Hi all, here are some thoughts on how our perspective on ethics can enhance a relational approach towards environmental issues and embrace engaged ecology in one’s life and actions.

Support for any policy must rest on a foundational framework based on ethical principles, societal values, working frameworks for a particular policy, such as the free-market framework that serves economics, empirical evidence, and democratic processes. The first two, ethical principles and societal values however form the core that directs the other implementation-oriented factors. And, typically, ethical principles guide and inform our societal values. The choice of which ethical framework one uses therefore, has a significant impact on whether and how any policy is implemented. The effectiveness of policies, particularly towards the environment, are crucially dependent on this characteristic. Ethics underpins and guides environmental policy development and individual actions by the following means: identifying core values; framing the problem; guiding policy objectives; informing policy design; evaluating policy impacts; engaging stakeholders; and promoting accountability.

Engaged ecology envisions a world where humanity and the planet coexist harmoniously, transcending the challenges of ecological crises through a fostering of global community committed to socio-ecological justice, peace, and sustainability. The perspective from an engaged approach to ecology places the Earth at the center of the quest for individual and collective psycho-spiritual well-being, underscoring the importance of harmonious coexistence between all living beings and our intrinsic relationality and embedded nature. Accordingly, this approach recognizes that bringing about outward change is only half the story – ecological awareness is also an opening of our hearts to the world by enfolding our self-centeredness within a much wider sense of being in which the natural world becomes an extension of ourselves.

A relational approach to ethics offers a useful reimagining of our moral obligations and virtues. My intent is not to dismiss other ethical frameworks, but rather to identify a perspective to enhance them so that they are more attuned to the evident and inherent embeddedness within the environment. Acknowledging that, there are some ethical frameworks that are naturally relational and embrace the core concepts of engaged ecology as fundamental – care ethics, virtue ethics, Eastern ethical frameworks such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Indigenous ethical frameworks such as Ubuntu, the Seventh Generation Principle and the Great Law of Peace of native American peoples such as the Iroquois Confederacy.

A relational perspective does not merely augment our existing ethical frameworks but rather reorients them towards a more integrated understanding of the human condition within the fabric of the natural world. It not only fosters a deeper appreciation of our interconnectedness with the environment but also establishes a mandate for proactive environmental action, grounded in engagement and reciprocity.

This relational approach to ethics emphasizes relationships as the foundation of moral consideration. Unlike traditional ethical theories that prioritize autonomy, rights, or outcomes, this perspective focuses on the interdependencies among individuals, communities, and ecosystems. From this viewpoint, our moral imperatives arise not from abstract principles but from the concrete relationships we navigate daily. This shift in perspective is crucial for environmental ethics because it transcends the anthropocentric limitations of conventional moral reasoning, acknowledging that our lives are deeply intertwined with the non-human world. This embeddedness in the web of life compels us to reconsider our role in the world, not as dominators or mere stewards, but as active participants in a larger ecological community. The relational ethic recognizes that humans are not separate from nature but are an integral part of its ongoing story. This recognition is vital for formulating an effective environmental ethic because it moves us from seeing nature as a resource to be exploited to seeing it as a community to which we belong and for which we bear responsibility.

Moreover, the relational approach illuminates the moral significance of our actions on the environment. Importantly, our moral obligations extend to all relationships that sustain life, including those with non-human entities and ecosystems – a correlation that is not captured by other ethical frameworks. Thus, relationality fosters a comprehensive perspective on environmental action, one that values the integrity, well-being, and flourishing of the whole ecological community. This perspective mandates actions that are not merely about avoiding harm but actively contributing to the health and resilience of the environment. It calls for an engaged form of environmental action that seeks to restore, preserve, and enhance the relationships that constitute our shared world.

In practice, adopting a relational ethic towards the environment means advocating for policies and actions that recognize and respect the interconnectedness of life. It involves engaging in and supporting practices that maintain the health of ecosystems, such as sustainable agriculture, conservation efforts, and initiatives that foster biodiversity. It also entails challenging systems and structures that perpetuate environmental degradation and injustice, advocating for a more equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens.

Ultimately, relationality in ethics provides a robust framework for understanding and addressing the environmental challenges of our time. By emphasizing our interconnectedness with the natural world, it offers a more holistic and inclusive perspective on what it means to live ethically. This approach does not only illuminate the intrinsic value of the natural world but also clarifies our moral obligations to it. It fosters an ethos of care, respect, and responsibility towards the environment, urging us to act in ways that support and enhance the web of life. In doing so, it sets forth a vision of environmental stewardship that is deeply engaged, morally grounded, and profoundly hopeful.

Thanks!

Ron Stockdreher