Reparative Environmental Justice in a World of Wounds

We need non-ideal environmental ethics for living together in this world of wounds. Ethics does not stop after wrongdoing: the aftermath of environmental harm demands ethical action. Reparative Environmental Justice in a World of Wounds discusses the possibilities and practices of reparative environmental justice, building on theories of justice in political philosophy, feminist ethics, indigenous studies, and criminal justice as extended to non-ideal environmental ethics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 186 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

“One of the penalties of an ecological education,” wrote Aldo Leopold, “is that one lives alone in a world of wounds.” Ideally, we would not wrong each other or the rest of our biotic community, but we have, and still do. We need non-ideal environmental ethics for living together in this world of wounds. Ethics does not stop after wrongdoing: the aftermath of environmental harm demands ethical action. How we work to repair healthy relationality matters as much as the wounds themselves.

Reparative Environmental Justice in a World of Wounds discusses the possibilities and practices of reparative environmental justice. It builds on theories of justice in political philosophy, feminist ethics, indigenous studies, and criminal justice as extended to non-ideal environmental ethics. How can reparative environmental justice provide a useful perspective on ecological restoration, human-animal entanglements, climate change, environmental racism, and traditional ecological knowledge? How can it promote just practices and policies while enabling effective opposition to business as usual? And how does reparative justice look different when we go beyond narrowly construed human conflicts to include relational repair with ecosystems, other animals, and future generations?

The book explores these questions through a series of case studies, including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Keystone XL pipeline, and the ongoing struggles of indigenous communities in the United States and Canada to protect their lands and waters from environmental harm. It also examines the role of non-governmental organizations, grassroots movements, and legal frameworks in promoting reparative environmental justice.

Reparative environmental justice offers a way to address the deep-seated wounds caused by centuries of environmental degradation and exploitation. It recognizes that ecological harm is not just a result of individual or corporate actions but also a product of broader social and economic systems. By promoting just practices and policies, reparative environmental justice can help to repair the relationships between humans and the natural world, enabling us to live in harmony with the planet and each other.

However, achieving reparative environmental justice is not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges is the power of corporations and other powerful actors to influence policy and decision-making processes. This power can be used to promote business as usual, which often exacerbates environmental harm and perpetuates inequality. To overcome this challenge, we need to build stronger grassroots movements, strengthen legal frameworks, and promote greater transparency and accountability in corporate and government actions.

Another challenge is the need to address the historical and ongoing legacies of environmental racism and discrimination. These legacies have contributed to the disproportionate impact of environmental harm on marginalized communities, including indigenous peoples, people of color, and low-income communities. Reparative environmental justice must address these legacies by promoting equity and inclusion in decision-making processes and by working to dismantle systems of oppression and inequality.

In conclusion, Reparative Environmental Justice in a World of Wounds offers a valuable perspective on the possibilities and practices of reparative environmental justice. By promoting just practices and policies, repairing healthy relationality, and addressing the historical and ongoing legacies of environmental racism and discrimination, we can work towards a more just and sustainable world. However, achieving this goal will require a collective effort from individuals, communities, governments, and corporations to prioritize the health and well-being of the natural world and each other.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498592086