1. Left biocentrism is a left focus or theoretical tendency within the
    deep ecology movement, which is subversive of the existing industrial
    society. It accepts and promotes the eight-point Deep Ecology Platform
    drawn up by Arne Naess and George Sessions. Left biocentrism holds up
    as an ideal, identification, solidarity, and compassion  with all life. "Left"
    as used in left biocentrism, means anti-industrial and anti-capitalist, but
    not necessarily socialist. The expressions 'left biocentrism' or 'left
    ecocentrism' are used interchangeably.
 

        2. Left biocentrism accepts the view that the Earth belongs to no one.
    While raising a number of criticisms, left biocentrism is meant to
    strengthen, not undermine, the deep ecology movement which identifies
    with all life.
 

        3. Left biocentrism says that individuals must take responsibility for
    their actions and be socially accountable. Part of being individually
    responsible is to practice voluntary simplicity, so as to minimize one's
    own impact upon the Earth.
 

        4. Left biocentrists are concerned with social justice and class issues,
    but within a context of ecology. To move to a deep ecology world, the
    human species must be mobilized, and a concern for social justice is a
    necessary part of this mobilization. Left biocentrism is for the
    redistribution of wealth, nationally and internationally.
 

        5. Left biocentrism opposes economic growth and consumerism.
    Human societies must live within ecological limits so that all other
    species may continue to flourish. We believe that bioregionalism,
    not globalism, is necessary for sustainability. The perspective of the
    late German Green philosopher Rudolf Bahro is accepted that, for
    world-wide sustainability, industrialized countries need to reduce
    their impact upon the Earth to about one tenth of what it is at the
    present time. It is also incumbent upon non-industrialized nations to
    become sustainable and it is necessary for industrialized nations to
    help on this path.
 

        6. Left biocentrism holds that individual and collective spiritual
    transformation is important to bring about major social change, and to
    break with industrial society. We need inward transformation, so that
    the interests of all species override the short-term self-interest of the
    individual, the family, the community, and the nation.
 

        7. Left biocentrism believes that deep ecology must be applied to
    actual environmental issues and struggles, no matter how socially
    sensitive, e.g. population reduction, aboriginal issues, workers'
    struggles, etc.
 

        8. Social ecology, eco-feminism and eco-marxism, while raising
    important questions, are all human-centered and consider human-to-
    human relations within society to be more important and, in the final
    analysis, determine society's relationship to the natural world. Left
    biocentrism believes that an egalitarian, non-sexist, non-discriminating
    society, a highly desirable goal, can still be exploitive towards the Earth.
 

        9. Left biocentrists are "movement greens" in basic orientation. They
    are critical of existing Green political parties, which have come to an
    accommodation with industrial society and have no accountability to the
    deep ecology movement.
 

        10. To be politically relevant, deep ecology needs to incorporate the
    perspective advanced by left biocentrism.
 

        The above Primer is a result of a protracted collective discussion among a
        number of those who support left biocentrism and deep ecology.

            Students in the universities and fellow green and environmental activists can learn more about
        about left biocentrism through a book entitled Ecological Ethics: An Introduction by Patrick Curry.
        The revised  and expanded second edition is a 332-page volume, discussing concepts, gradations and
        of ecological ethics, with a very good section on left biocentrism. The first edition of the book was
        endorsed by Paul Watson, who said: "This book is a brilliant introduction to the ethical basis of the
        ecology movement. It is a handbook for survival - for ourselves and for our planet."

                    Ecological Ethics: An Introduction, Second Edition
                    by Patrick Curry
                    332 pages
                    Polity Press, 2011
                    Available in Paperback ISBN: 978-0-7456-5126-2
                    Or Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-7456-5125-5

     
             There is an internet discussion group called "left bio" - a group about
            socially-conscious ecocentric philosophy. The philosophical basis of unity
            is a general agreement with the above Left Biocentrism Primer. (This is a
            general agreement, meaning one can have reservations about particular
            points or wordings.)

                                                E-mail:  greenweb@tncwireless.ca