Environmental movement

Environmental movement is a term often used for any social or political movement directed towards the preservation, restoration, or enhancement of the natural environment. Here are some of the most prominent and well-defined examples:

Criticism

Critics hold that the environment is in better shape than the environmental movement claims. Most notably, political scientist Bjørn Lomborg has argued in his book The Skeptical Environmentalist that on most fronts such as pollution and biodiversity loss, the negative news has been greatly exaggerated. Lomberg and his opponents have vigorously traded charges and countercharges, each accusing the other of using evidence selectively to present a distorted picture.

Related Topics:
Bjørn Lomborg - The Skeptical Environmentalist

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In the 20th century, American Ayn Rand criticized the environmental movement on philosophical grounds, considering it to be the opponent of human morality, creativity and industry. While carefully differentiating and not attacking the old American conservation movement, in her book "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution", 1971, she scoffed that the environmental movement was attempting to re-create the Garden of Eden. Some took her critique as a compliment. The popular techno-thriller writer Michael Crichton has recently expressed many of the same views, particularly in a number of speeches in the last few years and in his book State of Fear. Michael Crichton and his critics have also accused each other of selective use of data. http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/fcrichton.asp

Related Topics:
20th century - Ayn Rand - Conservation movement - Garden of Eden - Michael Crichton - State of Fear

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