This book shows why political theorists must take account of ecological concerns as part of their core enterprise, and how they can do so. It mounts a challenge to the received wisdom, of political theorists and their ecological critics alike, that specifically ecological values go against human interests. In Part I, Hayward criticizes those accounts of ecological values which appeal to naturea s a intrinsic valuea or advocate a a non--anthropolocentrica ethic. Such appeals are bound to fail, he argues, not because their moral impulse is too demanding but because a valuesa unrelated to human interests are conceptually incoherent. Insisting on them is politically counterproductive. Part II reveals how it is actually in humansa interests to integrate ecological concern into political institutions and policies. Following a nuanced discussion of a self--interesta , Hayward goes on to show how some ecological problems can be solved by harnessing humansa rational self--interest to market--based and fiscal policies, and others by using more enlightened interests in the provision of social goods. The argument regarding ecological problems that affect non--humans more directly than humans is that humans have an interest in self--respect and integrity which provides reasons to respect non--human beings and their environmental interests. The concluding chapter indicates how the articulation of ecological values in terms of interests makes it possible to integrate them into a political theory of basic social institutions. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in political theory and environmental studies.

This book offers an accessible introduction to the implications of ecology for social and political thought. The book surveys a range of debates about values in nature, the meaning of sustainable development, and such questions as whether human rights are compatible with ecological responsibilities. Sensitive throughout to the social dimension of ecological problems, it also develops a theoretical framework for ecological politics.

The damage humans are inflicting on their environment, on other species and on their own future prospects on earth requires an urgent response - but what sort?

Contemporary debates feature a variety of views. According to some, there must be a radical transformation of the whole trajectory of development of modern societies; this implies a fundamental challenge to the attitudes and values which have prevailed in the West since the Enlightenment. Others see a wholesale rejection of modern forms of life and thought as neither realistic nor necessary, claiming that solutions to ecological problems must be sought in a more consistent application of scientific reason.

In analysing the competing arguments, the author shows that the radical claims of ecological thought must be taken seriously, but that a non-exploitative attitude to nature is consistent with a continued commitment to Enlightenment values such as democracy, human rights and the pursuit of knowledge.

This book will be of interest to all those who wish to gain a basic understanding of ecological controversies today. It will appeal to the interested lay reader and to students in environmental studies, ethics, sociology and political theory.