In this response to a widely circulated essay by environmental activists Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, the author provides a critique of some of their key points, including their assertion that “third wave environmentalism” must emphasize investments in public-private partnerships. Contrary to the positions advocated by Shellenberger and Nordhaus, an argument is made that the environment is a public space and collective good and that it is best understood through the lens of a truly public ecology. This approach offers the best chance to reconstruct environmentalism as a vital space for addressing global warming and other major problems. It provides a framework for gathering together new progressive movements aimed at achieving equity from the economy and ecology of the Earth. Further discussion is invited.
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