This conference aims to articulate the deep interweaving of ecology and technology by focusing on the question of habitability on Earth. It asks how we can conceptualize living together in light of dramatic changes in our existential conditions in the twenty-first century. What concepts, practices and imaginaries can produce a more habitable world, not only for humans, but also for other-than-human worlds?

As the reality of climate change begins to bite, Earth’s habitability is becoming a major concern in contemporary philosophy, ethics and politics. Yet, the effects of the climate crisis, are not shared by all equally. At the same time, current developments in emerging technologies—such as AI, bioengineering, geoengineering, and nanotechnologies—introduce an additional level of complexity to ascendant narratives of habitability on planet Earth. On the one hand, these technologies can address and mitigate climate change. On the other hand, however, such promising technologies often have an ecological ‘dark side’ of their own: the environmental and social cost of their development and deployment is often downplayed, and remains sorely under-researched. This conference aims to make a step forward in the search for constructive alternatives that will help us build better collective futures.

•• Format & Keynotes

3-day conference
Noortje Marres
(University of Warwick, UK),
Jussi Parikka
(Aarhus University, Denmark),
Joanna Żylińska
(King’s College London, UK)

•• When & Where

8^th – 10^th October 2025
Czech Academy of Sciences, Národní 3, Prague 117 20, Czech Republic

•• Organizing institutions

Center for Environmental and Technology Ethics - Prague (CETE-P),
Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences

•• Registration, venue, logistics

The conference will take place in Prague, Czech Republic.

•• Organizers and contact

Iwona Janicka, Mark Coeckelbergh, Petr Urban;
Contact: cetep@flu.cas.cz