Debates in ecology revolve around substantive matters, such as the causes or reality of climate change and how, or if, to manage urban growth and other forms of development. But it is important to recognize that these debates are not purely substantive but, rather, nested in mainstream and nascent political ideologies, which act as a lens through which to interpret facts, frame arguments, and position policy interventions.

Political ideologies are collections of beliefs, ideals, principles, and conceptions concerning relations between the individual and society. They constitute the basis of belief for political parties, as well as the intellectual foundation for multiple discourses on society, government, and the limits of state power, in addition to broader values such as freedom, responsibility, ethics, justice, and liberty.

Given their universal ...