The Green Party position on animal rights and biological diversity

[Guest guest]

The GREEN PARTY has the strongest position on biological

diversity and respect for all life forms. We must work to

make these positions stronger. See item 12 below.

 

 

K. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

 

Ecological systems are diverse and interlocking, and nature's

survival strategy can best be found in the adaptability that comes as

a result of biological diversity. Although many people may think

first of tropical rainforests in reference to the richness of (and

threat to) biological diversity, we believe diversity close to home is

worthy of saving, as are the myriad species within the rainforest and

its teeming canopy.

 

1. The Green Party supports a strong, enforceable " ENDANGERED SPECIES

ACT " based on the principles of conservation biology.

 

2. We look to the " CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, " first adopted

at the " Earth Summit " in 1992, as a primary statement of purpose

regarding how we can act to preserve and sustain our common genetic

resources. Greens emphasize conservation of " natural " populations and

ecosystems, and we seriously question the demands of the US to amend

this unprecedented international agreement on behalf of the

biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, with their insistence

upon protection of their " intellectual property " and technology

transfer rights. Within these demands are inconsistencies which can

threaten the Convention's overall goals.

 

3. We encourage support of and public access to seed banks and seed

collections that emphasize " DEEP DIVERSITY, " particularly through

traditional and heirloom seeds.

 

4. We call for wide-spread education on the critical importance of

efforts being made (including " backyard biodiversity " gardening) to

replant indigenous plant life where it has dwindled or been lost.

 

5. Corporate agribusiness is founded on F-1 hybrid seeds, proprietary

products that cannot be saved season-to-season and have to be bought

from the company store at each new planting. We discourage

monopolistic production of high-tech hybrid seeds, the basis of the

evolving industry of " MONOCULTURE " agriculture - i.e., agribusiness

which relies on NON-SUSTAINABLE METHODS (single crop varieties bred

with industrial traits and grown with high energy, chemical and

pesticide inputs).

 

6. We know that agriculture and food comprise the world's largest

economic market. We find it of great concern that the practices of

corporate agribusiness are leading, as scientists are beginning to

point out, to diminishing yields; increasing petrochemical fertilizer

and pesticide costs; serious topsoil loss; non-point, runoff

pollution of waterways and aquifers; and the return of resistant

pests and blights requiring ever-larger doses of environmentally

harmful pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and/or miticides.

 

7. Monocultures have also led to a massive loss of biodiversity as

they have displaced traditional varieties and seed stocks. We

encourage the use of diverse natural varieties, those passed down

over many generations, called " open-pollinates " because they can be

grown out, the best plants' seeds being saved season to season. In

practice, we support this as the basis of an " Alternative Green

Revolution, " sustainable agriculture that is closely connected to the

environment, and not dependent on outside companies and their

industrial monopolies.

 

8. We oppose in principle international trade agreements (NAFTA, GATT

and the WTO in particular) which have precedent-setting provisions

protecting transnational, corporate control of the " INTELLECTUAL

PROPERTY " of genetic material, hybrid seeds and proprietary products.

 

9. Greens call for a move away from corporate control of agriculture

(and the resultant extinction of traditional plant varieties) and

instead envision a healthy and sustainable food system, based on crop

diversity, community empowerment, self-sufficiency, cooperative

marketing, recycling, seed saving, local (and fresh) production, and

organic methods.

 

10. The struggle over the production and quality of our food supply

is critical and has yet to be determined. The outcome of this

struggle will have an intimate connection to our personal health and

the future biological diversity of our environment. We believe

strongly that we must work to bring this message every community

throughout the world.

 

11. Cloning is a challenge to basic Green philosophy. Since the

efforts to clone animals, and eventually, humans, has been undertaken

by profit-making corporations, the purpose behind such projects is to

manufacture commodities. To classify a human (or any part thereof,

including human DNA or body organ) as a commodity) is to turn human

beings into property.

 

12. Finally, as Greens, we must add that the mark of a humane and

civilized society truly lies in how we treat the least protected

among us. To extend rights to other sentient, living beings is our

responsibility and a mark of our place among all of creation. We find

cruelty to animals to be repugnant and criminal. We call for an

intelligent, compassionate approach to the treatment of animals.

 

from: GREEN PARTY PLATFORM 2000

 

[as ratified at the Green Party National Convention, June 2000]