Rose Marie Inojosa, ECI Advisor and Education Center Faculty
This is, in fact, a risky society, a moment when real and virtual storms and fires accumulate on the horizon of life on Earth, extinguishing or threatening many species, including humans. It has been a process full of suffering, which reaches the most vulnerable first, but it has affected and will inevitably affect everyone, even the fools who believe they are safe.
For decades, humanity has taken some steps towards respecting different forms of life on the Planet and human diversity, undertaking both welfare and emancipatory actions for vulnerable populations. It has charted a path of progress, although fragmented into groups dedicated to specific aspects of our shared challenges. However, in this journey, it has not yet tackled the core issues: growing inequality and the continuation of practices that fuel global warming and climate change. It seems that, the more scattered we are, the more we lose our power.
In the present time, a disturbing underground reaction has emerged, bringing great setbacks to the agenda of spreading understanding and practice on respecting life. It has brought more wars, climate denialism, denial of science in general, disregard for diversity, a preference for wealth concentration, violence, deeper inequality, and the intensive use of social media to spread lies, hatred, and prejudice.
Many boots have trampled on the seeds of transformation that part of humanity has patiently cultivated. They destroy the fields, mocking the efforts.
At this moment, we are at a crossroads between the announced barbarism of a world of some against all, or the brave reclaiming and deepening of the trajectory of respect for life.
Those of us who bet on life, for consistent and powerful action, an ethical foundation that mobilizes us and unites us around a common commitment, one that considers the interrelation of all dimensions of life on Earth as the possibility for its regeneration and sustainability.
The ethical proposal of the Earth Charter can fulfill this role, as it centers on the crucial point for mobilization: respect for life, for all beings and all forms and modes of life. It links the dimension of ecological regeneration to social, economic, and ecological justice, as well as to democracy, peace, and non-violence. It is a comprehensive approach to interdependence and the need for an integrative perspective that encompasses the complexity of life and this historical moment.
The Earth Charter, as a seed of transformation launched 25 years ago, is ready for this crucial moment in humanity. The soil is watered with blood and tears. A collective, intentional, powerful, and responsible human action is needed to warm this seed and enable its transformative germination.
