“The Emergence of Environmental Humanities” by Robert Emmett and David Nye defines environmental humanities as an interdisciplinary field that explores humans’ relationship with the environment through the lens of humanities such as history, philosophy, political theory, and art. Emmett and Nye advocate for integrating humanities with natural and social sciences, as doing so will help develop more sustainable and effective solutions to the current environmental crisis. One observation I found particularly interesting was how corruption in government and politics has obstructed efforts to address environmental issues.

On page two, Emmett and Nye write about a plan established in 2010 that called for an “ecological community of 50,000 to be built on marshy land near Shanghai” (2). However, “nothing was built” as “local farmers [and scientists] were never consulted” and “the politicians involved were removed after fraud convictions” (2). Such examples demonstrate politicians’ failure to understand the complexity of environmental sustainability. Creating policies without consulting those most knowledgeable about the environmental impact of human activities prevents policymakers— and the general public— from making effective informed decisions. Politicians’ “agendas” and “initial goals” are “affected by political ideologies and economic interests” (5). Those who hold the power to make substantial change prioritize short-term gains or personal interests over the long-term health of the environment. This leads to neglect of pressing environmental issues like pollution, deforestation, and global warming.

Politicians’ skewed priorities have led to a disconnect with the public. Emmett and Nye argue that “the environmental humanities [enact] a positive response to complex social-environmental issues” (9). This is because “writers, photographers, and artists” hold the ability “to communicate the complex relationships of societies and their environment” (7). For example, a photographer might use images to document environmental degradation and the communities affected by it. These images provide visual evidence of the interconnectedness of human and environmental dynamics. Additionally, political corruption often results in the marginalization of vulnerable communities such as indigenous populations or those in poverty. Emmett and Nye observe that while there is some effort to help the enviornment, there is a lack of consideration for how these efforts “affect the poor and ethnic minorities” (17). For example, “toxic waste sites were located near communities of African Americans” (17). The failure to consider the interconnectedness of the enviornment and social issues results in policies that exacerbate rather than alleviate the burdens of current sustainability efforts.

Overall, Emmett and Nye’s observations underscore the urgent need for environmental efforts to connect with the humanities— highlighting how systemic inequality and political corruption prevent humanity from connecting with the natural world.