[To trigger positive feedback loops, we must find more ways to stop growing toxic and harmful practices toward the environment, health and human rights, and more generally on the commons. Even if stopping the harm is not enough and we must aim to regenerate and grow the commons instead, it is a start point to reverse the situation. We must identify and target investment or other practices that systemically undermine productive activity and future prospects, or that create various forms of dependencies. These include speculative manipulation of finance instruments and resource shortages, mechanisms causing systemic credit and asset bubbles, development of addictive appetites of various nature at the cost of public, environmental and financial health, the promotion of faster use of depleting resources serving to increase not decrease the economy's dependence on them, etc. We must fight abuses of power and corruption, decouple money from politics and establish basic responsibilities towards the commons.
Trends & Existing initiatives:
Movements and actions for suppression of subsidiaries, accounting of externalities, carbon & pollution taxes. <<Develop>>]
References:
- Larry Lessig, the founder of creative commons is campaigning against this see Republic Lost,
Who?: Local and regional communities and stakeholders -the people, business community, Insurance sector, Finance sector, Investors, legislators & regulators, consultants, economists, reporting & standards organizations
Detailed Action Items: [Expand more?]
- " A Charter of Universal Responsibilities should be put forward by civil society and adopted by the international community making clear what our basic responsibilities are and establishing an effective system of global laws that is sufficient for achieving the agreements that have been made to date, that the natural environment is protected and restored, and all people's basic human rights and needs can be met. We must insist that this be done and that all human rights treaties are thus universal in nature, binding and enforced for and by all. "[<<<MBS Please condense. Make relevant to the commons?>>>]
- Establish Commons principles for human rights as well as edication that serves the development of the whole person (Art. 26 b of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) to produce personal fulfillment and to reduce the vain attempts to fulfill false needs that cannot be met, or to breed dependence behaviors. [<<<MBS Please check>>>]
- Encourage the adoption of Ecocide as the Fifth Crime Against Peace.
- Develop educational programs on the commons, the notions of depletion and replenishment, and on the risks and unintended consequences on the commons of our daily choices and mindless growth.
- Research and encourage adoption of incentives, regulations and taxes policies (Pigowlian taxes) aimed at reducing depletion and encouraging growth of the commons. Promote elimination of subsidies and loopholes that encourage these practices.
- Reinforce and enforce anti-corruption laws and eliminate 'legal' corruption and political manipulation. In particular ban the use of private funds for political financing and speach which tends to produce systemic concentration of power and cooptation of the system.