Welcome to Global Ecosocialist Network

The Global Ecosocialist Network (GEN) is being launched at a moment of extreme danger for humanity.  The intensity of the crisis and the scale of the danger is hard to grasp or express adequately because, unless you are in one of the parts of the world currently experiencing extreme weather, it cannot yet literally be seen. And even where the danger is actually being experienced there are very powerful forces at work to obscure its real causes.

Nevertheless it is clear that over the last year or so, especially since the IPCC report in October 2018 and the coming of the school climate strikes, the global awareness of the threat posed by climate change and many other aspects of the Anthropocene has skyrocketed. Increasing numbers of people internationally now understand

1. that in the not too distant future all humanity and countless species face an existential threat;
2. that right now and in the immediate years to come hundreds of millions face escalating extreme weather situations and disasters that will cause immense suffering, especially in the Global South, and generate vast numbers of climate refugees.

Faced with this prospect many people’s immediate reaction will be to say this is so dreadful and urgent that it is ‘beyond politics’. We should all simply drop all political differences and disagreements and unite with the single aim of saving the planet. Understandable as this response may be it is not the view upon which the Global Ecosocialist Network is based. Our starting point is two key ideas: that the principle cause of the environmental crisis is the global economic system of capitalism and that stopping climate change and related catastrophes will require socialist policies and responses.

What we mean by capitalism and the exact nature of the socialist responses required are things we can and will discuss but we are Ecosocialists – that is basis of this Network and it will be focused on combating the capitalist system and the ruling classes, parties and ideologies associated with it, while advocating socialist solutions. Within this broad framework, however, we welcome all strands of socialism and we are not affiliated or tied to any particular party or tendency.

Our immediate aim is to facilitate the development and spread of ecosocialist ideas and relevant information internationally so as to ensure that socialist ideas are heard within the current explosion of ecological debate.  Anyone who wishes to contribute a report or article to the website please forward it to webeditor@globalecosocialistnetwork.net  (John Molyneux).

We welcome debate and controversy within a left and progressive framework.

If the Network develops in terms of its membership and support we will move to a more formal structure and look to convene meetings and conferences in different parts of the world. And if circumstances are right we may be able to issue certain calls for action or for solidarity with other actions.

We are particularly pleased that the Network and this website are launched with an impressive list of sponsors from round the world that includes both outstanding activists and some of the most distinguished writers from the field of ecosocialism. [See Our Sponsors]

So we invite all socialists, wherever they are, to join us as individuals (€10 waged/ €5 unwaged) and socialist organisations to affiliate (€150.00).

Please go to the membership section of this site. Members will receive our regular newsletter and be invited to international events.

The environmental crisis is set to be the decisive struggle of our times and GEN, in all modesty, aims to play a small part in this battle for the future of humanity.