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acceptance of the existing differences in geographical regions, cultures, abilities,
demands, needs, and expectations that a global society can pave its way towards
sustainability, a perspective that concurs with the perspectives of biocultural ethics
and Earth Stewardship proposed in the regions of southern Chile (Rozzi et al.
2012
;
Rozzi
2013
).
28.4
Implications for an Earth Stewardship Initiative
Fair and long lasting solutions can only be achieved through the honest participation
of all members in all the chains of governmental decisions.
The principle of responsibility proposed by Hans Jonas fi ts in well with the Earth
Stewardship approach: everyone is responsible for maintaining our planet's health
for our own and for future generations. This sense of responsibility has been fos-
tered by the direct participation of diverse community members in program deci-
sions. We need to recover the spirit of the fi rst Earth Day 1970, in which 20 million
Americans took part. Electronic communications resources, such as the internet and
social media, have been offering new and very effective ways for individuals and
communities to participate in processes of decision-making.
Nevertheless, for an Earth Stewardship initiative, such as the one proposed by the
Ecological Society of America (Chapin et al.
2011
), to succeed many important and
urgent steps should be taken. A culture based on principles of environmental ethics
should be encouraged in all educational levels throughout the globe. This implies the
abandonment of the current anthropocentric, egoistic, materialistic, consumerist way
of living. Governments should give away part of their sovereignty in favor of a Global
Environmental Governance, for environmental problems do not respect frontiers,
they are everyone's. And as far as many countries are concerned, including Brazil,
corruption at all levels of government should be unrelentingly combated.
No one can say that facing the interests of powerful international enterprises and
the surreptitious lawful techno bureaucracy they impose on us is an easy task, but
there are examples in history that changes can take place when people have fi rm
belief in their cause. Chico Mendes and José Lutzenberger set examples that, regard-
less of one's geography, or socioeconomic and political conditions, each and every-
one's contribution is precious. It is the collective effort from peasants to presidents
that will provide the deep, necessary changes which will make the Earth Stewardship
dream come true.
References
Bones E, Hasse G (2002) Pioneiros da Ecologia. Já, Porto Alegre
Chapin FS III, Pickett STA, Power ME et al (2011) Earth stewardship: a strategy for social-
ecological transformation to reverse planetary degradation. J Environ Stud Sci 1:44-53
Fernandes E, Valença MM (2004) Brasil urbano. Mauad, Rio de Janeiro
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