Editing ECOPEACE Party (section)

==Ideology==

===Core beliefs===
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2012}}

====Peace====
As implied by its name, the party is [[Anti-war movement|anti-war]], and supports peace based on freedom, equality, and justice for humans and the environment.

====Sustainability====
ECOPEACE is dedicated to environmental [[sustainability]] in areas such as [[economics]], [[land development]], and [[energy policy]].

====Consensus====
The party supports [[consensus decision making]], as expressed in practices such as parliamentary reforms and [[Participatory democracy|participatory]], [[Direct democracy|direct]], and [[consensus democracy]]. In order to strengthen voter influence and accountability of public officials, ECOPEACE supports the [[recall election|right of recall]] of elected officials and transparency in [[campaign finance]].

====Science====
The party sees [[Rationalism|rational]] science as a necessary component of informing political action and finding remedies for dangers to society and the environment, though it opposes the abuse of science to advance specific political goals.

===Energy policy===
The party opposes attempts by the [[African National Congress|ANC]] government and the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]] [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.energy.gov.za/IRP/irp%20files/ECOPEACE.pdf|title=Current trends and policies|website=energy.gov.za|access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref> to continue financing of fossil carbon exploration and extraction, such as [[fracking]] in the [[Karoo]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE72G0EZ20110317 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905185944/http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE72G0EZ20110317 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 September 2012 |title=S.Africa farmers seek halt on shale gas exploration &#124; Reuters |publisher=Af.reuters.com |date=17 March 2011 |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news24.com/Columnists/AndreasSpath/Fracking-up-the-Karoo-20100915 |title=Fracking up the Karoo: News24: Columnists: Andreas Späth |publisher=News24 |date=15 September 2010 |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref> [[offshore drilling]], and creation of new [[Coal mining|coal mines]], even near the [[Cradle of Humankind]] where the danger of [[acid mine drainage]] exists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cer.org.za/news/media-release-civil-society-organisations-appeal-to-parliament-to-intervene-in-acid-mine-drainage/ |title=Media Release: Civil society organisations appeal to Parliament to intervene in acid mine drainage |publisher=Cer.org.za |date=9 February 2011 |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref> ECOPEACE contends that these parties dedicate only token sums to [[renewable energy]] and support policies which worsen [[Climate change|global climate disruptions]].<ref>[http://irp2.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/amurphy_ecopeace.ppt EcoPeace] {{User-generated source|date=August 2022}}</ref>

As an alternative, ECOPEACE supports changes in environmental policy and challenges against [[wealth concentration]], such as the [[Great Transition]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://democraticleft.za.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76:transcapitalism&catid=37:conference-proposals&Itemid=60 |title=Transcapitalism |publisher=Democraticleft.za.net |date=17 January 2011 |access-date=17 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814121712/http://democraticleft.za.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76:transcapitalism&catid=37:conference-proposals&Itemid=60 |archive-date=14 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/the-great-transition |title=The Great Transition &#124; the new economics foundation |publisher=Neweconomics.org |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtinitiative.org/ |title=Great Transition Initiative |publisher=Gtinitiative.org |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref> The party's ideal energy policy would involve a distributed mix of [[Wind power|wind]] and [[solar power]], with storage on a [[smart grid]]. Other renewable technologies would supplement these primary sources, such as [[biogas]], [[Marine energy|ocean power]], and [[tidal power]]. In particular, ECOPEACE supports [[ocean thermal energy conversion]] (OTEC), a renewable energy technique with the potential to mitigate global climate disruption and [[Extinction event|mass extinction]] of marine life by taking heat directly out of oceans.<ref name="scienced">{{cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081020171454.htm |title=Earth in Midst of Sixth Mass Extinction: 50% Of All Species Disappearing |publisher=Sciencedaily.com |date=21 October 2008 |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref><ref name="extinction">{{cite web|url=http://www.well.com/user/davidu/extinction.html |title=Mass Extinction Underway &#124; Biodiversity Crisis &#124; Global Species Loss |publisher=Well.com |access-date=17 October 2011}}</ref><ref name="extinct">{{cite web |url=http://extinct.petermaas.nl/ |title=PeterMaas.nl |publisher=Extinct.petermaas.nl |access-date=17 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013123736/http://extinct.petermaas.nl/ |archive-date=13 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>