We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Contributions of Philosophy and Psychology Towards Understanding the Effectiveness of Environmental Law in a New Zealand Context.
- Authors
Seaman, Madeline
- Abstract
New Zealand is an ecologically unique landmass characterised by the radiation of species in the almost complete absence of mammals. To manage its unique environment New Zealand's landmark Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) was conceptualised and brought into legislation by a forward-thinking Labour government elected in 1984. The RMA is informed by concepts of sustainable development such as intrinsic value for the environment and preservation of natural resources for future generations. Despite being surrounded by pristine wilderness and ways of conceptualising the world embedded in te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), which has a deep ecological ethic, the RMA has failed to effectively manage New Zealand's environmental ecosystems. New Zealand has the highest share of greenhouse gas emissions in the OECD, 40 per cent of which comes from agriculture. How and where has its environmental strategy gone so awry? It is argued that the Western thinking that has produced the RMA is fundamentally flawed when it comes to considering the environment. This is because of the disembodiment of the Western person who acts within systems that value extrinsic factors such as money, status and power that in turn contribute to ecologically destructive behaviours. The disembodiment of the Western person has separated them from nature to the point where they are unable to see past its objective properties and truly understand how connected everything is. The truth of the matter is, humans are physically constructed from nature, humans are the environment in every behaviour that they perform. Every behaviour each individual performs has an effect on the group through the psychological concepts of identity formation and modelling and copying of behaviours. It is therefore imperative that the legal system considers humans and the environment as one single system -- a single system that is set up so human beings are able to flourish in ecologically conscious ways, where their true health and well-being is acknowledged and supported by a sovereign state who acts as a trustee and guardian for the environment of which itself and its people are inherently imbued.
- Subjects
NEW Zealand; ENVIRONMENTAL law; PHILOSOPHY; PSYCHOLOGY; ENVIRONMENTAL protection; SUSTAINABLE development
- Publication
New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law, 2018, Vol 22, p113
- ISSN
1174-1538
- Publication type
Article