Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development

The contemporary environmental crisis presents one of the most serious ethical challenges to human survival. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, deforestation, resource depletion, and ecological degradation increasingly threaten human health, food security, livelihoods, and the integrity of ecosystems. This paper examines the relationship between environmental ethics, environmental justice, and the future of human survival. It argues that environmental degradation is not merely a scientific, technological, or economic problem but fundamentally a moral problem concerning human responsibility toward nature, vulnerable populations, and future generations. The study draws on utilitarianism, deontological ethics, virtue ethics, deep ecology, land ethic, ecofeminism, biocentrism, ecocentrism, Rawlsian justice, the capabilities approach, and African communal ethical perspectives. Methodologically, the paper employs qualitative philosophical analysis, conceptual clarification, critical interpretation, and normative argumentation. Particular attention is given to African cases, including environmental degradation in Nigeria's Niger Delta, sacred-grove conservation among communities in southwestern Nigeria, Igbo totemic and sacred-grove practices in southeastern Nigeria, the Konso people of Ethiopia, and Yoruba environmental thought concerning reciprocal relations with the natural world. Evidence from these cases demonstrates that environmental ethics can be strengthened when philosophical principles are connected with concrete social and cultural practices. The paper argues that environmental justice requires an equitable distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, meaningful participation in environmental decision-making, recognition of indigenous ecological knowledge, and stronger obligations toward future generations. It concludes that human survival depends upon an ethical transformation from domination and excessive exploitation toward ecological responsibility, justice, restraint, reciprocity, and stewardship.

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