Green politics
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Green politics, or ecopolitics, is a
The political term green was used initially in relation to
Supporters of green politics share many ideas with the
History
Influences
Adherents to green politics tend to consider it to be part of a higher worldview and not simply a political ideology. Green politics draws its ethical stance from a variety of sources, from the values of
Unease about adverse consequences of human actions on nature predates the modern concept of environmentalism. Social commentators as far apart as ancient Rome and China complained of air, water and noise pollution.[10]
The philosophical roots of environmentalism can be traced back to enlightenment thinkers such as
"Green politics" first began as conservation and preservation movements, such as the Sierra Club, founded in San Francisco in 1892.
Left-green platforms of the form that make up the green parties today draw terminology from the science of
Early development
In June 1970, a Dutch group called Kabouters won 5 of the 45 seats on the Amsterdam Gemeenteraad (City Council), as well as two seats each on councils in The Hague and Leeuwarden and one seat apiece in Arnhem, Alkmaar and Leiden. The Kabouters were an outgrowth of Provo's environmental White Plans and they proposed "Groene Plannen" ("Green Plans").[17]
The first political party to be created with its basis in environmental issues was the
The German Green Party was not the first Green Party in Europe to have members elected nationally but the impression was created that they had been, because they attracted the most media attention: The
Further developments
The first Canadian foray into green politics took place in the Maritimes when 11 independent candidates (including one in Montreal and one in Toronto) ran in the 1980 federal election under the banner of the Small Party. Inspired by Schumacher's Small is Beautiful, the Small Party candidates ran for the expressed purpose of putting forward an anti-nuclear platform in that election. It was not registered as an official party, but some participants in that effort went on to form the Green Party of Canada in 1983 (the Ontario Greens and British Columbia Greens were also formed that year). Former Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May was the instigator and one of the candidates of the Small Party and she was eventually elected as a member of the Green Party in 2011 Canadian federal election.[22]
In Finland, the
In Latvia, Indulis Emsis, leader of the Green Party and part of the Union of Greens and Farmers, an alliance of a Nordic agrarian party and the Green Party, was Prime Minister of Latvia for ten months in 2004, making him the first Green politician to lead a country in the history of the world. In 2015, Emsis' party colleague, Raimonds Vējonis, was elected President of Latvia by the Latvian parliament. Vējonis became the first green head of state worldwide.
In the German state of Baden-Württenburg, the Green Party became the leader of the coalition with the Social Democrats after finishing second in the 2011 Baden-Württemberg state election. In the following state election, 2016, the Green Party became the strongest party for the first time in a German Landtag.
In 2016, the former leader of the Austrian Greens (1997 to 2008), Alexander Van der Bellen, officially running as an independent, won the 2016 Austrian presidential election, making him the second green head of state worldwide and the first directly elected by popular vote. Van der Bellen placed second in the election's first round with 21.3% of the vote, the best result for the Austrian Greens in their history. He won the second-round run-off against the far-right Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer with 53.8% of the votes, making him the first President of Austria who was not backed by either the People's Party or the Social Democratic Party.
Core tenets
According to Derek Wall, a prominent British green proponent, there are four pillars that define green politics:[1]
In 1984, the Green Committees of Correspondence in the United States expanded the Four Pillars into Ten Key Values,[23] which further included:
- Decentralization
- Community-based economics
- Post-patriarchal values (later translated to ecofeminism and Ethics of care)
- Respect for diversity
- Global responsibility
- Future focus
In 2001, the Global Greens were organized as an international green movement. The Global Greens Charter identified six guiding principles:
- Ecological wisdom
- Social justice
- Participatory democracy
- Nonviolence
- Sustainability
- Respect for diversity
Ecology
Economics
Green economics focuses on the importance of the health of the
Some Greens refer to productivism, consumerism and scientism[citation needed] as "grey", as contrasted with "green", economic views. "Grey" approaches focus on behavioral changes.[24]
Therefore, adherents to green politics advocate economic policies designed to safeguard the environment. Greens want governments to stop
Many aspects of green economics could be considered
Since green economics emphasizes biospheric health and biodiversity, an issue outside the traditional left-right spectrum, different currents within green politics incorporate ideas from socialism and capitalism. Greens on the Left are often identified as eco-socialists, who merge ecology and environmentalism with socialism and Marxism and blame the capitalist system for environmental degradation, social injustice, inequality and conflict. eco-capitalists, on the other hand, believe that the free market system, with some modification, is capable of addressing ecological problems. This belief is documented in the business experiences of eco-capitalists in the book, The Gort Cloud that describes the gort cloud as the green community that supports eco-friendly businesses.
