Which term is linked to the idea of land ethics that treats land as a moral subject?

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Which term is linked to the idea of land ethics that treats land as a moral subject?

Land ethics expands moral consideration to the natural world, treating land—soil, water, plants, and animals—as having moral standing. The term that captures this specific view is Leopold Ethics, named after Aldo Leopold, who argued that humans are part of an ecological community and have ethical duties to maintain the land’s health and integrity, not merely to use it for our benefit. This contrasts with broader Environmental Ethics, which covers many moral questions about nature but doesn’t single out land as a moral subject; Environmental Justice focuses on fairness among people; and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is a framework for evaluating ecosystem services.

Land ethics expands moral consideration to the natural world, treating land—soil, water, plants, and animals—as having moral standing. The term that captures this specific view is Leopold Ethics, named after Aldo Leopold, who argued that humans are part of an ecological community and have ethical duties to maintain the land’s health and integrity, not merely to use it for our benefit. This contrasts with broader Environmental Ethics, which covers many moral questions about nature but doesn’t single out land as a moral subject; Environmental Justice focuses on fairness among people; and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is a framework for evaluating ecosystem services.

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