Décologie

Décologie is a French term that emerged in the late 20th century, roughly translating to "decology" or "anti-ecology." It represents a critique of certain environmentalist discourses and practices, questioning their underlying assumptions, effectiveness, and potential unintended consequences. Proponents of décologie often argue that traditional environmentalism can be overly focused on nature as an external entity separate from human society, or that it can lead to solutions that are impractical, overly restrictive, or even detrimental to human well-being and social progress.

The concept questions the idea of a pristine, untouched nature that must be preserved at all costs, suggesting that human intervention and adaptation are inevitable and can even be beneficial. Décologie can also criticize the perceived moralizing or alarmist tone often found in environmental activism, and may advocate for more pragmatic, technologically driven, or anthropocentric approaches to environmental challenges. It does not necessarily deny the existence of environmental problems but rather challenges the dominant frameworks for understanding and addressing them. The term can encompass a range of perspectives, from those who believe environmentalism needs to be more integrated with economic and social realities to those who are more fundamentally skeptical of its core tenets.