Ecological Integrity - A Commitment to Life on Earth

ing a global moral community based on shared values and principles for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. Because it is grounded so strongly in the ecological integrity concept, the Earth Charter ethic requires an unprecedented planetary scale of moral reflection. Integrity implies a wholeness that is nurturing and necessary for human well-being. The ecological integrity pillar of the Earth Charter ethic ties the current and future well-being of humans, and the greater community of life, to the ongoing care and protection of Earth as our home. In this essay, I provide a scientific perspective on ecological integrity, examine how the concept is articulated within the Earth Charter1, and consider case studies of how the Earth Charter’s principles, inclusive of ecological integrity, have found expression in real world action.