Getting Deep About Deep Ecology

Despite being a philosophical group since the late 60s/early 70s, Deep Ecology has failed to produce the type of change necessary to effectively combat the climate crisis. This paper examines Deep Ecology’s more spiritual/philosophical approach to climate change, including: their history, their advocacy for biocentric equality, and their focus on cultivating an ecological consciousness. The paper then examines major criticisms with the movement and finds that all critics come to a unifying and damning conclusion about the movement: Deep Ecology does not offer a realistic solution to the fast approaching climate crisis. Yet, Deep Ecology’s inability to solve the climate crisis does not mean the philosophical movement is a failure and bad; instead, it just shows that Deep Ecology in combination with other more tangible steps should be taken to effectively combat the current climate crisis. Reformist groups, led by former Deep Ecologists, like Social Ecology and Green Anarchism, still maintain many of the core principles of Deep Ecology; however, they include a stronger focus on how to take direct action in order to combat climate change. The reformist approach provides the best—and most realistic—solutions to the current global climate crisis.