WHAT IS MEANT BY ETHICS?
•Ethics is a branch of philosophy.
• It deals with morals and values.
•An ethics is a principle that we use to
decide whether an action is good or bad,
right or wrong.
•Being ethical leads to right conduct and
good life that is a life worth living.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE
•Environmental ethics is that part of philosophy which considers
the ethical relationship between human beings and natural
environment.
•Environmental ethics exerts influence on a large range of
disciplines including law, sociology, theology, economics, ecology
and geography.
• It makes us think on several issues such as are humans more
important than wildlife? Do animal have rights?
•What responsibility do we have towards non-human world?
•Such questions are the pressing issues of environmental ethics.
APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
There are basically three approaches to
environmental ethics.
•One view is that humans are the dominant and
important species on the planet earth. That gives
them the power to manipulate and use nature for
their own benefit.
•This view is “human centred” and thus it is
called anthropocentric.
•A second human centred view is that humans have the
ethical responsibility towards future generations of human
beings so humans are the ‘stewards or caring managers’
who must leave earth in a good condition for future
generations.
•The critics of anthropocentric view point talk of human
ignorance.
•They feel, humans yet do not know how many species live
on the earth, how they interact with the environment and
with each other.
• Environmental wisdom talks of total dependence of
humans on nature and the nature is for all species.
•This is life centric or biocentric approach.
•An extension of the above view seeks respect for all life and
demands reverence towards the entire environment.
•Such a non-anthropocentric approach that talks of ethical
responsibility towards other species and even ecosystems is
also called ecocentric.
•According to this view point, it becomes compulsory to save
the planet. The basic fact is that humans cannot erode the
planet completely, but it can destroy us in entirely.
•It is our basic necessity to protect the environment so that we
can ensure our survival, and prevent ourselves from perishing.
There are primarily three views on
environmental ethics:
1. Libertarian View
2.Ecological View
3.Conservation View
LIBERTARIAN VIEW
•This view is correlated to the principle of civil liberty.
•As civil liberty follows the commitment to equal rights to
every member of community, development of an ethics to
deal with men‘s relationship with land animal and plant is
absolutely essential.
•Social conscience from people to land and nature is equally
inevitable.
•It is not right to see the natural world simply in the terms of
its economic worth to human.
•Equal rights or liberty to all human and nonhuman members
in the environment is the principle doctrine of libertarian
view.
ECOLOGICAL VIEW
Ecological view demonstrates ecological functioning.
On ethical ground, it is believed that earth has its own
mechanism for functioning, growth and development.
Nature has its own purification processes and recovery
systems of life even in most adverse condition.
Moreover it is believed that whenever the climatic change
had taken place, it took place within a very narrow range of
region to enable the life to recover before it gets totally
destroyed.
This theory is in contrast to Darwinian idea of
survival of the fittest. In support of this view,
ecologist argue that there are many types of
algae that are resistance to ultraviolet radiation,
and life would continue and new life would
evolve even if the ultraviolet radiation posses
the threat to the life on the earth.This theory
warns human to change their perceptions and
see them as a part of a whole system.
•However, later it was considered that as the
global temperature rises higher and higher there
are more climatic disasters, the planet may not be
able to recover as it was previously thought.
•With a three degree rise in global temperature,
the rain forest will start to die releasing vast new
amounts of carbon dioxide; in the oceans the algae
will fail and absorbing carbon.
•It is therefore, necessary to recognize
fundamental interdependence of all biological and
abiological entities.
CONSERVATION ETHIC
•Conservation ethic‘ is an extension of instrumental value to
the natural environment.
•It focuses only on the work of environment in the terms of
its utility and usefulness to humans Conservation is the
oldest form of ethic that lead to creation of national parks,
wildlife sanctuaries, responsible use of non-renewable
energy sources, water conservation efforts.
•Conservation is therefore a means to an end and purely
concerned with mankind and his future generations.
•Most of the international treaties are outline as
consequences of this ethics.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
•Although there is disagreement over the meaning of
sustainable development, most countries have accepted
sustainable development as their basic policy.
•The overlapping areas of consensus between sustainable
development and environmental ethics are obvious: the need
for environmental justice among the present generation
(especially to eliminate absolute poverty), the need to care for
future generations and the need to live harmoniously with
nature.
•Only once human society gets on track with regard to achieving
sustainable development can we deal successfully with the
challenges of global warming, diminishing biodiversity and
world hunger.
