Communicating Climate Urgency: Dr. Zoë Sadokierski and Dr. Timo Rissanen on the Power of Storytelling in the Sixth Extinction

Are We There Yet?

What happens when a bird no longer recognizes the song of its species? What is the role of art and storytelling in building sustainable worlds? Can AI unchain human creativity and center compassion in our daily lives? As climate change continues to rewrite the rules of existence on Earth, Dr. Zoë Sadokierski and Dr. Timo Rissanen join the podcast to confront the emotional weight of biodiversity loss and explore how stories help us understand the plight of endangered species, and our own part in shaping the narrative.

Using design as a vehicle for empathy and engagement, the two collaborators and ecological communicators reflect on technology’s role in supporting the resilience of the human spirit in the face of political short-sightedness and ecological amnesia that allows our fellow beings to slip away unnoticed during this sixth extinction we are living through. Resisting the cultural tide pushing us towards a baseline of fear, aggression, and self-preservation, the conversation explores the inherent kindness humans can display in times of crisis, and how we can access generosity and community to document changes around us, and learn from our collective history to shape the trajectory of our future.