Ecological empathy
Ecological empathy, or eco-empathy, is empathy directed towards the natural world. It encompasses empathy directed towards animals, plants, ecosystems, and the earth as a whole.Kim-Pong Tam developed a method of measuring individuals' dispositional empathy with nature (DEN), and has demonstrated its robust connection to conservation behavior.Numerous strategies can be implemented to cultivate ecological empathy—in both children and adults—including environmental education, ecopedagogy, arts, literature, film, future scenarios, ecological storytelling, Indigenous approaches, and parenting practices.Empathy for animals is a central component of eco-empathy, and effective programs have been developed to promote empathy towards animals in the home, in zoos and aquariums, on the farm, and in the wild.