Why do we need a new set of ethics for the
environment?
The answer includes three factors.
1.New effects on nature: As our modern technological
civilisation affects nature greatly, we must examine the
ethical consequences of these new technological
actions.
2. New knowledge about nature: Modern science
demonstrates as to how we have changed and are in
the process of changing our environment in ways not
previously understood, thus raising new ethical issues.
For example, until the past decade, few people
believed that human’s activities could be changing the
global environment. Now, scientists however, believe
that burning fossil fuels and clearing forests have
increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere, and that this causes changes in our
climate. Hence the emphasis is on a global
perspective.
3.Expanding moral concerns: Some people
argue that animals, trees, and even rocks
have normal and legal rights. These
expanded concerns lead to a need for a new
ethic.
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY
Although environmental equity implies elements of
“fairness” and “rights”, it does not necessarily
address past inequities or view the environment
broadly, nor does it incorporate an understanding of
the underlying causes and processes.
There are three categories of environmental equity
issues:
1.Procedural Inequity
This issue addresses the questions of fair treatment:
the extent that governing rules, regulations, and
evaluation criteria are applied uniformly. Examples of
procedural inequity are “stacking” boards and
commissions with pro-business interests, holding
hearings in remote locations to minimise public
participation, and using English-only material to
communicate to non-English speaking communities.
2. Geographical Inequity
Some neighbourhoods, communities, and
regions receive direct benefits, such as jobs
and tax revenues, from industrial production
while the costs, such as the burdens of waste
disposal, are sent elsewhere. Communities
hosting waste-disposal facilities receive fewer
economic benefits than communities-
generating the waste.
3. Social Inequity
Environmental decisions often mirror the
power arrangements of larger society and
reflect the still-existing racial bias in these
States. Institutional racism has influenced
the noxious facilities and has let many
black communities become “sacrifice
zones”.
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
•A healthy environment ensures quality in the lives of
humans which underscores the need for preserving the
environment at all costs.
•Environmental quality, protection and preservation should
be emphasized even when human benefits are not put into
consideration.
•Environmental needs are of more importance because they
shape the quality of human life.
•Several environmental problems like depletion of resources,
changing weather patterns and deforestation have been
identified to have impact on future generations more
compared to the present.
•Therefore, humans have an ethical obligation to prevent
such from occurring.
•Environmental ethics can solve environmental problems and
save the world. Environmental ethics makes us aware of the
indiscriminate and nefarious human activities.
•We inculcate moral values towards nature and learn to respect
various life forms through environmental ethics.
•Environmental ethics is concerned with the issue of
responsible personal conduct with respect to natural landscape,
resources, species, and non human organism. Conduct with
respect to persons is, of course, the direct concern of moral
philosophy as such.
•It simply tries to answer the questions of how humans should
relate to their environment, how we should use the Earth’s
resources and how we should treat other species.
•The need and importance of environmental ethics in the
present day society is indispensable. In so far as we are living
in harmony with nature, so apart from viable environment we
can not think of a human life possible in this eco-centric
universe.
•Thus, so far as environmental ethics is concerned, ecological
consciousness leads to the welfare of all in our environment
and nature.
THANK YOU
INTRODUCTION
Ecofeminism is a branch of feminist theory
which considers the relationship between
women and nature. Ecofeminist theorists posit
that societal patriarchal dominance is
associated with gender equality, social justice,
and environmental issues.
Ecofeminism also calls attention to the fact
that women are disproportionately affected by
environmental issues. According to one report
from the United Nations, because women
worldwide typically hold less monetary wealth
and rely on the natural environment more,
they are more likely to be displaced by climate
change and have to travel farther for
resources, like water, as dry seasons extend.
ORIGIN OF THE CONCEPT
The term “ecofeminism” was coined by French
feminist Françoise d’Eaubonne in 1974.
According to her, the disenfranchisement and
oppression of women, people of color, and the
poor are intrinsically linked to the degradation
of the natural world, as both arose as a result
of patriarchal dominance. Ecofeminism grew
out of various social movements in the 1970s
and early 1980s, including feminist, ecological,
and peace movements.
FOUR MAIN PRINCIPLES OF ECOFEMINISM
1. Both the oppression of marginalized groups
and the oppression of nature are connected by
cause (mainly patriarchy and capitalism).
2. We must replace our culture of domination
with an ethic of care.
