Ideologies: Ecologism PDF

Preview

Summary

Wednesday 29th November - 11:15-13:05 (EB 1.1)
Lecturer: Dr. Hatzisavvidou...

Description

Outline 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ecologism: overview Green arguments Current themes Criticism Summary

Learning outcomes   

Is ecologism a political ideology? What are ecologism’s key arguments? Is there one or many ecologisms?

Most important issue (2016)

PART 1: Overview A ‘new ideology’    

Rise of social movements in 1960s and 70s Greater awareness of environmental problems triggered by disasters and publications Rachel Carson- Silent Spring o Use of chemical compounds is bad not just for human's health but also for the natural environment Paul Ehrlich- The Population Bomb o The Earth cannot sustain the population

 

The foundation of Greenpeace, friends of the earth and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) in 60s and 70s, more solid political force in 80s o Dissatisfaction with traditional parties Ecologism is a product of its time

 A reactionary ideology  

A source of ethical and political opposition Problem with industrialisation: o Extraction of non-renewable resources o Creation of artificial desires o Generation of high levels of consumption  Wasteful

An ideology of transformation



Draws its arguments from scientific evidence

The Gaia Hypothesis  

“Gaia is a complex entity involving the Earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and soil; it seeks an optimum physical and chemical environment for life on this planet”- James Lovelock (1919) and Lynn Margulis (1938-2011) Earth as organism with moral standing o Has agency, seeks to do things

Distinct from other ideologies 

Interconnectedness (Baxter 1999) o Human beings are interconnected physically and spiritually with other lifeforms and ecosystems on this planet… o but the moral standing of non-human forms of life do not stem from this fact o Intrinsic value of nature, have more worth of their own  Not about the value they have for us  Not just resources for humans to exploit o Completely against the Reaction to Enlightenment

Part 2: Green Arguments Humans/nature 

(Radical) greens (Arne Naess (1912-2009)) o Non-anthropocentrism  Definition of anthropocentrism  The nonhuman world has value only because and insofar as it serves human interests

Definition of non-anthropocentrism  Denies the above o Deep ecology (vs shallow)  Deep ecology- problem is that we've been disconnected from nature  We need to change the way we dwell on Earth o Ecocentrism  Brings human beings into the wider world of nature  Human beings are just partners, not masters 



Deep ecology as ‘Eco-la-la’ (Murray Bookchin (1921-2006)) o ‘an ideological toxic dump…emerged from the Sunbelt’s bizarre mix of Hollywood and Disneyland, spiced with homilies from Taoism, Buddhism, spiritualism, reborn Christianity, and in some cases eco-fascism.’

Beyond anthropocentrism?  

 

‘Perspectival anthropocentrism’ ‘people do right, not wrong, to have a particular regard for their own kin and their own species’ (Midgley, 1994) o Anthropocentricism is good for you because it gives you a sense of purpose in the world ‘speciesism’ and ‘human chauvinism’ “Proposals for the ‘rejection’ of anthropocentrism are unhelpful because they cloud the real problem they think to address…” (Hayward 1997) o Just need to look around you to realise that the problem is that humans are self centred, don't care about other human beings OR nature

The Tragedy of the Commons    

‘Therein is the tragedy. Each man is locked into a system that compels him to increase his herd without limit-in a world that is limited. Freedom in a commons brings ruin to all’ (Hardin 1968) ‘The only way we can preserve and nurture other and more precious freedoms is by relinquishing the freedom to breed, and that very soon. Only so, can we put an end to this aspect of the tragedy of the commons.’ We are rational, but short sighted creatures o Not seeing the long term effects of our actions Things that we have in common (air, earth, water) need to be managed by governments rather than corporations

Ecologism vs environmentalism  

Managing environmental problems (environmentalism) vs Radical transformation (ecologism) o Create a new ethical, moral order ‘In a Promethean environmental future, humans would accentuate the gulf that sets them apart from the rest of the natural world, precisely in order to preserve and enjoy nature at a somewhat distant remove’. o Environmentalist view o Ecologist would say that nature is not there for us to enjoy



Promethianism advocates the ability of humans and their technologies to overcome any problems, including environmental problems. It is rooted in Enlightenment and industrialism and rejects the idea of limits. (Lewis 1992) o Ecologist view

Limits  

Natural limits to growth Limits to Growth, The 30-Year update (Meadows et al 1992) o If these trends of growth continue, then ‘the limits to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years’ (Meadows et al 1992)  Hence it is time for radical change o ‘The earth is finite… growth of anyting physical, including the human population and its cars and buildings and smokestachs, cannot continue forever’ (Meadows et al 1992)

 

If you try to deal with one of the problems, you will make one of the others increase Radical change o ‘We are convinced that realisation of the quantitative restraints of the world environment and of the tragic consequences of an overshoot is essential to the initiation of new forms of thinking that will lead to a fundamental revision of human behaviour and, by implication, of the entire fabric of present day society. (Meadows et al 1974)

o How to perform change  scientific evidence  apocalyptic discourse  ethical and political vision o Survivalism:  overriding preoccupation with human survival  a sense of urgency about ecological crisis  drastic solutions Survivalism ‘now the evidence coming in from the watchers around the world brings news of an imminent shift in our climate towards one that could easily be described as Hell: so hot, so deadly that only a handful of the teeming billions now alive will survive. We have made this appalling mess of the planet and mostly with rampant liberal good intentions. We are like a careless and thoughtless family member whose presence is destructive and who seems to think that an apology is enough.’ Lovelock, The Revenge of Gaia (2006)  