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Tim Jackson, author of Prosperity Without Growth
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Tobin Tax
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Serge Latouche, theorist of degrowth
Participatory democracy
Since the beginning, green politics has emphasized local,
Green politics also encourages political action on the individual level, such as ethical consumerism, or buying things that are made according to environmentally ethical standards. Indeed, many green parties emphasize individual and grassroots action at the local and regional levels over electoral politics. Historically, green parties have grown at the local level, gradually gaining influence and spreading to regional or provincial politics, only entering the national arena when there is a strong network of local support.
In addition, many greens believe that governments should not levy taxes against strictly local production and trade. Some Greens advocate new ways of organizing authority to increase local control, including
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Michael Albert, theorist of participatory economics (participism)
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open content and net neutrality
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Post-fordismand immaterial labour
Other issues
Although Greens in the
In Europe, some green parties have tended to support the creation of a democratic
In the spirit of nonviolence, green politics oppose the
In keeping with their commitment to the preservation of diversity, greens are often committed to the maintenance and protection of indigenous communities, languages, and traditions. An example of this is the Irish Green Party's commitment to the preservation of the Irish Language.[29] Some of the green movement has focused on divesting in fossil fuels. Academics Stand Against Poverty states "it is paradoxical for universities to remain invested in fossil fuel companies". Thomas Pogge says that the fossil fuel divestment movement can increase political pressure at events like the international climate change conference (COP).[30] Alex Epstein of Forbes notes that it is hypocritical to ask for divestment without a boycott and that a boycott would be more effective.[31] Some institutions that are leading by example in the academic area are Stanford University, Syracuse University, Sterling College and over 20 more. A number of cities, counties and religious institutions have also joined the movement to divest.[32][33]
Green politics mostly
Green platforms generally favor tariffs on
The Green Party supports phasing out of nuclear power, coal, and incineration of waste.[34] However, the Green Party in Finland has come out against its previous anti-nuclear stance and has stated that addressing global warming in the next 20 years is impossible without expanding nuclear power.[35] These officials have proposed using nuclear-generated heat to heat buildings by replacing the use of coal and biomass to reach zero-emission outputs by 2040.
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Naomi Klein has written about capitalism and climate.
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Martha Nussbaum, Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, is a proponent of the capabilities approach to animal rights.
