Design + Sustainability: Interview with Paula J. Ehrlich

Paula J. Ehrlich is the President & CEO of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, the co-founder of the Half-Earth Project, and has led the development of the Half-Earth Project Map. In this interview with MIT MAD, Ehrlich interrogates the meaning of designing for sustainability. Why, how, and for whom to design when thinking about the planet? How can design enable collective action? How to leverage data to achieve better designs?

Dec 20, 2023

Data-driven design lights up information in ways that we might not otherwise see, but it also allows us to reimagine how we do conservation.

Paula J. Ehrlich

Paula J. Ehrlich explains: “The Half-Earth Project is a call to action to protect half the earth — half the land, and half the sea — to protect sufficient habitat to safeguard the bulk of biodiversity.”

On November 15, 2023, she participated in the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD) yearly event, “The Power of Design,” dedicated this year to “Designing Climate Futures.” A full replay is available on the event page.

This video features screen captures of the Half-Earth Project Map, and images courtesy of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. We thank Paula J. Ehrlich and the Foundation for their contribution.

Video thumbnail: Jade Chongsathapornpong