A New Environmental Ethics is both a familiar and a novel text. On the one hand, it blatantly represents most of Rolston’s now well-known views and judgments on environmental ethics, views on things such as the intrinsic value of organisms and the ethical priority of ecological wholes. On the other hand, this book is an entry into an ever-changing academic field in which new questions are continuously arising. It incorporates Rolston’s most up-to-date reflections on subjects such as the current fascination with the notion of sustainable development, threat of global warming, and the ongoing debates about the social or manmade construction of nature. The book revolves around the question that how can we live a valuable life in this beautiful planet Earth? This book is inspirational and an eye opener as it discusses the future of the earth. The environment crisis people are engulfed; it provides a critical assessment of the contemporary academic accounts and lifetime research on the environment and suggests the measures every person can take to help in sustainable development. Rolstons’s wants to convey from this book where we are standing, what we should do and what we need to know about our nature, environment and where are we leading. In his words,” I am seeking, in the book you have in hand, to put you in your place. You will be finding out who you are, where you are, and what you ought to do. You will be seeking to learn what you most need to know about nature: how to value it. That’s quite a promise, so this is, you should know, an introduction, but only man introduction. Read it, and you will be well introduced to environmental Ethics—I guarantee that.”
Environment ethics is all about nature, wildlife, flora, fauna and human beings. In order to fix these, it is essential to fix everything including the industries, agriculture, politics, organic food, and human population, and pollution, capitalism, rich and poor. Earth is on the verge of the environment crisis where even the extinction of specie or any disturbance in ecological balance can jeopardize the entire planet. For centuries the western philosophy and theology was human centric i.e. environment included only human beings but with the increase in human power over natural resources they started rebuilding environment according to their comfort with the help of their technology and power, ironically then the focus shifted towards nature. Earth Day was celebrated first time in 1970 by U.S senator Nelson and that to awakening of the philosophers towards environment crisis and ethics. But before looking in the future and suggesting plan of action, it’s essential to look into rare view mirror and reflect in the past events which took a toll on the environment and disrupted the ecological balance pushing the earth towards global warming, extinction of species and environment degradation.
Under the British Petroleum was the Deep Horizon oil platform near Mississippi Delta. In 2010, the methane gas reached near the rig resulted in fire explosion. It was the worst environment disaster in U.S history; it spilled 4.4 million barrels into the Gulf, even worse than Exxon Valdez spill. The spill caused extensive economic damage to the Gulf’s fishing industry, tourism Industry, marine and wildlife. The thirst for oil and money led Americans to drill under water and then cap it. This spill alarmed the Americans against environment disasters, and they became more concerned for environment preservation.
Global Warming
Change in the global climate is the most threatening and serious matter than B.P spill that is surfacing in the near future. Gradual increase in the earth temperature is the second most serious issue in the world after poverty. The human induced emissions of greenhouse gases has tremendously increased the temperature of earth and has suffered extreme effects like melting of glaciers, heating of earth surface and so on.
Sustainability
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992 brought together largest number of world leaders to discuss about its twin objective of “Sustainable Development.” It is essential to preserve resources for future generation, by this it does not mean to restrict growth but it means to grow in a sustainable manner without exploiting or over exhausting the resources. The three pillars for sustainable development are: Economic development, Social development and Environment development. It is essential to manage Economic, social and natural resources in a judicious manner to achieve sustainable development.
Conclusion
Environment crisis has worsened and led to global warming, extinction of species, disrupting the ecological balance. Human interaction with the environment has created havoc but now is the time for human beings to understand their moral duty to conserve the environment and grow towards sustainable development. Everyone should assume their responsibility towards their planet and voluntarily take up tasks such as generating mass awareness for environmental concerns.
