In an era marked by escalating environmental crises and intensifying urban expansion, a groundbreaking study published in npj Urban Sustainability challenges conventional paradigms by exploring the political agency of nonhuman species. Authored by Kronenberg, Andersson, and Sandbrook, the paper titled “If a swift could fight for their existence with words: nonhuman interests and politics” probes the intricate intersections between ecology, urban development, and political theory, proposing a daring reframing of how nonhuman entities might be perceived within socio-political discourse.
The premise of the study pivots on the urgent need to rethink urban sustainability beyond anthropocentric frameworks. Traditionally, urban sustainability debates emphasize human-centric economic growth, social equity, and environmental management, often sidelining nonhuman actors whose survival is inextricably bound to the fate of cities. Kronenberg et al. seek to disrupt this hierarchy by suggesting that if nonhuman beings—such as swifts, whose populations are imperiled in urban jungles—could articulate their interests, their political presence might compel a radical overhaul of governance and planning practices.
Central to the authors’ argument is the concept of “nonhuman political agency,” a notion rooted in contemporary environmental philosophy and political ecology. This idea challenges the entrenched anthropocentrism where only human beings are seen as political subjects capable of advocating for rights and interests. By reimagining nonhuman species as stakeholders with legitimate claims, the paper introduces a transformative lens through which urban policy and ecological ethics could be reshaped to include multispecies considerations.
Delving into the biology and behavior of the swift, the study illuminates how this bird exemplifies the plight of many nonhuman urban residents. Swifts have adapted to city environments but remain vulnerable to habitat loss and pollution, risks amplified by human infrastructural development. The authors use this case study not merely to highlight ecological decline but to metaphorically advance how the swift’s “voice” could be amplified through political mechanisms, thereby fostering greater inclusivity in environmental decision-making.
The technical rigor of the paper is rooted in integrating ecological data with political theory. By combining ornithological insights with analyses of urban governance frameworks, the study maps the lacunae where nonhuman interests are systematically excluded. It reveals that despite swifts’ essential ecological functions—such as insect population control—their role remains invisible within existing urban policy agendas, underscoring the need for institutional innovation.
Methodologically, the research employs a mixed approach, blending qualitative discourse analysis with quantitative environmental monitoring. This hybrid strategy enables the authors to dissect policy language while concurrently tracking swift population dynamics, exemplifying how empirical science and critical theory can coalesce to address complex sustainability challenges. Their approach signifies a methodological advancement for urban ecology research, advocating interdisciplinarity as a cornerstone for future scholarship.
A striking aspect of the paper is its theoretical engagement with “interspecies justice,” a burgeoning philosophical domain concerned with equitable treatment across species boundaries. Kronenberg et al. argue that truly sustainable urban futures demand not only ecological conservation but also ethical recognition of nonhuman entities as political subjects. This proposition aims to extend justice frameworks, traditionally human-focused, to embrace a fuller spectrum of urban inhabitants.
In their critique of current urban planning paradigms, the authors expose how conventional land-use policies implicitly marginalize nonhuman interests by privileging human utility and economic efficiency. They suggest that urban sustainability must evolve from mere environmental management towards an inclusive politics that empowers diverse urban ecologies. This paradigm shift requires reconfiguring institutional authorities and decision-making spaces to enable nonhuman voices, albeit mediated through human agents.
The implications of embracing nonhuman political agency are profound. It would challenge the legal and ethical foundations of contemporary urban governance, potentially triggering reforms such as granting ecological personhood to species like the swift, incorporating multispecies impact assessments in planning processes, and fostering interfaces where human and nonhuman interests intersect productively. These radical transformations could redefine the city as an assemblage of cohabiting life forms with shared political rights.
Technology and data science emerge as pivotal tools in facilitating nonhuman political inclusion. The authors highlight how advancements in bioacoustic monitoring, remote sensing, and AI-powered environmental modeling can make nonhuman existence more perceptible and politically actionable. By rendering silent ecological actors visible through data, urban planners may better integrate nonhuman needs into policy, generating evidence-based support for multispecies urban governance.
Critically, the paper situates this interdisciplinary venture within broader socio-political contexts, recognizing that introducing nonhuman agency into politics entails normative and practical challenges. Questions arise about representation—who speaks for nonhuman entities?—and legitimacy within political systems designed exclusively for humans. The authors discuss strategies like creating “nonhuman spokespeople” or guardianship frameworks, blending ecological knowledge with activism and law to overcome these hurdles.
The article also emphasizes the potential for these frameworks to galvanize public awareness and participation. By framing nonhuman advocacy in political terms, Kronenberg and colleagues envision new forms of environmental citizenship that extend empathy and responsibility into urban multispecies communities. This mobilization could lead to more robust coalitions of stakeholders, including conservationists, urban residents, and policymakers, united by a shared commitment to sustaining biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes.
Further, the research delineates implications for global urban sustainability agendas. As cities become home to increasing biodiversity, embracing multispecies political frameworks could serve as a blueprint for reconciling urban growth with ecological imperatives globally. The authors propose that such inclusive governance models might not only mitigate biodiversity loss but also enhance urban resilience and quality of life for all inhabitants.
The paper’s timely intervention arrives amid rising recognition that ecological crises demand reimagining our ethical and political relationships with nature. By daring to ask what it would mean if a swift could advocate for itself, Kronenberg et al. prod the scientific and policy communities toward embracing more radical and democratic forms of environmental stewardship. Their vision redefines urban sustainability as a living, contested process that must recognize the interdependence of human and nonhuman futures alike.
In conclusion, the article’s synthesis of biological insight, political theory, and urban sustainability sets a new agenda for multispecies politics within cities. It calls for a fundamental transformation in how humans conceive of and practice governance in shared habitats. If nonhuman beings like the swift had a voice, the authors argue, society would be compelled to rethink political inclusion and justice in ways befitting the complexity of our ecological entanglements.
By expanding the scope of political consideration to include nonhuman interests, this research marks a pivotal step towards a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable urban future. The innovations in thought and methodology presented here promise to catalyze a shift in environmental governance paradigms, paving the way for cities that honor the rights and existence of all their denizens—human and nonhuman alike.
Subject of Research: Nonhuman political agency and multispecies urban sustainability
Article Title: If a swift could fight for their existence with words: nonhuman interests and politics
Article References:
Kronenberg, J., Andersson, E. & Sandbrook, C. If a swift could fight for their existence with words: nonhuman interests and politics. npj Urban Sustain 5, 70 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00263-3
Image Credits: AI Generated
