Earth jurisprudence

Earth jurisprudence is a philosophy of law and human governance that is based on the idea that humans are only one part of a wider community of beings and that the welfare of each member of that community is dependent on the welfare of the Earth as a whole. It states that human societies will only be viable and flourish if they regulate themselves as part of this wider Earth community and do so in a way that is consistent with the fundamental laws or principles that govern how the universe functions, which is the ‘Great Jurisprudence’.

Earth jurisprudence can be differentiated from the Great jurisprudence, but can also be understood as being embedded within it. Earth jurisprudence can be seen as a special case of the Great Jurisprudence, applying universal principles to the governmental, societal and biological processes of Earth.

Earth jurisprudence seeks to expand our understanding of the relevance of governance beyond humanity to the whole Earth community, it is Earth-centric rather than anthropocentric. It is concerned with the maintenance and regulation of relations between all members of the Earth community, not just between human beings. Earth jurisprudence is intended to provide a philosophical basis for the development and implementation of human governance systems, which may include ethics, laws, institutions, policies and practices. It also places an emphasis on the internalisation of these insights and on personal practice, in living in accordance with Earth jurisprudence as a way of life.

Earth jurisprudence should reflect a particular human community’s understanding of how to regulate itself as part of the Earth community and should express the qualities of the Great jurisprudence of which it forms part. The specific applications of Earth jurisprudence will vary from society to society, while sharing common elements. These elements include:

The need for a new jurisprudence was first identified by Thomas Berry who identified the destructive anthropocentrism on which existing legal and political structures are based as a major impediment to the necessary transition to an ecological age in which humans would seek a new intimacy with the integral functioning of the natural world.

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