Conclusion: Rights of Nature and Our Responsibility

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book provides a template for far-reaching transformation of human culture so that all societies may tailor themselves to live within Nature&s;s Laws of Reciprocity. Placing Nature&s;s Rights first is the only way that human life can thrive sustainably. Human use of the global ecosystem must first allow Nature to flourish. As an economy grows, natural capital such as air, soil, water, timber, and marine fisheries is reallocated to human use via the marketplace, where economic efficiency rules. The number of threatened species is related to per capita Gross National Product (GNP) in five taxonomic groups in over 100 countries. Understanding Earth as Gaia leads to a more holistic understanding of the current problems facing the Earth, as a result of human abuse of the world&s;s ecosystems and refusal to live in harmony with Nature&s;s Laws of Reciprocity.