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LGBTQIAadvocate
Organization
Local movements
Green ideology emphasizes
Strong local coalitions are considered a prerequisite to higher-level electoral breakthroughs. Historically, the growth of Green parties has been sparked by a single issue where Greens can appeal to ordinary citizens' concerns. In Germany, for example, the Greens' early opposition to nuclear power won them their first successes in the federal elections.[37]
Global organization
There is a growing level of global cooperation between Green parties. Global gatherings of Green Parties now happen. The first Planetary Meeting of Greens was held 30–31 May 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, immediately preceding the
Global Green networking dates back to 1990. Following the Planetary Meeting of Greens in Rio de Janeiro, a Global Green Steering Committee was created, consisting of two seats for each continent. In 1993 this Global Steering Committee met in Mexico City and authorized the creation of a Global Green Network including a Global Green Calendar, Global Green Bulletin, and Global Green Directory. The Directory was issued in several editions in the next years. In 1996, 69 Green Parties from around the world signed a common declaration opposing French nuclear testing in the South Pacific, the first statement of global greens on a current issue. A second statement was issued in December 1997, concerning the Kyoto climate change treaty.[38]
At the 2001 Canberra Global Gathering delegates for Green Parties from 72 countries decided upon a Global Greens Charter which proposes six key principles. Over time, each Green Party can discuss this and organize itself to approve it, some by using it in the local press, some by translating it for their web site, some by incorporating it into their manifesto, some by incorporating it into their constitution.[39] This process is taking place gradually, with online dialogue enabling parties to say where they are up to with this process.[40]
The Gatherings also agree on organizational matters. The first Gathering voted unanimously to set up the Global Green Network (GGN). The GGN is composed of three representatives from each Green Party. A companion organization was set up by the same resolution: Global Green Coordination (GGC). This is composed of three representatives from each Federation (Africa, Europe, The Americas, Asia/Pacific, see below). Discussion of the planned organization took place in several Green Parties prior to the Canberra meeting.[41] The GGC communicates chiefly by email. Any agreement by it has to be by unanimity of its members. It may identify possible global campaigns to propose to Green Parties worldwide. The GGC may endorse statements by individual Green Parties. For example, it endorsed a statement by the US Green Party on the Israel-Palestine conflict.[42]
Thirdly, Global
Global Green meetings
Separately from the Global Green Gatherings, Global Green Meetings take place. For instance, one took place on the fringe of the
The Global Green Meeting discussed the situation of Green Parties on the African continent; heard a report from Mike Feinstein, former Mayor of Santa Monica, about setting up a web site of the GGN; discussed procedures for the better working of the GGC; and decided two topics on which the Global Greens could issue statements in the near future: Iraq and the 2003 WTO meeting in Cancun.
Green federations
Affiliated members in Asia, Pacific and Oceania form the
- Federation of Green Parties of Africa
- Federation of the Green Parties of the Americas / Federación de los Partidos Verdes de las Américas
- Asia-Pacific Green Network
- European Green Party
The European Federation of Green Parties formed itself as the European Green Party on 22 February 2004, in the run-up to European Parliament elections in June 2004, a further step in trans-national integration.
Green political parties
Green movements are calling for social change to reduce the misuse of natural resources. These include grassroots non-governmental organizations like Greenpeace and green parties:
- Alliance 90/The Greens
- Australian Greens
- Austrian Green Party
- Belarusian Green Party
- Democratic Renewal of Macedonia
- Dialogue for Hungary, LMP – Hungary's Green Party
- Ecologist Greens
- Europe Ecology – The Greens(France)
- Federation of the Greens
- Green League (Finland)
- Greens of Andorra
- Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Green Party of Armenia
- Green Party (Brazil)
- Green Party of Canada
- Green Party (Czech Republic)
- Green Party of England and Wales
- Green Party (Ireland)
- Green Party (Israel)
- Green Party of Lebanon
- Green Party (Norway)
- Green Party (Sweden)
- Green Party (Romania)
- Green Party of Taiwan
- Green Party (Turkey)
- Green Party of the United States
- Groen, Ecolo
- GroenLinks
- Hariyali Nepal Party
- Latvian Green Party
- Left-Green Movement
- Meretz (Israel)
- Red–Green Alliance (Denmark)
- Scottish Green Party
- Socialist People's Party (Denmark)
- The Alternative (Denmark)
See also
- Outline of green politics (list of related articles, organized for easy browsing)
- Political colour for a list and summary of all political colours
Notes
- ^ a b Wall 2010. p. 12-13.
- ISBN 978-0-8166-2182-8.
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- ISBN 978-1-85383-751-7.
- ISBN 978-0-549-13249-3.
- ISBN 9780470657324.
- ISBN 9780415312363.
- ISBN 9781412996792.
- ^ Wall 2010. p. 47-66.
- ^ Keys, David (December 2003). "How Rome polluted the world". Geographical. Vol. 75, no. 12. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- S2CID 157682006.
- ISBN 9780471949404.
- ^ "A Politics for the 21st Century". 26 August 1998. Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ISBN 9780521612777.
