Hi there! My name is Ola. I will accompany you in this book

The main environmental problems of people, their global nature and essence. Abstract

The essence of the environmental problem of the world. Causes and factors of global environmental problems. Main environmental problems of the world. Tension produced environmental problems of the world

Environmental challenges are often marked by an intergroup dimension. Political conservatives and progressives are divided on their beliefs about climate change, farmers come into conflict with scientists and environmentalists over water allocation or species protection, and communities oppose big business and mining companies that threaten their local environment. 

These intergroup tensions are reminders of the powerful influence social contexts and group memberships can have on attitudes, beliefs, and actions relating to climate change and the environment more broadly.

 In this paper, we use social identity theory to help describe and explain these processes. We review literature showing, how conceiving of oneself in terms of a particular social identity influences our environmental attitudes and behaviors, how relations between groups can impact on environmental outcomes, and how the content of social identities can direct group members to act in more or less pro-environmental ways. 

We discuss the similarities and differences between the social identity approach to these phenomena and related theories, such as cultural cognition theory, the theory of planned behavior, and value-belief-norm theory.

Importantly, we also advance social-identity based strategies to foster more sustainable environmental attitudes and behaviors. Although this theoretical approach can provide important insights and potential solutions, more research is needed to build the empirical base, especially in relation to testing social identity solutions.

The Social Identity Approach

The social identity approach incorporates two interrelated theories – social identity theory and self-categorization theory — which each seek to explain how individual attitudes, emotions, and behaviors are influenced by the group memberships to which we belong. Each theory has different foci – social identity theory has traditionally focused on intergroup relations, whereas self-categorization theory has traditionally focused on intragroup processes – but they each share the same assumptions and meta-theoretical positions. 

Put simply, the social identity approach posits that our self-concept comprises both personal and social identities; personal identity encompasses idiosyncratic aspects of the self, whereas social identities are derived from the groups to which we belong.

Although intergroup conflict can stymy progress on environmental issues, it should be noted that a degree of intergroup conflict is inevitable when pushing for social change, and that the alternative to conflict is often an unhealthy stasis. 

The Fluidity of Social IdentityThe social identity approach recognizes that social identities are not fixed; rather, they are dynamic and flexible, changing in people’s minds as a function of the comparative context. Two key factors influence which social identities guide behavior: fit and accessibility (Oakes et al., 1991). Comparative fit refers to the degree to which a social identity is seen to reflect real world differences between groups. 

Where the social identity approach departs from cultural cognition is in its focus on the context-dependent nature of identity. Worldviews and values are relatively static or at best slow to change whereas identity is fluid and may become more or less salient depending on the context.

Forging a Superordinate Identity to Reduce Intergroup Environmental ConflictConflict between groups on environmental issues has the potential to impede progress on addressing these issues. As we outlined above, intergroup conflict reinforces the boundaries between groups so that group members relate more to each other as group members, and are therefore more likely to exhibit ingroup-favoring attitudes and behaviors.

These intergroup tensions are reminders of the powerful influence social contexts and group memberships can have on attitudes, beliefs, and actions relating to climate change and the environment more broadly.

When thought of in this way it is easy to see how this type of intergroup context can stand in the way of developing bi-partisan climate change policy, or sustainable resource allocation that benefits the environment as well as other stakeholders.

Promoting Pro-environmental Ingroup NormsFollowing on from the point above, there is strong evidence that people are more likely to act in environmentally friendly ways when the norms of a behaviorally relevant ingroup—especially one that people identify highly with—are supportive of pro-environmental action.

Future DirectionsThroughout this paper, we have highlighted interesting and important questions that could be pursued by researchers within a social identity framework. In particular Section “Social Identity Strategies to Encourage More Positive Environmental Outcomes” highlighted social identity-based solutions, many of which need further testing to verify their effectiveness and boundary conditions.

In light of the lack of progress in instituting climate change and environmental policy in most countries, an important focus for social identity researchers should be on policy acceptance and providing communicators with the tools to convince people of the need for environmental protection policy.

Another important focus for social identity researchers is understanding people’s willingness to take part in collective action to protect the environment. In Section “The Influence of Intergroup Conflict,”

ConclusionIt is clear that social identity is a powerful influence on attitudes, beliefs, and actions relating to climate change and the environment more broadly. As we have outlined above, the evidence for this is that

Conflict of Interest StatementThe authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Thank you very much for reading the book. Save nature - save your future.

Ecology is a science that studies the patterns of relationships of organisms with the environment, as well as the organization and activity of organismal systems.

The sections of special ecology are ecology of animals, plants, fungi, microorganisms, soils, soil zoology, ecological parasitology, landscape