Regulatory role of religion and environmental conservation : looking back to scriptures

Abstract

Protection of the environment is considered a late development and the policy struggle to contain human practices is also well-known. It may sound like the earlier generations till 19th century were unaware of environmental consequences of their actions and the need to conserve. However, the fact is that the ancient vision was more towards settling human civilization in an environment friendly ways. The ancient policy and regulatory currents used to flow from the religions and an examination of the religious conditioning of life well establishes that environment was a concern. The religious texts and consequent practices are examined without comparing different religions for their environment friendly values and sermons. Reason for non-comparative study and analysis is that different religions developed at different times and at different locations. Contemporary time and geography being different, the conservation needs were also different. A religion which originated and grew on a water scarce location could have had more sensitive guidance for water\. Another religion could have had value for some other natural resource. Therefore, minus comparison, many religions are covered and their religious prescriptions are cited. Basic premise remains the same; that all religions had value for environmental conservation. The same has been examined and elaborated in the paper. Perspective is that rejuvenating the religious practices, may be after due confirmation with modern researches, will give a boost to the environmental conservation movement with ordinary efforts on regulation.