- ^ Staudenmaier, Peter. "Fascist Ecology: The 'Green Wing' of the Nazi Party and its Historical Antecedents". Archived from the original on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
- ISBN 978-1873176733. Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
- ^ Kempton, Richard (10 May 2003). "The Provos: Amsterdam's Anarchist Revolt" (PDF). madgorilla.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- ^ Wall 2010. p. 14.
- ^ "The History of The Green Party". Greens.org.nz. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Green History UK-Who Was First?". Green-History.uk. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- ^ Humphries, David (31 March 2012). "Newsmaker: Green bans". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
- ^ "The Green Movement". Green Party of Canada. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ISBN 1-57607-901-5. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Giuseppe Ferrari (2008) Green and grey in Dutch environmentalism: Debates and Philosophical Implications, Environmental Sciences, 5:3, 191-204, DOI: 10.1080/15693430802299114 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15693430802299114 Archived 1 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-1-84844-954-1.
- ^ "Thousands march against nuclear power in Tokyo". USA Today. September 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ David H. Slater (9 November 2011). "Fukushima women against nuclear power: finding a voice from Tohoku". The Asia-Pacific Journal. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ^ "Green Party of the United States platform: Criminal Justice". Green Party. 2004. Archived from the original on 4 September 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ "Green Party Irish Language Policy" (PDF). the Green Party of Ireland. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2014.
- ^ Howard, Emma (7 April 2015). "Top academics ask world's universities to divest from fossil fuels". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ Epstein, Alex. "The Moral Case For Investing, Not Divesting, In Fossil Fuels". Forbes. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ "Divestment Commitments". FossilFree.org. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ "Syracuse University to divest fossil fuel investments". April 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ "Energy". policy.greenparty.org.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ^ Conca, James. "Finland's Green Party And Nuclear Power -- Really?". Forbes. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- ISBN 1-895431-80-8.
Not surprisingly the colours green and yellow are used widely in the symbols of ecologists, the former evoking vegetation and the latter the sun. The sunflower, a popular symbol, embodies both colours, and turns towards the sun, the source of renewable energy. The bicycle is another important icon as bicycle transportation is regarded as one of the means to re-humanise society.
- ^ "The history behind Germany's nuclear phase-out". Clean Energy Wire. 25 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- ^ John Rensenbrink (August 2003). "Global Greens Network - a brief history up to 2003". Global Greens. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
- ^ "Canadian Greens / Green Party of Canada Constitution". green party of canada. Archived from the original on 18 February 2004.
- ^ "iG - Notícias, Vídeos, Famosos, Esportes, Bate Papo, Infográficos". Greenparties.hpg.ig.com.br. 17 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ "Global Network of Green Parties". Australian Greens. Archived from the original on 1 March 2003.
- ^ "Statement of the Global Green Coordination on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict". Green Party US. Archived from the original on 18 February 2003.
- ^ "Spinifex 4, Newsletter of the 2001 Global Greens Congress" (PDF). Consensus Productions. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
- ^ "Alain LIPIETZ à BOGOTA du 3 au 5 mars 2002". Providence College: Tony Affigne: Green parties of the world declare: "Free Ingrid Betancourt and Clara Rojas!" (in French). Archived from the original on 16 February 2004.
- ^ "Green Parties of the World Call for Ingrid Betancout's Freedom". Green Parties world wide. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.
References
- Wall, Derek (2010). The No-Nonsense Guide to Green Politics. Oxford: New Internationalist Publications. ISBN 978-1-906523-39-8.
Further reading
- Dobson, Andrew (2007). Green Political Thought. 4. Edition (1. Edition 1980), London/ New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-40351-0(Hardcover)
- Gilk, Paul (2009). Green Politics is Eutopian. The Lutterworth Press. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- Spretnak, Charlene (1986). The Spiritual Dimension of Green Politics. Santa Fe, N.M.: Bear & Co. 95 p. ISBN 0-939680-29-7
- Zimmermann, Katharina; Graziano, Paolo (2020). "Mapping Different Worlds of Eco-Welfare States". .