FOSTERING HUMANITY IN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT: Role of Religion and Growth of Environmentalism

The author tries to delve into those aspects of rights and duties that create a sort of mind-set that fosters protection of the environment. There are a plethora of laws that have been enacted for protecting the environment. Though the world has witnessed a sea change as far as putting into practise those laws and principles are concerned, have they really been able to protect the environment and ensure its safety beyond a point is a question that has to be answered taking into consideration the precarious position that Mother Nature finds herself in, presently. The author investigates the role of religion in fostering the human duty of protecting the environment. The growth of environmentalism and the question as to whether it is a new religion are also looked into.