Environmental Restorative Justice: Activating Synergies

The study of environmental victimization has been notably absent from the vast majority of academic and policy discussions surrounding victims of crime, despite the growing prevalence of ‘green’ issues and ‘environmental harms’ in the 21st century. This article presents a forward-looking examination of the possibilities for a ‘green victimology’ to complement the developing field of ‘green criminology’ − mapping out possibilities for its theoretical context, likely scope and key research questions. In sum, the article presents the case for a critical, interdisciplinary approach to the question of environmental victims that takes careful note of developments in the field of human and environmental rights. The article also examines the scope of ‘environmental harm’ and ‘environmental victimization’, concluding that, like other victim groups, environmental victims are far from homogeneous. In particular, the article calls for empirical work to ascertain the views and needs of environmental victims themselves.