Towards a Planetary Ethic of Becoming

Journal of Climate Justice
An International Peer-Reviewed Journal in Environmental Science
Volume 1, Issue 1, 2026
Pages: 57–66
Online ISSN: 3139-8529

Y. T. Vinayaraj
Director, Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society (CISRS), Bengaluru, India
Email: yvinayaraj@gmail.com

Received: 28th April 2026
Published: July 2026

Key words

Planetary Ethics; New Materialism; Planetarity; Ecological Theology; Posthumanism; Earth Planet; Climate Justice

Abstract

(This article explores the emergence of a planetary ethic through engagement with contemporary eco-critical thought, particularly New Materialism and posthumanist discourse. It critically examines modern humanism and globalization, which have reinforced anthropocentrism and human exceptionalism, contributing to ecological degradation and the climate crisis. Drawing on thinkers such as Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Donna Haraway, Gilles Deleuze, Bruno Latour, and Jane Bennett, the article proposes a transition from anthropocentric perspectives toward a planetary ontology that recognizes interconnectedness among humans, nonhuman beings, and material realities. It argues that ethics must move beyond fixed transcendental systems toward an immanent, relational, and dynamic ethics rooted in embodied experiences and ecological interdependence. The article further examines the concept of Earth as an active and self-organizing reality and develops a theological framework for understanding planetary becoming. Such a perspective contributes to contemporary discussions in theology, ecological ethics, and climate justice by envisioning a more inclusive and relational understanding of life within the Earth community.