New social movements (NSMs) according to Alain Touraine, and Jurgen Habermas are described by a theory that posits that the advent of the post-industrial economy resulted in a new wave of social movements distinct from those social movements arising during the industrial economy. Jurgen Habermas argues that new social movements develop from tension between systems integration and social integration. Environmentalism refers to the study of the interactions between the natural habitat of the earth’s flora and fauna, changes in human social systems, and perceptions of justice concerning human-natural environment interactions. Environmental movements that fit in to the category of ‘New’ Social Movement include the following features:

• While the Old social movements were based on Marxist ideology that intended to destroy the existing system and questioned or wanted to abolish authority of state, New social movement wants to seek attention of the state to its concerns. While the Old social movements had confrontational attitude, New social movement has deliberative process to negotiate and broker workable ends through workable means. In certain cases the NSM recieves support from the government. For instance Indian environmental activist Rajendra Pachauri, the head of TERI was given an opportunity to head the government''s Bureau of Energy Efficiency. He was conferred the civilian honours Padma Bhushan (in 2001) and Padma Vibhushan (in 2008). He rose to international fame through TERI''s work on sustainable development and with his exceptional climate change negotiation skills. Vandana Shiva founder of Navdanya movement advised the government of Sri Lanka to ban inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. She has served on expert groups of Indian government on Biodiversity and IPR legislation.
• While the Old social movements are characterized by formal and hierarchical internal forms of organization, New social movements go for informal or unstructured organization rather than structures of authority.
• While the Old social movements were interested in subsistence needs, New social movement is more interested in quality of life.
• While the Old social movements owing to their limited support were generally confined within state boundaries, New social movements are however cross-country movements on account of the compassion it garners across the globe and technology acting as a catalyst.
• While in the Old social movements, beneficiaries were participants, the New social movements are being led by environmental activists and civil society organisations.
• While the Old social movements faced financial crunch, New social movement has sustained source of finance.

Environmentalism as a social movement has been a part and parcel of social life since the post-industrial phase. Early environmental movements were characterized by the features of old social movements. For instance, the Bishnoi movement led by Amrita devi is one to be noted while tracing the history of environmentalism in India.

• In the developed world, social activism in the sphere of environmentalism has metamorphized itself from age old means and goals and is witnessed by the large scale boundary less participation, movements acting as pressure groups that propagandize, electioneer and lobby, able issue centric leadership etc.
• The events of the recent past portray the rise of environmentalism. The Climate Action Strike that was streamlined and led by a teenager Greta Thunberg witnessed global support and was largely youth led and made it a point to stress the urgency of climate actions to arrest the 2 degree shift.
• NSM though studied in contrast with their older counterparts still hold on to a few features of OSM in certain instances. The rise of Extinction Rebellion a Canada based environmental movement witnessed some radical action on part of the activists.

NGOs and other civil society organisations have had a major share in the rise, sustenance and success of Environmental NSM. Greenpeace is an international organization dedicated to preserving endangered species of animals, preventing environmental abuses, and heightening environmental awareness through direct confrontations with polluting corporations and governmental authorities. In a similar fashion, Global Commons Alliance, a network of organisations working together to save the global commons and ensure a stable planet.

The NSM with the help of their able leadership, NGOs, and other civil society organisations, the environmental and ecological movements have gained pace. These movements have helped to raise people’s awareness and have had considerable success and are hence an important part of India’s democratic way of life.