The Anthropocentric Ontology of International Environmental Law and the Sustainable Development Goals: Towards an Ecocentric Rule of Law in the Anthropocene

Abstract

In this article we argue that the Anthropocene’s deepening socio-ecological crisis amplifies demands on, and exposes the deficiencies of, our ailing regulatory institutions, including that of international environmental law (iel). Many of the perceived failures of iel have been attributed to the anthropocentric, as opposed to the ecocentric, ontology of this body of law. As a result of its anthropocentric orientation and the resultant deficiencies, iel is unable to halt the type of human behaviour that is causing the Anthropocene, while it exacerbates environmental destruction, gender and class inequalities, growing inter- and intra-species hierarchies, human rights abuses, and socio-economic and ecological injustices. These are the same types of concerns that the recently proclaimed Sustainable Development Goals (sdgs) set out to address. The sdgs are, however, themselves anthropocentric; an unfortunate situation which reinforces the anthropocentrism of iel and vice versa. Considering the anthropocentric genesis of iel and the broader sdgs framework, this article sets out to argue that the anthropocentrism inherent in the ontological orientation of iel and the sdgs risks exacerbating Anthropocene-like events, and a more ecocentric orientation for both is urgently required to enable a more ecocentric rule of law to better mediate the human-environment interface in the Anthropocene. Our point of departure is that respect for ecological limits is the only way in which humankind, acting as principal global agents of care, will be able to ensure a sustainable future for human and non-human constituents of the Earth community. Correspondingly, the rule of law must also come to reflect such imperatives.

Locating a Course on Environmental Justice in Theories of Environmental Education and Global Citizenship

“…Viewing this tension through the prism of global citizenship highlights the importance of striking a balance between these two paradigms. Placing too much emphasis on anthropocentric concerns, as the current international order arguably does so (Kotzé & French, 2018), results in a destructive relationship between humanity and nature that undermines efforts to deliver other elements of the global citizenship and sustainability agenda. The human rights abuses resulting from the unsustainable exploitation of the Niger Delta, referred to earlier, are a good example of this.…”

Good Urban Governance and City Resilience: An Afrocentric Approach to Sustainable Development

“…According to Van der Waldt and Auriacombe [8] and Kotzé and French [65] the global discourse on urban management, governance and resilience is often characterized by the quest for the universal principles of good urban governance. It is evident that there is general consensus about the fundamental principles thereof.…”

Trade, transboundary impacts and the implementation of SDG 12

“…More radically, it has been described as serving to obscure, and thereby prevent the resolution of, a 'latent collision course' between the pillars it purports to harmonise (Stone 1994, p 977). More recent critiques of the SDGs have noted that they seem to endorse a narrative that environmental and social benefits are consequences of economic growth (Kotzé and French 2018).…”