Example of survivalist thinking Not well recieved by pther strands within green movement

The vision of the good society 

Sustainablity o Started off as a technical, conservative term that was developed in the context of science and forestry  Balance how we take resources o Within political discourse- in manifestos, etc.  As sustainable development- "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” o "It contains within it two key concepts:  the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given;  and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.”  (WCED, Our Common Future)

Mainstream vs Radical 



Green Growth vs Environmental State o Reinterpret idea of Growth (Green growth)  Considering the limits of the natural system o Need a strong Environmental state  Existing or new?  Do we need to completely redesign our state? Or alter the mechanisms of our current state? Decentralisation vs Local Communities

o Decentralisation- completely dismantling current system, instead having small manufacturing communities Anarchism and ecologism     

"Social and ecological problems are inseparable" all hierarchy should be abolished ‘total liberation’ between primitivism and technology resistance and direct action

PART 3: Current themes Ecomodernism   



Technology is the solution Acceleration of innovation and production ‘…we affirm one long-standing environmental ideal, that humanity must shrink its impacts on the environment to make more room for nature, while we reject another, that human societies must harmonize with nature to avoid economic and ecological collapse.’ ‘Urbanization, agricultural intensification, nuclear power, aquaculture, and desalination are all processes with a demonstrated potential to reduce human demands on the environment, allowing more room for non-human species.’ An Ecomodernist Manifesto

Ecomodernism 



E.G. Geoengineering o Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's natural systems to counteract climate change.  Reflect solar rays back into the solar system To say that ‘science and technology can solve all our problems in the long run,’ is much worse than believing in witchcraft.—István Mészáros o Technology cannot be the solution because it is part of the problem

Ecosocialism    

Capitalism as the source of problem Power relations and institutions ‘The particular form of production in modern society creates accumulating ecological stresses on air, water, soil, and biota (including human beings) and on society’s ability to maintain and reproduce itself over time.’ ‘The goals of production need to be subordinated to the reproduction of life through the fulfillment of human needs and the preservation of local ecologies and to be informed by an ethic of partnership between humans and non- human nature.’ Carolyn Merchant o Completely redesign system

Capitalism

 

Anthropocene: the geological epoch marked by the fact that humans have become the dominant ‘geological force’ shaping the Earth’s Systems o We have moved out of the Holocene, new geological era Capitalism in the Web of Life- Jason W. Moore o Not Anthropocene but Capitalocene o ‘Capitalism works by elaborating forms of power, re/production and rationality that mobilize work in service to capital, but outside profit/loss accounting (accumulation by appropriation). Rising costs are offset in many ways, but chiefly through new combinations of empire and science that secure new and expanded supplies of food, labor, energy and raw materials (the Four Cheaps).’  Capitalism is a way of organising nature, including human nature

Ecofeminism  





‘Science and development are patriarchal projects because they are thought to be class, culture, and gender neutral.’ ‘Ecological destruction and the marginalisation of women have been the inevitable results of projects based on such paradigms. Women, as victims of the violence of patriarchal forms of development, have risen against it to protect nature and preserve their survival and sustenance. ’ ‘Women have begun a struggle that challenges the most fundamental categories of western patriarchy—its concepts of nature and women, and of science and development. They are creating a feminist ideology that transcends gender and a political practice that is humanly inclusive.’ Vandana Shiva (1952)

Ecofeminism: a recent example 

WEDO in COP23 (Bonn, 4-17/11): o delegation of activists o support women from developing countries o negotiation training sessions

Ecofeminism Works ‘to ensure that women’s voices and their rights are embedded in all processes and results of the UNFCCC framework, for a sustainable and just future, so that gender equality and women’s human rights are central to the ongoing discussions.’ PART 4: Criticism A middle-class ideology?   



Universal call promoted by those who have satisfied their material needs Lifestyle o Some say it is not a political ideology but rather just a way of life ‘Neither right nor left, but forwards’ o Testifies to the apolitical agenda of the ecologist movement o Proves the importance of what is at state with ecology  It is a universal problem Many who join the green movement come from a middle class background

o However ecologists do not just put froward an agenda for the middle class o The primary effects are felt by those in the least developed part of the world as well as the least developed areas in the Western world Pope Francis’s Laudato Si: On care for our common home 



‘The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all. A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it.’ ‘Even as the quality of available water is constantly diminishing, in some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market. Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights. Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water, because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity.' o Well received by the Green Movement

Tensions with democracy 

 



Eco-authoritarianism, e.g. Ophuls: The problem of ecological scarcity returns us to a Hobbesian ‘state of nature’ , where competition over scarce resources causes conflict. o What we really need is to 'Advocate a strong, authoritarian state.' Tension between procedures and outcomes The green movement has advocated for more democracy rather than less democracy o Campaign for individual human rights o Social equality James Lovelock- Perhaps its time to put democracy on hold o Loud voice but not the majority of the movement agree

Summary     

A reaction to industrialisation and Enlightenment Interconnectedness o That human beings are just one part and not the centre of Earth's community Limits to growth Good society=sustainability Tension with technology, capitalism, democracy...