Republican environmental rights. Issue 5 (29th July 2021) - Dodsworth, Ashley
ABSTRACT: This article argues for a republican conception of environmental rights. Having first established the component parts of first republican rights, with reference to the work of Mary Wollstonecraft, and then environmental rights, an understanding of environmental rights that is rooted in the republican tradition is then set out. Substantive rights to either specific resources or the environment as a whole would be justified in order to prevent domination and secure equality between all, as well as the ability to participate in government. Procedural rights to participate in decisions made regarding the environment, and the access to justice and information needed to ensure this, would however be predominate, reflecting the modal aspect of republican rights and the emphasis on participation and responsibility within the tradition as a whole. The final section explores the implication of citizenship for republican environmental rights and offers a response regarding the scope of these rights and the institutions to which they are tied.