“An ecocentric or strong sustainability perspective
challenges the mechanistic and exploitative ideas
of technocentrism while also entering into a
philosophical debate about the assumptions and
implications of the paradigm of science itself. An
ecocentric position is grounded in interdisciplinary,
holistic and non-dualistic ways of understanding
the environment. A technocentric or weak
sustainability
perspective
is
consistent
with
scientifc reductionism in which science and
technology can be used to discover the ‘laws’ of
nature, allowing greater manipulation and control
of the environment for the beneft of people
(Williams & Millington 2004). Nature is seen as only
having instrumental value and representing a
storehouse of resources to satisfy human wants and
needs. This position is anthropocentric, viewing
people as fundamentally separate from nature.”
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND
SUSTAINABILITY:
SOME CRITICAL THOUGHTS
FINDING SOLUTIONS TO
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN
NATURE, BIODIVERSITY AND
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE
SYSTEMS
Environmental value systems infuence the way you
view environmental issues, what you feel we should
do about them, and what motivation you have for
taking or wanting to take action.
Nature is very important because it can help us solve
problems and make our world a better place. There
are many things we can learn from nature that can
help us create jobs, become stronger, and even help
with the problem of climate change.
WHY ECOCENTRISM IS THE KEY PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABILITY
What is ecocentrism?
Ecocentrism is a way of thinking that sees value in all parts of nature, not just humans. It considers the
environment as a whole, including living and non-living components, and believes that they all have
inherent value. This view is broader than anthropocentrism, which prioritizes human beings over other
organisms. It also includes biocentrism, which focuses on the value of all living things, and zoocentrism,
which emphasizes the value of animals.
Ecocentrism recognizes that life relies on the environment and geological processes to sustain it, and
therefore, it considers even the non-living parts of nature as having intrinsic value. This is why the term
"ecocentrism" is the most appropriate, as it encompasses all aspects of nature and its value, including
"geodiversity." Ecocentrism takes the widest view of the world and is the most inclusive of all worldviews
that value the non-human components of nature.
P L AY V I D E O
P L AY V I D E O