Biocentres

BACKGROUND

The worldviews and priorities of the prevailing cultures across the world today are driving human civilisation towards ecological collapse.

Climate change is probably the most critical issue, but there are other anthropogenic threats to the sustainability of the living systems on which we depend. If present conditions continue unabated, the collapse of civilisation is inevitable.

Unfortunately, the prevailing cultures are blind to these ecological realities. They are driving us towards ecological catastrophe. There will be no effective transition to ecological sustainability unless there comes about a radical transformation in the worldviews and priorities of these cultures.

In our view, the only hope for the survival of lies in the possibility of a great wave of new understanding sweeping across the cultures of the world – understanding of the story of life on Earth and the human place in nature. We refer to this story as the ‘Bionarrative’.

How might this wave of new understanding come about?

It is our contention that this could be achieved by introducing a new element into the system, in the form of public institutions that we are calling Biocentres. We envisage an international network of Biocentres.

Biocentres would:

  • spread understanding of the Bionarrative across the community
  • campaign for transition to a society that is truly in harmony with nature
  • provide a framework for people who care about the future of humanity and the biosphere to interact and to celebrate life.

We believe the new understanding would lead to a new worldview that holds deep respect for nature, and that perceives the achievement of harmony with the processes of life as supremely important, to be given the highest priority in human affairs. If this worldview were embedded at the core of the dominant cultures worldwide, the prospects for future of humanity and the biosphere would be much brighter.

This is a global issue of outstanding importance, so we might hope that the United Nations, or one of its agencies, will play a leading role in establishing the Biocentre movement. It would be consistent, for example, with the mission and objectives of UNESCO.

In the meantime, the Biocentre movement must begin somewhere, and we propose the establishment of a National Biocentre in Canberra to start the ball rolling,






THE PROPOSAL





It is proposed that a National Biocentre be established, with its headquarters in the Australian Capital Territory.





The Biocentre will be for people who care who care about the future of humankind and life on Earth.





Aims





The aims of the Biocentre will be:





    

  • to spread understanding, across the community, of life on Earth and the human place in nature.
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  • to promote a vision of a society of the future that is truly in harmony with nature.
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  • to provide a framework for people who care about nature and the wellbeing of humankind to gather, online and face to face, to learn, to engage in projects and to celebrate life in different ways.
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Activities





To maintain an active website





The website will include:





    

  • Information about life on Earth and the human place in nature, presented in a form understandable by interested non-scientists.
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  • A monthly Bulletin on the transition to Biosensitivity.
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  • Reports on the Biocentre’s workshops.
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  • Articles on the way forward to a biosensitive society.
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  • News of important developments relevant to the transition to ecological sustainability in Australia and overseas.
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  • News on recent governmental action relevant to biosensitivity.
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  • Contributions from Friends of the Biocentre (see below).
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Online Workshops





The Biocentre will organise an ongoing series of workshops on the social changes necessary to achieve biosensitivity and how to bring them about.





Bulletin





The Biocentre will produce a monthly Bulletin.





Printed material





The production of booklets and pamphlets on relevant topics.





Friends of the Biocentre





Members of the public who are interested in the Biocentre will be able to join the Friends of the Biocentre. This will provide them with opportunities to interact – online and offline – in programs of talks, workshops, and social events, and to celebrate life through art, music, rewilding, gardening and other activities.





Local universities and research institutions will make a major contribution to the activities of the Biocentre.





Structure





Full time staff will include a director, and other staff as required.





A small team of scientists and other experts will be responsible for producing educational material for the website and publications.





Funding





Funding will be sought from Government and from private sources.