Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that studies the relation of human beings and the environment and how ethics play a role in this. Environmental ethics believe that humans are a part of society as well as other living creatures, which includes plants and animals. These items are a very important part of the world and are considered to be a functional part of human life. Thus, it is essential that every human being respect and honour this and use morals and ethics when dealing with these creatures.

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Significance of Environmental ethics:

• It brings us closer and the help us understand the relationship.
• Provide better quality living to current generation
• Protect environment for future generation through regulated use of environment
• It will help spread awareness among people and thus protect the environment
• It sustains other species as well which is moral responsibility of one species i.e. humankind towards all others

Need for environmental ethics:

• Increasing levels of Pollution.
• Degrading Standard of Life.
• Increasing dangers related to global warming and climate change.
• New dynamic issues like Environmental Refugees.
• Cutting forests indiscriminately on large scale
• Releasing green house gases in atmosphere for industrial products
• Excessive use of fossil fuels like coal, petrol etc

Human values and environmental ethics:

Human actions and decision making choice depend on human values. Strong values always help reduce the confusion. If these are coherent with the surrounding environment nature and wildlife, then it will certainly be helpful for sustainable development.

• Empathy: without empathy for all lives, there will always be selectiveness and selfishness among humans towards different lives. Value of Nurturing and protecting biodiversity. Making way for flora and fauna to co-exist with us.
• Love: love transcends only human-human interaction. It’s also between other lives and nature’s beauty.
• Sustainable development: Saving resources for future generation .That is to stop over exploitation of resources specially exhaustible and non-renewable resources.
• Control over mining, deforestation in the name of “development”
• Minimalistic living: Sacrificing certain comforts for protecting environment. Example- reduction in use of polluting vehicles for good of all, car pooling, using public transport.

Conclusion:

We must realize the biggest value that Earth belongs not only to humans but to other biodiversity too. Further, protecting this environment for future generation becomes our responsibility as part of environmental ethics.