Green Politics
Green politics refers to a political ideology which fights for creation of sustainable and environmentally conscious society. It is closely related to the concepts of ecology and environmentalism but it also deals with social justice, nonviolence and civil liberties. It is usually considered left in terms of political orientation.
The Four Pillars
The so-called Four Pillars - ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and nonviolence - form the very basis of most Green Parties worldwide.
Ecological wisdom encompasses environmental issues and strives to reduce the harmful impact of human activities on the environment. To achieve a harmonious coexistence with other forms of life on Earth, Green politics advocates radical change in both politics and economy. The members of Green parties and their supporters demand more environmentally responsible economic model. They see a solution in support of environmentally friendly industries through subsidies and refusal of the latter to companies that pollute the environment, exploit natural resources, emit too much carbon dioxide or harm the environment in any other way.
Social justice is also an important part of Green politics. It strictly rejects any form of discrimination in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, class, culture or sexual orientation. ‘Green’ social justice is in its root almost total egalitarian and demands more effective protection of the weak from the wealthy or/and influential members of the society.
Grassroots democracy, also called participatory democracy is the very core of the Green politics. The Greens advocate a stronger political action on a local and even on an individual level. According to the Green politics, the citizens must have a greater role and influence on policy making.
In term of nonviolence, Green politics advocates peaceful resolution of conflicts and strongly opposes war. As an alternative to the latter, it suggests promotion of democracy, human rights and a greater role of women in the society as well as in policy making.
Other Issues
Other issues that are given the highest priority by Green politics include:
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Nuclear power. All Green parties strongly oppose nuclear power and promote clean and environmentally friendly sources of energy such as solar energy, wind power, geothermal power, etc..
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Deforestation. The Greens warn about the devastating consequences of deforestation. They campaign heavily for a global action because the destruction of rainforests affects the entire planet.
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Genetically modified food. Green parties either oppose genetically modified food or advocate strict restriction due to concerns about its effects on human health and the environment.
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Other. Many Green parties also deal with issues such as the rights of indigenous peoples, land reform, biosecurity, biosafety, etc..