For those of us who identify as 'ecosocialists', finding a group or political organization that truly fits is not as straightforward as should it be. National Green parties vary in their closeness of fit as do socialist parties. Grass roots movements are often focal or single issue but clearly are a part of the ecosocialist vision. It is of no doubt that the ecosocialist movement will grow and is growing and there simply must be collectives both virtual (such as the ecosocialists unite project) and actual that are representative. To that end it is notable that Socialist Worker New Zealand has released this statement that acknowledges this division and aims to bridge the divide. 

Statement by Socialist Worker central committee

August 11, 2011 -- Unityblog -- The crises of global capitalism, coupled with catastrophic climate change and peak resources, is going to bring about profound social, ecological and political upheavals.

There is evidence of this happening globally already. We can point to the Arab revolts that have toppled US-backed regimes and the emergence of anti-neoliberal movements of workers and young people in a number of European countries. Part of the context for these revolts is the global financial crisis, which is ongoing and will unravel further, impacting severely on the lives of grassroots people around the world.

While the current political situation in New Zealand is a big step away from mass revolt, the forces at work in this country are similar. Masses of ordinary people are hurting, there’s simmering anger towards politicians and other corporate elites, and there’s growing concern at the ecological catastrophe that humanity faces. The political quietism will not last indefinitely.

What can eco-socialists do today to prepare our forces for the historic challenges in front of us?

Socialist Worker believes the time is right to encourage further cooperation among people who identify as eco-socialists. Across the New Zealand’s existing left parties and socialist groups there are people who broadly share a common political perspective, who want to work towards a sustainable, equitable and democratic future.

But equally importantly, there is probably thousands of people not currently belonging to any political party or organisation who broadly share an eco-socialist vision.

We think it’s necessary, and possible, to cohere and grow the network of eco-socialists in New Zealand. For this reason, Socialist Worker has started trialing an eco-socialist network sign-up sheet. (To view the sign-up sheet click here.)

While it’s very early days, there are some encouraging signs that people are interested in joining an eco-socialist network.

In the near future we want to set up an eco-socialist website/discussion forum on the Internet. We envisage this new site being free of any party branding and that it would evolve, we hope, into a forum jointly run by a number of organisations and individuals.

Such a web presence would maximise the sharing of information and ideas relevant to an eco-socialist vision. The site would connect with people through email newsletters and social media.

Socialist Worker believes that building a broad eco-socialist network in the short term will be one practical “here-and-now” foundation for a mass-based broad left movement in the future.

An eco-socialist network would complement other positive developments on the left, particularly the emergence of the Mana Party, which is uniting a flaxroots Maori movement with radical left activists from socialist and union backgrounds.

An eco-socialist network would also build on the closer cooperation between leftists that we’ve seen in recent years around campaigns like $15 per hour minimum wage, NZ Not For Sale, Kia Ora Gaza, Tax Justice and anti-mining/oil drilling. 


An eco-socialist network could look to achieve these goals:


1. Draw people together across parties and organisations who self-identify with the word “eco-socialist”, and thus be a force for breaking down barriers and opening up democratic debate, so essential to building a broad movement for change;

2. Facilitate open discussion about all aspects of the political struggle in New Zealand and globally.

3. Foster increased cooperation around anti-neoliberal campaigns initiated by a range of groups and organisations;

4. Work towards launching popular strategic campaigns that target neoliberalism and bring activists into contact with broad layers of grassroots people.

5. Encourage a dynamic analysis of the crisis of global capitalism and its impact on material conditions in New Zealand, from which sound political strategies can emerge that provide us with realistic pathways towards a sustainable, equitable and democratic future.

While there is a lot to work out in practice Socialist Worker believes a web-based eco-socialist network has considerable potential.

We would like to invite interested individuals and organisations to contact us directly about supporting and getting involved in this initiative. Contact Vaughan Gunson, email vaughangunson@ecosocialist.net or ph/txt 021-0415 082.

For more on the crisis of global capitalism, which compels the eco-left to join together, read Capitalism's terminal crisis and the global cooperation of eco-socialists by Grant Morgan.

In solidarity,

Socialist Worker’s central committee:

Bernie Hornfeck
Bronwen Beechey
Daphne Lawless
David Colyer
Don Archer
Grant Brookes
Grant Morgan
Len Parker
Peter Hughes
Vaughan Gunson

Congratulations to Michael Lowy, Joao Alfredo (pictured left) and all who took part in PSOL’s (Partido Socialismo e Liberdade) first ecosocialist gathering in the Brazilian city of Curitiba from 1 to 3 April. Members discussed how the PSOL could be transformed into an ecosocialist party. As a result the Curitiba Charter was adopted, outlining the principles and campaigns that they would promote. In addition a specific Ecososcialist Section within the party has been initiated to coordinate and oversee future activities.

The Charter was dedicated to the memory of Chico Mendes and Dorothy Stang; the great  environmentalists who's passion and influence inevitably acted against corporate interests thus leading to their respective murders.


Part of the statement from the meeting is below:

Only a party that places itself firmly in the anti-capitalist tradition, but which has broken with the authoritarian, bureaucratic and predatory experiences of “really-existing socialism” – a party in constant exchange with traditional communities and social and environmental movements – can confront such regression and build the tactical and strategic alliances needed for ecosocialist struggle. It is true that Ecosocialism remains a promise, a gamble on the future, but it is a pressing necessity if we are to ensure our survival as a species and as a society, as well as that of all other forms of life. It is something in process, under construction, which is based on principles of social equality, ecological sustainablity, the defence of diversity in its biological, social, ethnic and cultural dimensions, as well as on a new way of life, that takes as its starting point “being”, not “having”.

Ecosocialists propose a transversal intervention, across the board, because the environmental struggle should interact with all the different movements that make up the struggle for social emancipation, including those that raise demands for land reform and urban reform, trade union and youth struggles, as well as movements against environmental racism and for racial and gender equality.

Finally, what is at stake for humanity is the challenge of building a new society that can be, at one and the same time, politically democratic, socially just and egalitarian, culturally and ethnically diverse and environmentally sustainable. As Michael Lowy suggests, we need to update Rosa Luxemburg’s slogan to read, “Ecosocialism or Barbarism”!

Full article here

The ecosocialists unite project now has a world class fully interactive website. Worthy of the cause it represents.

Live Chat, Forum, Guest Blog (starting with the Peruvian indigenous Leader, Hugo Blanco), Selected Documents, Videos, Book Share and News Feed.

You can start any browsing session from the ecosocialists unite website. You can log into facebook and twitter through the toolbar and access and add to the facebook ecosocialism group in the same way.

The site has no hierarchy or editor only an administrator. Please make suggestions and get involved. You are welcome to submit an article for the blog. Please sign into the forum. Here we can unite share information, organise and move forward.

The list is vital. Add your names and find others to do so. Let's create a virtual storm in the name of ecosocialism. Share however you can. Facebook, Twitter, Email, Conferences, Marches,  With every new name the revolution against capitalist ecocide gathers strength. Click here to add your name to the list. Click here for the home page.