Environmentalism

Environmentalism is an ideology, a form of political organization, and a social movement to protect the human and nonhuman environment. While environmentalism arose in the second half of the twentieth century, it responds to changing economic, political, social, and cultural patterns that began in the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, notably the ecological degradation produced by modern society. Indeed, climate change will likely frame life and welfare possibilities for future generations and is the object of much social theoretical attention from environmental scholars. Major debates in environmentalism include whether nature has intrinsic value, and if so, humanity's obligation to act accordingly, the allocation of rights to the use of resources, and just and fair distribution of the benefits and harms of development.