There is mounting evidence that we have reached a crucial moment in our social relationship with nature. The facts show that sustaining global capitalism is incompatible with maintaining human life. There are limits to the naked abuse of nature by capital and we have gone beyond that point. Many of the eco-systems that make up the planet's ecology, which includes humanity, have become destabilised. What some have called the "buffer" between human activities and the rest of nature has disappeared as a result of quantitative changes expressed in the rapid and uncontrolled globalisation of the productive forces.

Capitalism's own inner logic compels it to take from nature in an unplanned, arbitrary fashion. It does not and cannot respect nature because it regards it primarily as part of the production process, whose aim is year-on-year increase in profits. In this way, production depletes and ruins the very nature that it rests upon. Moreover, as capitalism extends its reach into areas not previously dominated by markets and production for profit - for example, the human genetic code - it deepens further our alienation, our removal from a direct relationship with the world outside of us and also with ourselves.

Our co-evolution with nature is threatened by a systemic ecological crisis that capitalism as a global system is incapable of tackling and can only worsen. Our destiny is to end the absurd by terminating private ownership of the forces of production, through expropriation of the expropriators. In doing so we end our alienated relationship with nature and production and thereby create the conditions for dealing with the ecological crisis.

A programme for action

Production

• production under the control of the workforce in alliance with consumers, producing goods built to last to reduce extraction of raw materials and dependence on non-renewable energy forms
• an end to production for obsolescence and the artificial creation of new "needs" by advertising and marketing
• life-cycle production that respects eco-systems, including humanity's. All production must demonstrate eco-sustainability based on recycling and restoring principles
• science in the service of humanity, seeking out technological innovation, focussing on renewable energy and reuse of materials on the basis of a holistic outlook on nature and humanity
• immediate action on climate change. The scrapping of unnecessary transport of food and goods around the world. Implementation of new technologies to reduce carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane emissions
• massive investment in the use of solar energy, hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems, and biofuels to replace carbon-based energy sources
• investigation of the ecological case for wind and tidal power
• public investment in new forms of affordable public transport tailored to individual needs in both urban and rural areas. The long-term phasing out of mass private car use and a switch to car pools. An end to mass road building programmes
• renewal of urban settlements to make them more energy efficient, based on people having to travel short distances for work.

Agriculture

• social ownership of agribusiness monopolies that presently control production, distribution and retail sales of food
• common ownership of land
• an ecosystem approach to agriculture that manages soil, water, plants and animals as parts of a functional whole
• integrated pest and production management, preventing pest outbreaks through naturally occurring predators, parasites, pest resistant varieties and traditional cultural methods
• conservation agriculture, ensuring soil fertility through better nutrient cycling by micro-organisms in the soil. Low- or no tillage and mulching to help soil structure
• an emphasis on crop rotation/diversification to suppress weeds and pests and reduce the necessity of synthetic applications
• more use of organic applications where practicable and the phasing out of pesticides
• integration of crops and livestock in the same farming operation, encouraging pasture and forage crops in rotation to protect soil and encourage fertility through manure
• an end to factory rearing of livestock
• moratorium on GM so that the results of technological transgenic modification can be scientifically estimated before use
• scientific investigation of all existing and proposed food processes to check for safety and nutritional value.

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