Exploring Anti-Environmentalism in the Context of Sustainability

Lessons from the wise use movement. Copyright Information: All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. Contact the author or original publisher for any necessary permissions. eScholarship is not the copyright owner for deposited works. Learn more at http://www.escholarship.org/help_copyright.html#reuse Exploring Anti-Environmentalism in the Context of Sustainability Tim Boston Center for Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia In the past few years, there has been much discussion about an emerging sociopolitical force popularly known as the anti-environmental movement. It can also be referred to as anti-environmentalism, the ecocontrarian movement and/or the countermovement against sustainability. This essay will analyze anti-environmentalism in the context of sustainability. It will begin with an examination of sustainability as an empirical project. More specifically, it will be argued that anti-environmentalism needs to be understood within the context of a vibrant, spirited and authentic definition of sustainability. Following this discussion, there will be a general examination of the countermovement against sustainability. This will lead into an investigation of wise use groups, corporative resourcists and resource libertarian think tanks. The final section of the essay will provide some tactical responses to anti-environmentalism.