What is meant by ‘environmental ethics’?. Examine the various perspectives of ‘environmental ethics’.
Environmental ethics (also called ecological ethics) is fundamentally concerned with moral questions about man's interaction with non-human nature. In a narrower sense, the term refers to human or economic behavior in terms of morality, responsibility and the protection of natural resources.
Those who act in an ecologically ethical manner are themselves increasingly environmentally aware and are actively committed to the preservation of nature and the protection of all living creatures.
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.
ECO-SPIRITUALITY - While policy maker‘s negotiation and create cleaner solutions, it is important to heel the earth and its process heal us. It should be guided by spiritual principle that ensures long term sustainability. The idea that faith can be used to save ecology was first used by formation of WORLDWIDE FUND FOR NATURE. Ecospiritualism was later extended up to five major world religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islamic and Judaism). Each religion thus, provided spiritual motivation for environmental action in number of its programme. "Go Green" has become ritual across the world.
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