Healthy ecosystems are essential to human life, yet we seem to have forgotten the relationship between nature and society. Extinction rates are 100 to 1000 times higher than in pre-human times. Only 20% of the Earth’s original forests remain relatively undisturbed. 80% of fish stocks are in danger of being overfished. Invasions by non-native plants, animals and diseases are growing rapidly. Habitat destruction and species extinction are driven by industrial and agricultural development that also exacerbates climate change, global inequity and the destruction of indigenous cultures and livelihoods. Agricultural monoculture, promoted by agribusiness and accelerated by genetic modification and patenting of nature, threatens the diversity of crop and domestic animal species, radically increasing vulnerability to disease. Therefore, India Greens Party shall:
- oppose environmentally destructive agricultural and industrial development and give primary effort to protecting native plants and animals in their natural habitat, and wherever possible in large tracts.
- work to remove subsidies for environmentally destructive activities, including logging, fossil fuel exploitation, dam construction, mining, genetic engineering and agricultural monoculture.
- promote ecological purchasing policies, for products such as wood, based only on the most rigorous definition of sustainability backed by credible labelling.
- support the concept of ‘debt for nature’ swaps, subject to the agreement of affected Indigenous and local communities.
- promote repair of degraded natural environments, and the cleanup of toxic sites of former and existing military and industrial zones around the world.
- note that reducing the transport of goods around the world, in line with a preference for local production where possible, will have the added benefit of reducing ‘bio-invasions’, as well as reducing fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
- commit to promote a global ecology curriculum for all levels of education.
- work towards establishing an international court of justice specific for environmental destruction and the loss of biodiversity where cases can be heard against corporations, national states and individuals.
- refuse to accept the patenting and merchandising of life.