Ecodystopia

Ecodystopia is a term used to describe a narrative, speculative scenario, or analytical framework in which environmental decline and human interventions produce a society in crisis. It sits at the intersection of dystopian fiction and ecological critique, focusing on ecological limits, climate disruption, and resource scarcity as primary drivers of social collapse. The term is used both as a literary category and as an analytic concept in environmental sociology and science fiction studies.

Common features of ecodystopian works include ecological degradation, climate change effects such as droughts and floods, loss of biodiversity, pollution, and resource scarcity. These pressures intersect with economic inequality, political instability, corporate power, and governance failures. Protagonists often confront damaged infrastructure, compromised institutions, and ethical trade-offs as communities struggle to survive or resist environmental breakdown. Themes may also address environmental justice, migration, and the fragility of social contracts under ecological stress.

Notable examples in literature and media include Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy and Octavia Butler’s Parable series, which explore ecologically driven crises and bioethical questions. Paolo Bacigalupi’s Windup World and The Water Knife depict resource wars and biotechnological challenges in a climate-altered world. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road presents a stark, post-apocalyptic environment, while J.G. Ballard’s The Drowned World is an early, influential ecodystopian work. Many ecodystopian narratives blend ecological concerns with technological and political critique.

In scholarly and public discourse, ecodystopia is used to examine potential futures, policy responses, and ethical questions about sustainability, resilience, and environmental justice. The term is often discussed alongside cli-fi (climate fiction), eco-criticism, and dystopian studies.