To capture the diversity within environmentalism, this dictionary takes a global tack with a focus on ideas, events, institutions, initiatives, and green movements since the 1960s. It strives to avoid a common error in many histories of environmentalism: to exaggerate the input of the wealthy countries of Europe and North America and understate the influence of Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Polar Regions. It aims as well for a more comprehensive analysis than most histories of the modern environmental movement, understanding environmentalism as emerging not only from grassroots and formal nongovernmental associations, but also from corporate, governmental, and intergovernmental organizations and initiatives. This assumes the ideas and energy infusing environmentalism with political purpose arise from hundreds of thousands of sources: from corporate boardrooms to bureaucratic policies to international negotiations to activists. Thus, environmentalists are not only indigenous people blocking a logging road, Greenpeace activists protesting a seal hunt, or green candidates contesting an election; an equal or larger number of environmentalists are working within the Japanese bureaucracy to implement environmental policies, within the World Bank to assess the environmental impacts of loans, within Wal-Mart to green its purchasing practices, or within intergovernmental forums to negotiate international environmental agreements. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Environmentalism contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries on important events, issues, organizations, ideas, and people shaping the direction of environmentalism worldwide. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about environmentalism.

"With the updated Bibliography the standout feature, this second edition of Historical Dictionary of Environmentalism is probably most useful for those undertaking an assignment or beginning research on aspects of the global environmental movement. As a key to book-length literature, and with the numerous Web links, the bibliography provides an unrivalled access point for further information. This is not to negate the book’s wider value. The entries in the dictionary sequence offer an excellent overview of the development and current position of environmentalism, as well as extensive background on the factors underlying environmental concerns…. All libraries that have the first edition, even though it appeared just seven years previously, should consider purchase of this revised Historical Dictionary of Environmentalism. Public libraries that did not acquire the 2009 edition may also feel that this is a title that will be of value to their readers. It offers an informed, dispassionate and realistic overview of the development and current state of environmentalism across the globe and should stand as a valuable counterweight to those who dismiss scientific fact as ‘fake news’, disdain experts and denigrate those who seek to protect our environment as ‘tree-huggers’." - s