Land, Water, Air and Freedom

Joan Martínez-Alier, Professor of Economics and Economic History, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, recipient of the Balzan Prize in 2020 and the Holberg Prize in 2023

‘Land, Water, Air and Freedom by Joan Martínez-Alier covers global, comparative political ecology and delves into the intricate web of environmental justice movements unfolding across the globe. As a distinguished Professor of Economics and Economic History and author of a plethora of texts on topics such as social metabolism, environmentalism, environmental justice, environmental conflicts, and movements, Martínez-Alier brings a wealth of expertise to the table. In this book, he challenges the notion that the environmental struggle is the reserve of the white, middle-class of core countries and shows a growing number of environmental movements initiated by poor and indigenous peoples. [...] The one aspect of the book I cannot emphasise enough is how all-encompassing, in terms of geography and themes, the book really is. It is indeed a comprehensive global review of environmental activism. If we add the fact that both the book and the EJAtlas are completely free, I see no reason not to recommend both wholeheartedly.’

• Contents: Preface 1 Introduction: comparative political ecology – the EJAtlas, geographical and thematic perspectives 2 Japan: toxic archipelago 3 The Philippines: extractivism and violence 4 Women environmental defenders killed around the world 5 Taiwan’s environmental movement 6 China: political ecology with Chinese characteristics – limits to eco-compensation (with Dr Juan Liu) 7 The Arctic, a growing commodity extraction frontier, with Ksenija Hanaček 8 India: Odisha, one of the states which are victims of “extractivism” 9 India: Kerala and Tamil Nadu 10 The world anti-nuclear movement since the 1970s 11 Biodiversity conservation: “militarized conservation” vs “convivial conservation” 12 East Africa: Kenya and Tanzania, wildlife and human livelihoods 13 South East Africa: Madagascar and Mozambique; transnationals and BINGOs 14 Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea: “we thought it was oil but it was blood” 15 Sand mining for metallic minerals: a new commodity frontier, with Arpita Bisht 16 Blockadia and climate justice: LFFU movements 17 The Andean countries and Southern Cone 18 Mesoamerica and the Caribbean: from Zacatecas to Neo Zapatismo 19 Brazil and the Guianas: iron ores, tailings dams and land conflicts 20 Working-class environmentalism 21 Agrarian justice and human ecology 22 Religious groups as environmental activists 23 The Iberian Peninsula: transboundary conflicts 24 The United States: the cradle of environmental justice against environmental racism 25 Indigenous revival and resistance around the world 26 Preciosities vs bulk commodities in ecologically unequal trade 27 Corporate social irresponsibility and systematic lack of environmental liability 28 Environmental activism, uncertain risks and post-normal science 29 Population and resources: feminism and neo-Malthusianism, with Eduard Masjuan 30 Conclusion: is there a global environmental justice movement? References Index