Justice-based approaches to environmental harm - Environmental Harm: An Eco-justice Perspective - page 29

of NGO engagement around particular issues. Not surprisingly, there
are also major tensions between and within environmental social
movements (White, 2008a; Pezzullo and Sandler, 2007; Pellow, 2013),
due to differences in ideology, as well as contrasting views regarding
which tactics and strategies are most suitable or effective in any given
circumstance.
Environmental and animal rights activism deals with acts and
omissions that are already criminalised and prohibited, such as illegal
fishing or illegal dumping of toxic waste. It also, however, come to
grips with events and activities that have yet to be designated officially
as 'harmful' but that show evidence of exhibiting present or potential
negative consequences. It thus deals with different kinds of harms
and risks, as these affect humans, local and global environments, and
nonhuman animals. Hence what NGOs and activists do and what
they say is of considerable importance to green criminology, and to
the themes of this topic.
The social construction of environmental activism is a process
involving many different players and interests. The justification for
legal and illegal actions around environmental and animal issues relates
to perceptions that many presently legal activities in fact constitute
crimes against nature (whether this be a forest or in relation to animals
or humans). Conversely, some of types of protest against these alleged
crimes are themselves subject to considerable criticism on the basis
of their present illegality (and, indeed, the harm they bring to others).
For the purposes of this topic, environmental activism is of concern
mainly from the point of view of how environmental harm is framed
by different activist groups.
Conclusion
My previous writing in this area has explored the key concepts and
practices of green and eco-global criminology (see especially White,
2008a, 2011). This work has provided a framework of analysis for
understanding ecological degradation and environmental destruction.
The challenge of the present work is to develop further a moral basis
for intervention . This requires appreciation of different conceptions and
principles of justice. It also demands attention to the idea of a moral
calculus - that is, a means by which priority values can be drawn upon
in cases of conflicting interests. There is also a longstanding concern
that substantive measurement of harm and value needs to be established
if we are to weigh up competing claims adequately and justly. Put
simply, there is a need to provide the basis upon which to privilege