Michael Redclift analyzes “sustainable development” as a product of the Modernist tradition, arguing for a new vision of the world in which the authority of science and technology is questioned and more emphasis is placed on cultural diversity.
Robin Attfield presents and appraises Richard Sylvan’s trenchant critique of Deep Ecology and Warwick Fox’s illuminating reinterpretation and defence. A position intermediate between Deep Ecology and anthropocentrism is advocated, which has been called by Wayne Sumner “middle-depth environmentalism—a kind of continental shelf between the shallow and deep extremes.”
Schmidt outlines the meaning and main phases of “economization” as a civilizing process, arguing that “ecologization” ’ of the current political-economic regime can be regarded as a continuation of this development. Due attention is given to the social conditions which may be favourable or impedimental to an ecologization of the economy. This article asks that environmental policies use the so-called trickle-down effect to their advantage.
Markus Peterson and Tarla Rai Peterson outline the history of valuation techniques using the Exxon Valdez disaster response and the valuation of whooping cranes as examples of how these tools can constrain policy, presenting an ethical dilemma for democracies by naturalizing, then ethicizing, existing patterns of domination.
Arne Naess discusses the distinction made by Kant between “moral” and “beautiful” actions in relation to efforts to counteract the current ecological crisis.
Martinez-Alier discusses issues relating to the concept of “sustainable development” as used by the Brundtland Commission.
Laura Westra discusses environmental holism in relation to the democratic rights of individuals and of nation states within the international community.
Paul Craig, Harold Glasser, and Willett Kempton interview senior policy advisors to four European governments active in global climate change negotiations and the UNCED (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) process.
Filomina Chioma Steady links shelter, women, and the environment in order to understand this important dimension of the crisis in human settlements, particularly in the provision of human shelters.
Alan MacQuillan discusses the advent of new forestry in the United States as representing a traumatic shift in the philosophy of national forestry praxis, a broadening of values to include aesthetics and sustainability of natural ecological process.
