The Environmentalism of the Poor : A Study of Ecological Conflicts and Valuation

This text analyses several manifestations of the growing "environmental justice movement", and also of "popular environmentalism" and the "environmentalism of the poor", which will be seen in the coming decades as driving forces in the process to achieve an ecologically sustainable society. The author studies, in detail, many ecological distribution conflicts in history and at present, in urban and rural settings, showing how poor people often favour resource conservation. The environment is thus not so much a luxury of the rich as a neccessity of the poor. It concludes with the fundamental questions: who has the right to impose a language of valuation and who has the power to simplify complexity? The Environmentalism Of The Poor Has The Explicit Intention Of Helping To Establish Two Emerging Fields Of Study - Political Ecology And Ecological Economics - Whilst Also Investigating The Relations Between Them. The Book Analyses Several Manifestations Of The Growing 'environmental Justice Movement', And Also Of 'popular Environmentalism' And The 'environmentalism Of The Poor', Which Will Be Seen In The Coming Decades As Driving Forces In The Process To Achieve An Ecologically Sustainable Society. The Author Studies, In Detail, Many Ecological Distribution Conflicts In History And At Present, In Urban And Rural Settings, Showing How Poor People Often Favour Resource Conservation. The Environment Is Thus Not So Much A Luxury Of The Rich As A Necessity Of The Poor. It Concludes With The Fundamental Questions: Who Has The Right To Impose A Language Of Valuation And Who Has The Power To Simplify Complexity?--pub. Desc. Currents Of Environmentalism -- Ecological Economics : 'taking Nature Into Account' -- Indices Of (un)sustainability, And Neo-malthusianism -- Political Ecology : The Study Of Ecological Distribution Conflicts -- Mavgroves Versus Shrimps -- The Environmentalism Of The Poor : Gold, Oil, Forests, Rivers, Biopiracy -- Indicators Of Urban Unsustainability As Indicators Of Social Conflict -- Environmental Justice In The United States And South Africa -- The State And Other Actors -- The Ecological Debt -- On The Relations Between Political Ecology And Ecological Economics. Joan Martinez-alier. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The Environmentalism of the Poor has the explicit intention of helping to establish two emerging fields of study - political ecology and ecological economics - whilst also investigating the relations between them.The book analyses several manifestations of the growing'environmental justice movement', and also of'popular environmentalism'and the'environmentalism of the poor', which will be seen in the coming decades as driving forces in the process to achieve an ecologically sustainable society. The author studies, in detail, many ecological distribution conflicts in history and at present, in urban and rural settings, showing how poor people often favour resource conservation. The environment is thus not so much a luxury of the rich as a necessity of the poor. It concludes with the fundamental questions: who has the right to impose a language of valuation and who has the power to simplify complexity? Joan Martinez-Alier combines the study of ecological conflicts and the study of environmental valuation in a totally original approach that will appeal to a wide cross-section of academics, ecologists and environmentalists.