Climate Lit

Topics » Earth System » Interconnectedness

Topic: Interconnectedness

Interconnectedness (origin: collective)

Interconnectedness is a worldview that emphasizes the deep interdependence of everything on Earth. From animals to water to rocks to bacteria, our fates are inextricably intertwined. Interconnectedness understands the world as a set of systems in delicate balance with one another. It is the opposite of the belief that humans are separate from or above nature (see ecocentrism, anthropocentrism).

The concept of interconnectedness can be found in Indigenous and scientific discourses. It is an ancient concept and is fundamental to the Four R’s of Indigenous cultural values, first articulated by LaDonna Harris and Jacqueline Wasilewski through their inter-tribal work with Americans for Indian Opportunity in the 1980s and 1990s. These common values are based on the kinship of all Earthlings and our obligations to one another.

In Western science, interconnection can be seen within the feedback loops of ecosystems such as nutrient cycles, food webs, and microbiomes. The interdisciplinary field of systems sciences explores the complexity of systems in various settings, including nature, society, and the human body.

Although sometimes referred to by different terms (interdependence, dependence on nature), the concept of interconnectedness is seen by many climate justice and sustainability activists as the cornerstone of an ecological civilization. It is emphasized in the principles of the just transition collective, Climate Justice Alliance. It was promoted by Thich Nhat Hang, Vietnamese Buddhist leader and peace activist, in his book, Love Letter to the Earth. And it is an essential mindset shift Kate Raworth advocates for in Doughnut Economics.

©2024 ClimateLit (Nicki May)

Related Terms: Doughnut Economics, ecological civilization, fractal flourishing, human supremacy (antonym), ecocentrism, ecopsychology, industrial ecology, web of life, food webs, ecosystem services

Subtopics: Web of Life

15 of 47 items found.

Sort by
Hatch Saves the Reef

by Judith Stutchbury

“I’m a baby loggerhead. Please help me. / Dim your lights so I can swim in the sea.”

Learn More
Heal the Earth

by Bart Davis, Julian Lennon

“On our beautiful planet, some places need healing. Would you like to go on a healing adventure?”

Learn More
Horizon: Forbidden West

by Guerrilla Games

“It’s not about the distant hope of creating a new world. It’s about preserving the one we have.”

Learn More
How To Bee

by Bren MacDibble

“But how can Peony leave her beloved sister, grandfather, best friend Applejoy, and the orchard behind? And just for money? Don’t Ma know what’s important anyway?”

Learn More
If Bees Disappeared

by Lily Williams

“From food to medicine to clothing, bees help keep our lives going.”

Learn More
If Tigers Disappeared

by Lily Williams

“This area, located in the Eastern Ghats, is a lushly populated home to animals that jump, pounce, stomp, and ROAR!”

Learn More
Julie and the Mango Tree

by Sadé Smith

“Julie loved all kinds of fruit. But the ones she loved most were mangoes.”

Learn More
Jungledrop

by Abi Elphinstone

“My brother and my friend in Jungledrop taught me that worlds are not built by people of power!” she cried. “Worlds are built by people who care! Kingdoms go on because kindness goes on.”

Learn More
Just a Worm

by Marie Boyd

“I’m not just a worm. I can do lots of things.”

Learn More
Listen to the Language of the Trees

by Tera Kelley

“The forest gave what it had, so the giant tree might live”

Learn More
Little Dandelion Seeds the World

by Julia Richardson

“Swish, swirl, one hundred seeds fly. / One little seed flies with the wind, far, far away.”

Learn More
Love Grows Everywhere

by Barry Timms

“Love grows everywhere… / from country farm to city square. / From desert village, hot and dry, / to mountain home where eagles fly.”

Learn More
Moana

by John Musker, Ron Clements

“I know who you are / Who you truly are”

Learn More
My Friend Earth

by Patricia MacLachlan

“She guards all the creatures in all the oceans—the black manta rays sleek like shadows, the shining parrot fish, the tiny krill who swim with millions of other krill to look big. And the whales who are big.”

Learn More
Namer Of Spirits

by Todd Mitchell

“Rather than imagining things, she thought of it as paying attention to things that no one else noticed and seeing what could be – the way a weed could be a flower once you noticed its beauty. Everything had hidden possibilities, and if she listened closely enough, she sometimes heard whispers of what those possibilities might be.”

Learn More
Climate Lit

Earth is in a state of climate emergency. Our mission is to promote climate literacy as a means to transition to an ecological civilization. We offer you the resources to teach about climate change with literature, film, and other media for young people.

Contact Us

Connect With Us

Climate Lit is an initiative of the Center for Climate Literacy at the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development.

Copyright © 2025 Climate Lit. All rights reserved.