- "Environmental ethics is an established field of practical philosophy... Ethics exerts influence on a large range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, ecotheology, ecological economics, ecology and environmental geography."
The moral principles that guide human behavior towards the environment and natural world.
Ecocentrism: Ecocentrism is a philosophical perspective that recognizes the intrinsic value of non-human entities such as plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Anthropocentrism: Anthropocentrism is a philosophical perspective that places human beings at the center of value, overlooking the rights of non-human beings.
Biocentrism: Biocentrism is a philosophical perspective that advocates for the intrinsic value of all living things, including plants and animals.
Eco-feminism: Eco-feminism is an environmental ideology that combines feminist and ecological perspectives. It argues that patriarchal structures are manifested in environmental exploitation and destruction.
Environmental racism: Environmental racism refers to the discrimination and exploitation of marginalized communities, particularly communities of color, through exposure to toxins and pollution.
Sustainability: Sustainability refers to the capacity of a system to maintain itself over time without degradation or depletion of natural resources.
Wilderness preservation: Wilderness preservation refers to the protection of natural areas from human disturbance to preserve their ecological, cultural, and aesthetic values.
Environmental ethics: Environmental ethics is a branch of philosophy that seeks to identify the moral responsibilities of humans toward the environment and non-human species.
Deep ecology: Deep ecology is a philosophical perspective that sees humans as one component of a wider biotic community and advocates for radical solutions to environmental issues.
Animal rights: Animal rights is a philosophy that advocates for the ethical treatment of animals and recognizes their value beyond their utility to humans.
Climate change: Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of global climate patterns, which is largely attributed to human activities such as burning fossil fuels.
Environmental policy: Environmental policy is a set of governmental actions that aim to address environmental issues, including resource management, pollution control, and conservation efforts.
Environmental economics: Environmental economics is a branch of economics that evaluates the tradeoffs between economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Environmental education: Environmental education is a process of learning about the environment and environmental issues and their interconnections with human activity.
Environmental governance: Environmental governance refers to the processes and institutions that create and enforce environmental policies and regulations. It aims to steer human behavior towards sustainable practices.
Anthropocentrism: This school of thought is focused on the human impact on the environment and how our actions affect the quality of life for ourselves and future generations.
Biocentrism: Biocentrism views all living things as having intrinsic value and argues that humans should not degrade or destroy the environment solely for our benefit.
Ecocentrism: This school of thought emphasizes the importance of the ecological system as a whole, rather than focusing on individual species or human-centric values.
Deep ecology: Deep ecology aims to transform the way humans view themselves in relation to nature and advocates for an ecological worldview that prioritizes environmental health and sustainability.
Ecofeminism: Ecofeminism highlights the intersection between environmental issues and gender inequality, and argues that both are rooted in a patriarchal system that prioritizes domination and control.
Social ecology: Social ecology seeks to address environmental issues by fundamentally altering the social and economic systems driving environmental degradation.
Environmental justice: Environmental justice advocates for fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regarding environmental issues, particularly those in marginalized and underprivileged communities.
Green political theory: Green political theory combines ecological ethics with political action, advocating for policies and institutions that prioritize environmental protection and sustainable development.
- "The main competing paradigms are anthropocentrism, physiocentrism (called ecocentrism as well), and theocentrism."
- "These decisions raise numerous questions."
- "Should humans continue to clear cut forests for the sake of human consumption?"
- "Why should humans continue to propagate its species, and life itself?"
- "Should humans continue to make gasoline-powered vehicles?"
- "What environmental obligations do humans need to keep for future generations?"
- "Is it right for humans to knowingly cause the extinction of a species for the convenience of humanity?"
- "How should humans best use and conserve the space environment to secure and expand life?"
- "What role can Planetary Boundaries play in reshaping the human-earth relationship?"
- "The academic field of environmental ethics grew up in response to the works of Rachel Carson and Murray Bookchin and events such as the first Earth Day in 1970..."
- "Two papers published in Science had a crucial impact: Lynn White's 'The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis'... and Garrett Hardin's 'The Tragedy of the Commons'..."
- "An essay by Aldo Leopold in his A Sand County Almanac, called 'The Land Ethic,' in which Leopold explicitly claimed that the roots of the ecological crisis were philosophical."
- "The first international academic journals in this field emerged from North America in the late 1970s and early 1980s..."
- "The US-based journal Environmental Ethics in 1979..."
- "The Canadian-based journal The Trumpeter: Journal of Ecosophy in 1983."
- "The first British-based journal of this kind, Environmental Values, was launched in 1992."