IPCAs
Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas
- lands and waters where
Indigenous governments have the primary
role in protecting and conserving
ecosystems through Indigenous laws,
governance and knowledge systems
long-term commitment to conservation, opportunity for reconciliation
External Nature
nature is set up as a domain entirely
separate from, and opposed to, society (Bruce Braun)
- “It is a place one goes — the site of “resources,” a stage for
“recreation,” a source for “spiritual renewal,” and a scene for
“aesthetic reflection.”
Braun argues that externalization leads to commodification.
Means of Production
the property, infrastructure, equipment, machinery, capital, etc. to make things, goods,
commodities
capitalists own it - environmental input + labour input = goods
Anthropocentrism
the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity on the planet, all other beings hold value only in their ability to serve humans
- validates environmental degradation
- opposite to ecocentrism
eg. exploitation of natural resources
Preservationism
The management of a resource or environment for protection - intended to keep it intact, typically associated with wilderness preservation
pushes Indigenous peoples off their land, their practices deemed wrong
Environmental Justice
the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, colour, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies
marginalized communities bear disproportionate environmental hazards
Silencing
Techniques used to mute, dismiss, or erase the legitimacy of a claim
supressing marginalized voices, groups, ideas
Commons
a resource managed by a community that establishes its own rules and norms to prevent overuse (can exclude people from the community)
eg. alpine grazing commons, switzerland
Othering
the reductive action of labelling a person as someone who belongs to a subordinate social category defined as the Other.
- the exclusion of persons who do not fit the norm of the social group, which is a version of the Self (define the ‘other’ to define the self)
nature as the ‘other’
Social Nature
Dissolving the nature/culture divide and
understanding humans as animals which
are integral parts of thriving ecosystems
imperative for succesful environmentalism
Coase Theorem
Private parties can solve externalities like pollution through negotiation, as long as property rights are well-defined and transaction costs are low. Under these conditions, bargaining will lead to an efficient, mutually beneficial outcome regardless of who initially holds the property rights. Opposes government regulation/involvement; the theorem sees as less efficient
requires private property rights to nature
Ecocentrism
An environmental ethical stance that argues that ecological concerns should, over and above human priorities, be central to decisions about right and wrong action towards nature
-places the natural world at the center of moral concern, believing that ecosystems and nature have intrinsic value independent of human use
opposite to anthropocentrism
Speciesism
institutional discrimination and systemic violence against non-human animals based on their species, usually for the benefit of humans.
- divides humans from animals, and also certain animals from others, eg. companion animals vs. food animals
exploitation of animals for human use (food, goods, entertainment)
Intersectionality
The understanding that identity is formed by interlocking and mutually reinforcing angles of race, gender, class, and sexuality
- in environmentalism: an inclusive approach that connects environmental protection with social justice by recognizing how environmental harm disproportionately affects marginalized communities due to overlapping systems of oppression like racism, sexism, and classism
Sacrifice Zone
Areas where people’s health and livelihoods are ‘sacrificed’ for industrial and economic growth
environmental justice eg. warren county, grassy narrows
Open Access
a resource that is unregulated and freely available to all, with no restrictions on use and no defined ownership
eg. the atmosphere, the oceans
Social Construction
Any category, condition, or thing that exists or is understood to have certain characteristics because people socially agree that it does
eg. the concept of “wilderness”
Critical Realism
Acknowledges that a real, objective world exists independently of our perceptions, and that our experiences of it are context-specific and socially mediated
- helps identify and critique underlying causal structures, like power dynamics and systemic barriers, that shape environmental injustices
- allows for a more nuanced understanding of how individual actions and broader structural conditions interact to shape environmental outcomes
- by integrating different knowledge systems and methods, critical realism provides a philosophical foundation for environmental education and policy that is both scientifically rigorous and socially just
eg. unequal impacts of climate change, phenomenon of “greenwashing”
Primitive Accumulation
the process of forcibly separating producers from the means of production (land and resources) which creates a class of propertyless workers who must sell their labor to capitalists to survive
land enclosures: open access land converted to privately owned/governed
Utilitarianism
An ethical theory that posits that actions are right/good if they are useful or benefit a majority/reduce suffering to a majority
- can justify sacrificing the few for the happiness of the many in ways that might seem immoral
- how do we measure or weigh suffering?
Deep Ecology
an environmental philosophy and social movement that asserts nature has inherent value, independent of its usefulness to humans. (Arne Naess 1972)
- it advocates for a radical shift in human behavior to live more harmoniously with nature and challenge anthropocentric views
- valuing all living things intrinsically and understanding the interconnectedness of all life
Strutural Violence
the systematic, normalized oppression of certain groups through social, political, and economic systems, rather than direct physical harm
- prevents ability to meet basic human needs
- can be exercised through environmental impacts
TEK
Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- systems of knowledge derived through continual
observation and intimate experience with the land in
a particular area
- handed down through generations through cultural
transmission (mostly oral)
- evolving and adaptive to changes in the environment
- holistic rather than discrete, but still precise
comanagement - integrating TEK into conservation
Jevon’s Paradox
the principle that technological advancements which increase the efficiency of a resource’s use will lead to an increase, not a decrease, in total resource consumption
- increased efficiency makes the resource cheaper to use, which in turn stimulates higher demand and usage
eg. fuel-efficient cars = people driving more, buying larger cars
