Glossary Term:

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The same can be said about excessive exploitation of ecosystems, the most famous examples of which are the deforestation of Easter Island and the shrinking of the Aral Sea, both considered, by the author, as Ecocides: at the beginning of the XXIst century, it is apparent that humanity is living in a period of Ecocide characterized by immense ecological changes. Most researchers think that the earth is undergoing one of the most rapid mass extinctions of many species in all of its history (the Sixth Extinction) and consider that this environmental problem is a contemporary ecological disaster to the same extent as climatic changes. Rebelling against the waste provoked by our current economic model, Broswimmer proclaims the necessity for an Ecological Democracy, one where political and economic decisions made will ensure the long term preservation of the natural resources necessary for future generations.

The concept of Ecocide has also been studied by Jared Diamond, physiologist and professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He sees the current dramatic environmental problems as the signs of a future collapse and analyses the causes of the regression of different ancient and current societies (Diamond, 2004). Moreover, considering the different threats societies are confronted to, he proposes ways to react.

When analyzing the collapse of the Mayan civilization, the causes of the twilight of Easter Island and other past societies (the Indians of the south eastern United States, the Vikings of Greenland) and the problems of current troubled societies (Haiti, Rwanda), Diamond advances five major factors to explain their regression or collapse: environmental damage, climatic changes, hostile neighbors, dependence upon commercial partners and the inability of societies to provide appropriate solutions to the problems they face.

According to Diamond, how a society responds to its problems is a determining factor. While even the most evolved and creative societies can face collapse, nevertheless, the process can be impeded. The absence of control over environmental degradation has always played a key role, but each society influences its destiny through the choices it makes. Solutions proposed depend on values held and can change the course of history if they are implemented immediately and by everyone. This is precisely the challenge faced by societies today.

Like Franz Broswimmer, Jared Diamond is counting on public opinion to intelligently influence politicians and industrials through non-governmental organizations and on a Civilian Democracy endowed with an ecological conscience. He cites the fact that with globalization, interdependence of today’s societies is a reality and that solidarity is indispensable to combat the global risks threatening us.

In a more general fashion, Ecocide deals with the relationship between man and nature. Theodore Monod, a French researcher, geologist, botanist and archeologist, worked on this topic. He recognizes that, while prehistoric man was born into nature, man today, on the contrary, is in conflict with nature: “improvements made to tools are in direct relationship to the development of the psyche and thus are made from a more efficient freedom of choice;… with the Neolithic revolution, a new level was reached. From that moment, a new phase began and it still exists, that of divorce and aggression... Man will henceforth intervene with ever increasing efficiency and while pursuing destructive and devastating activities” (Monod, 1991: 78-79).

According to Monod, the question of the relationship between man and the environment, nature and society, is closely related to the necessity to redefine our values. Today, situations of Ecocide have become more and more frequent and should force societies to redefine the attitude of man towards nature: either man accepts to reconcile with nature or he is headed towards grave danger. Without question, this is the heart of the problem. “...Will humanity be able to bring about the upheavals which are necessary by adopting respect for life as the possible fundamental ethic capable of renewing the relationship man has with nature, and by making the transition from the centre of gravity “reason” to the centre of gravity “life”?.... We must hope so, because the alternative is becoming clearer each day, either ethics are reoriented and the battle won in the revolution against the absurd or the definitive victory will go to the inhuman” (Monod, 1991: 139-140).

Bibliography

WEISBERG, Barry, 1970, Ecocide, San Francisco: Canfield Press.

BROSWIMMER, Franz, 2002, Ecocide, A Short History of the Mass Extinction of the Species, London: Pluto Press.

DIAMOND, Jared, 2004, Collapse, how societies choose to fail or succeed?, New York: Penguin Books.

MONOD, Théodore, 1991, Et si l’aventure humaine devait échouer, Paris: Le Livre de Poche.

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