Are Some Animals More Equal than Others? Animal Rights and Deep Ecology in Environmental Education

Oct 15, 2026

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The article examines how ethical perspectives—deep ecology and animal rights—can strengthen environmental education by repositioning students as responsible planetary citizens. It links non-consequentialism, animal rights, and deep ecology within an educational setting, then extends the discussion to broader educational ethics. It argues that integrating these perspectives can improve current environmental education programs by deepening respect for nonhuman beings and their inclusion in the ethical community.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Ethical roles of deep ecology and animal rights in environmental education

Shared foundations: love of nature and intrinsic value

Animal rights goals and educational practice

Educational programs and organizational support

Are Some Animals More Equal than Others? Animal Rights and Deep Ecology in Environmental Education Helen Kopnina, Leiden University and The Hague University, The Netherlands, & Mickey Gjerris, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Abstract This article focuses on the role of ethical perspectives such as deep ecology and animal rights in relation to environmental education, arguing that such perspectives are well-placed to reposition students as responsible planetary citizens. We focus on the linkage between non-consequentialism, animal rights, and deep ecology in an educational context and discuss the broader issue of ethics in education. Finally, we discuss how the inclusion of deep ecology and animal rights perspectives would improve current environmental education programs by deepening the respect for nonhumans and their inclusion in the ethical community. Résumé L’article porte sur le rôle des perspectives éthiques telles que l’écologie profonde et les droits des animaux en lien avec l’éducation environnementale, et avance que ces perspectives sont bien placées pour faire des élèves des citoyens planétaires responsables. Il met en évidence les liens entre le non-conséquentialisme, les droits des animaux et l’écologie profonde dans un contexte éducatif et aborde la question plus large de l’éthique en éducation. Enfin, cet article se penche sur l’amélioration possible des programmes d’enseignement environnementaux actuels par l’intégration de perspectives en écologie profonde et en droits des animaux grâce à l’approfondissement du respect pour les non-humains et leur inclusion dans la communauté éthique. Keywords: animal rights, anthropocentrism, deep ecology, education for sustainable development, environmental education, environmental ethics, pluralism Introduction Research has demonstrated that care for the environment is strongly correlated with deeper respect and care for animal rights 1 (e.g. , Johnson, Garrity, & Stallones, 1992) . Despite some distinct positions in environmental ethics, and different zoo-centric positions focusing on animal rights, deep ecology and animal rights perspectives can be seen as extensions of care for the environment and animals that can supplement each other, even though they might sometimes come into conflict (Callicott, 1988, 1999) . In this article we focus on the many situations where deep ecology and animal rights positions are able to reinforce 108 Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 20, 2015 each other—instead of the situations where they come into conflict. However, in order to understand how perspectives as diverse as deep ecology and animal rights can be unified under a common objective, we need to briefly address the differences between them. Deep ecology and animal rights are largely based on attempts to affirm an independent place for nature and animals in ethical reflection by arguing, demonstrating, making likely, pointing to, and claiming nature’s ethical importance in itself and its associated rights. While the range between deep ecology and animal rights perspectives is wide, many authors have argued for reconciliation of the divergent views for the sake of mutually strengthening the fields that typically place the interests of ecosystems, species, and/or individuals within the species at the forefront of moral agendas (e.g. , Callicott, 1988; Kahn, 2010) . The point of conversion of these perspectives lies in a shared “love of nature”or “biophilia,” as defined by Wilson (1984) . The positions can be characterized by the assumption that individual nonhuman entities (in animal rights) and even ecosystems (in deep ecology) have value beyond their instrumental value (e.g. , Kopnina, 2012b; Postma, 2002; Rolston, 1985) . Even though conflicts can arise between those who wish to protect the rights of individual animals and those who wish to protect an ecosystem from an invasive species, the importance and frequency of these conflicts often seems e

FAQs

How do deep ecology and animal rights relate to environmental education in the article?

They are presented as ethical perspectives that can help environmental education reposition students as responsible planetary citizens. The article emphasizes their compatibility in many educational contexts, even if conflicts can occur.

What shared foundation is used to connect deep ecology and animal rights?

The article points to a shared “love of nature” (biophilia) and the assumption that nonhuman entities and even ecosystems have value beyond instrumental value.

What does the article say animal rights education typically aims to address?

Drawing on Regan (1986), it highlights goals such as ending animal experimentation, dissolving commercial animal agriculture, and eliminating commercial and sport hunting. In education, animal rights is often taught within broader sustainability- and conservation-related courses.

Oct 15, 2026

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