Dialogue between science, law, and traditional knowledge regarding global environmental problems

Global environmental problems (GEPs) driven by groups in power negatively impact local ecosystems. GEPs destroy the material conditions for the production and reproduction of human life and biological biodiversity. With the current trend, ecosystems and the entire biosphere are seriously threatened in the near future. Many localities of the world offer resistance to the injustice caused by GEPs. Although underestimated, traditional and legal knowledge are increasingly recognized as important elements for the cultural and ecological emancipation of humankind when tackling GEPs. The aim of this paper is to present two case studies to describe the dialogue between science, law, and traditional knowledge regarding particular GEPs. For this purpose, we use the theoretical frameworks of epistemic pluralism and legal pluralism. The results illustrate that the dialogue between science, law, and traditional knowledge helps to tackle the GEPs of desertification and drought due to global climate change locally. GEPs impose various anticipatory practices of humanity for their resolution. Epistemic and legal pluralism and traditional knowledge could configure alternative projects to contend with GEPs.