ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to illustrate an alternative theorizing about environmental communication, one that is rooted in culture and lived experience of poor, marginalized, and Indigenous communities. Does there exist an environmentalism of the Global South, as distinct from environmentalism of the Global North? Environmental communication seeks to conceptualize alternative paradigms of equity and responsibility to global and local environmental problems. Apart from the material basis of rights to ecological resources, environmental communication from a Global South perspective highlights “traditional” values, in contrast to “postmaterialist” values, as a basis to understand environmental concern. A primary area of study in environmental communication is evaluating the evolution of environmental policies and public participation in enacting and implementing such policies. The traditional values refer to distinctive spiritual connotation of environment as a guardian, which needs guarding in return, to sustain the values and traditions of Indigenous communities.
