Is there a coherent ecological defence policy? I have yet to see it. Most members of the Green Party or ecological parties in Europe are quite rightly strongly against nuclear weapons but few have considered exactly what defence policy should be set up in its stead. Some wil l argue that defence is unnecessary (this is fortunately not the case with our Ecology Party) on the principle that the Soviets have nothing to gain by invading the West.

Excerpt: Bref, ECOROPA s'efforce

• d'appuyer les initiatives et groupes engagés sur le terrain, dans le respect de leur autonomie, de leur spécificité, de leur diversité,
• d'exprimer et faire connaître leurs exigences et leurs projects communs,
• de constituer un lieu de rencontre où, en solidarité à venir, l'on s'exhorte et se conforte mutuellement dans le refus du catastrophisme et dans la difficile élaboration d'une société oùil puisse encorre ... FAIRE BON VIVRE.
  

Article 1. L’Association euroeénne ECOROPA pour une démocratie écologique est constituée conformément aux articles 60 et ss du Code Civil Suisse. Elle est indépendante et sans caractère politique ou confessionnel.
Article 2. L’Association a pur objet de soutenir ou susciter toute réflexion ou action ayant pour but de définir ou de promouvoir une société en équilibre avec la nature, en harmonie avec elle-même, au service de la personne libre et responsable, bref une démocratie écologique.
Article 3. Le siège de l’Association est à Genève. Sa durée est illimitée.
Siège Social: c/o Centre Européen de la Culture, Genève
Président: Denis de Rougemont, St. Genis-Pouilly (France)

Since the beginning of the historical era, man has been building dams. The ancient civilisations of Sumeria, Babylonia, Egypt, Ceylon and Cambodia, for example, were all justifiably famed for their irrigation works: indeed, the bunds and tanks which remain at such ancient capitals as Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, or Angkor Watt in Cambodia, still survive to bear proud witness to the engineering skills of those who constructed them.

The ideological spectres of the last few centuries still haunt Europe. Worse, these economaniac spectres have become a reality and living reality has become a spectre.
If we look at what has been achieved and what is to be expected if we continue along the present road, we see that our society has not become the safe, healthy and peaceful communitiy we once expected. On the contrary, it is losing meaning, quality and satisfaction. In important aspects the achievements of progress turn out to be as destructive as its failures.

The core content of Sigmund Kvaloey's article was originally given as a talk at an international conference on the "Gaia theory", arranged by ECOROPA in Cornwall, England in 1987.

Denis de Rougemont