ABSTRACT
A whole range of environmental issues – including global climate change, stresses on food and water supplies, urban hazards and pollution, the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of fragile ecosystems – seem to be increasing in scale and intensity. For some, these issues seem to threaten the survival of the planet itself, or at least the survival of many species, including our own. In many countries such concerns have become prominent political issues. In Europe, there have been Green political parties in government (Die Grünen in Germany), green members of legislative assemblies (Green Party MP Caroline Lucas was elected for Brighton Pavilion in the 2010 UK general election), and in North America there are government bodies tasked with protecting the environment (such as the Environmental Protection Authority in the USA).
