Ecocentric reworking of Deep Ecology platform

HOME | SEARCH CONTENT | SIGN UP FOR EMAILS | GET IN TOUCH

Ecocentric reworking of the Deep Ecology eight-point platform

by Stan Rowe

1 The well-being and flourishing of the living Earth and its many organic/inorganic parts have value in themselves. These values are independent of the usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes.

2 Richness and diversity of Earth’s ecosystems, as well as the organic forms that they nurture and support, contribute to the realization of these values and are also values in themselves.

3 Humans have no right to reduce the diversity of Earth’s ecosystems and their vital constituents, organic and inorganic.

4 The flourishing of human life and culture is compatible with a substantial decrease of human population. The creative flourishing of Earth and its multitudinous parts, organic and inorganic, requires such a decrease.

5 Present human interference with the non-human world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly worsening.

6 Policies must therefore be changed. These policies affect basic economic, technological and ideological structures. The resulting state of affairs will be deeply different from the present.

7 The ideological change is mainly that of appreciating life quality (dwelling in situations of intrinsic value) rather than adhering to a high standard of living. There will be a profound awareness of the difference between big and great.

8 Those who subscribe to the foregoing points have an obligation directly or indirectly to participate in the attempt to implement the necessary changes.