3. All forms of oppression are unacceptable—
and interconnected. (Women, people of color,
and the LGBTQ community all face particular
issues—and when these issues overlap, their
effects become compounded.)
4. Understanding these connections is
necessary for equitable change.
BRANCHES OF ECOFEMINISM
Cultural ecofeminists encourage the
connection between women and nature as
being empowering and liberating and believe
that women are closer to nature due to both
the natural processes our bodies undergo as
life-givers and our role as caretakers.
Social ecofeminism states that there is no
universal women’s experience or inherent
qualities that bring us closer to nature as
“women’s identities are socially constructed,
historically fashioned, and materially
reinforced through the interplay of a diversity
of race/ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, age,
ability, marital status, and geographic factors.”
Materialist ecofeminism holds that the
connection between women and nature is one
that is influenced by both our biology and our
socially constructed identities and that all
systems of oppression and domination must be
destroyed.
ECOFEMINISM IN INDIA
In India, ecofeminist Vandana Shiva is the
pioneer who prepared the ground for
ecofeminism with a strong belief that women
have always been the key to solve various
societal problems and environmental problems
are one of them.
Literature in which the concept of ecofeminism
has been taken into account ranges from early
ecofeminism to the recent or the urbanized
one such as ‘Nectar in a Sieve’ (1954) by
Kamala Markandya, ‘Fire on the Mountain’
(1977) by Anita Desai, ‘A Riversutra’ (1993) by
Gita Mehta, ‘The God of Small Things’ (1997)
and ‘An Atlas of Impossible Longing’ (2008) by
Arundhati Roy and ‘Monkey-Man’ (2010) by
Usha K.R.
Various environmental movements like Bishnoi
movement, Chipko Movement, Aapiko
movement, Silent valley movement and
Narmada Bachao Andolan are the significant
environmental movement of India that reflect
the integral leadership of women.
CRITICISM AGAINST ECOFEMINISM
Ecofeminism is criticized for being essentialist –
believing that things have set characteristics.
Some believe that emphasizing the connection
between women and nature reinforces the
differences in gender norms that feminism
seeks to avoid.Moreover, over-emphasizing the
significance of women’s biology in terms of sex
and reproduction may reflect the patriarchy’s
power over women’s experiences of their own
bodies. It is a regressive view that perpetuates
the notion that biology determines the social
inequalities between men and women.
Ecologism – key concepts Ecology: As a distinct
branch of biology, ecology focuses on the ways
in which plants and animals are sustained by
self-regulating natural systems – ecosystems –
composed of both living and non-living
elements. Ecology implies both
interconnectedness and equilibrium, as all
ecosystems tend towards a state of harmony
through a system of self-regulation.
Ecocentrism: An approach to understanding
that prioritises the maintenance of ecological
balance over the achievement of human ends.
Only deep ecologists fully embrace
ecocentrism. Anthropocentrism: Human-
centredness; the belief that human needs and
interests are of overriding moral and
philosophical importance. Anthropocentrism is
the opposite of eco-centrism. Shallow ecology:
A green ideological perspective that harnesses
the lessons of ecology to human needs and
ends, and is associated with values such as
sustainability and conservation; humanist
ecology.
Deep ecology: A green ideological perspective
that rejects anthropocentrism and gives
priority to the maintenance of nature, and is
associated with values such as biocentric
equality, diversity and decentralisation. Holism:
A belief that the whole is more important that
its parts; holism implies that understanding is
gained by studying relationships between the
parts. Industrialism: A term used by green
theorists to refer to economic arrangements,
reflected in both capitalism and socialism, that
favour large-scale production, the
accumulation of capital and relentless growth.
Environmentalism: A concern about the natural
environment and particularly the desire to
reduce environmental degradation; a policy
orientation rather than an ideological stance
(unlike ecologism). Pastoralism: A belief in the
virtues of rural existence: simplicity,
community and a closeness to nature, in
contrast to the corrupting influence of urban
and industrialised life.
Ecologism is a political ideology which focuses
on the partnership between humans and
nature. It argues that we must take action as
the current consumption and economic growth
rates are unsustainable.
Ecologism purpose
The purpose of ecologism is to shed let on the
relationship between humans and the
environment and encourage moral
considerations for the environment in various
fields ranging from politics to economics. Much
of ecologism advocates for a fundamental
transformation in how the environment is
understood, as it believes that just reform is
not enough.
