Environmentalism
| Environmentalism link (Ideology, Green politics) Sourcewatch | |
|---|---|
| The ideology of Green Politics; advocates campaign for environmental protection. |
see also Conservation movement,climate change
Environmentalism is an ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the impact of changes to the environment on humans, animals, plants and non-living matter.
Environmentalism advocates the preservation, restoration and improvement of the natural environment and critical earth system elements or processes such as the climate, and may be referred to as a movement to control pollution or protect plant and animal diversity.[1]
Climate change
While environmentalism is a broad movement, it has noticeably been hijacked by interests pushing the concept climate change, marginalizing or even making third rail topics of other issues, such as chemical pollution.
Social basis
Environmentalism and environmental parties tend to find their social basis in the urban liberal bourgeoisie. While many of the original environmental movements of the 1970s and 1980s had a strong outsider left-wing tinge, modern movements integrate effortlessly in the power apparatus. For example, the German Green party moved from a pacifist party to one of the most militarist parties in Europe. The appearance of being progressive and selfless is highly useful, and the 'street-cred' this gives can be used to push strongly reactionary politics.