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Citizenship 189

environmental justice movement, based primarily in the US, which involves
people trying to take control of local conditions that are unhealthy and
unsightly, but also socially and economically damaging. Often these
actions are linked to social and economic regeneration of a local area. In
this respect, environmental citizenship is human - centered: it is rights to a
decent, healthy, pleasant, and socially vibrant environment that are impor-
tant. Although the model of the environmental justice movement remains
well within existing understandings of citizenship rights in its concern
with the equality of peoples ’ rights, it could have a huge impact around
the world. Many people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture or

fishing, or who rely on the local environment for firewood, water, or food,
are well - aware that the conditions of their lives are directly at risk from
environmental damage and are ready to take action to prevent it (Dobson,
2003 : 92 – 4; Agyeman and Evans, 2006 ).
There is already European Union policy that is supposed to extend local
participation in determining the direction of sustainable development.
In principle, it extends power, responsibility, and influence to local gov-

ernment on the basis of subsidiarity, the democratic principle of the EU
that political decisions should be make as at the smallest possible scale.
It follows the Local Agenda 21 rules agreed at the UN Summit in 1992
of devolving responsibility to local governments to develop their own
definitions of sustainable development in consultation with local citizens.

At the moment, environmental action at the local level generally involves
similar tactics to those of the environmental movement more broadly:
lobbying government; investigating the activities of corporations and
industries that are damaging the environment; and media campaigns to
raise awareness, and to educate and inform other citizens. Use of the
Internet may be especially promising in broadening consultation on envi-
ronmental issues (Schlosberg et al., 2006 ). Agyeman and Evans argue,
however, that there is comparatively little evidence of activity at the local
level in the UK as a result of these initiatives: they doubt that top - down,
procedural approaches can generate the kind of bottom - up grassroots
movements that have become typical of actions for environmental justice
in the US (Agyeman and Evans, 2006 ).
Ultimately, responsibility towards the environment can only be gener-
ated and sustained by changes of attitude towards environmental issues
at all scales, from local to global; and by policies to end the rapid rate of
environmental damage. Andrew Dobson takes the view that what he calls
“ ecological citizenship ” involves non - territorial responsibilities. It is the
responsibility of those who are causing environmental damage to stop, as
they are affecting the rights of others, including those who live in other