such as regarding Nature as a form of capital, can provide a solution to ecosystem degradation. However, the concept of "rewilding" proposes the opposite: a re-connection between people and Nature, whether as a conservation approach to support the health of ecosystems or as an approach to enhance human health.

Dr. Elsa María Cardona Santos will explore both the potential of rewilding and the potential for rewilding. She will analyze our capacity to implement this approach, given our cultural and economic institutions, and the capacity of this approach to shape our connection to Nature. 

Elsa is an environmental economist concerned about the effects of our consumption and production patterns on our health and the health of our planet. She is a researcher and campaigner for the protection of Nature and the wisdom of our ancestors. She studies the design and impact of environmental policies and brings together science and policymaking to stop ecosystem degradation and to protect biodiversity. She works at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany.