Conclusion to the Handbook of Critical Environmental Accountability and Sustainability

Glen Lehman

Chapter 42 in Handbook of Critical Environmental Accountability and Sustainability, 2026, pp 648-650 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter argues that the modern ‘social imaginary’ views environmental issues as an extension or application of these natural rights. Political authority is perceived to be legitimate only if it is based on a social contract consented to by individuals. Since the time of Locke, the idea that society and politics exist for the benefit of individuals and the defence of their rights has become increasingly important. This notion became the dominant view by marginalising older theories and newer rivals, generating far-reaching claims on political life. The doctrine of original consent (e.g., Locke's consent to taxation) underlies the popular sovereignty we now live under. The theory of natural rights spawned a dense web of limits to legislative and executive action via entrenched charters. A charter is a document that grants or guarantees certain rights, privileges, or powers to a country, a group, or an organisation. A higher authority, such as a sovereign, a legislature or another official body, usually issues a charter. A charter can create or define a public or private entity, such as a city, a college or a bank, which has become an essential feature of contemporary government.

Keywords: Accountability; Environmental; Critical; Nature; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781802201765
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