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Ecocentrism is the broadest term for worldviews that recognize intrinsic value in all lifeformsand ecosystems themselves, including their abiotic components. Anthropocentrism, in
contrast, values other lifeforms and ecosystems insofar as they are valuable for human
well-being, preferences and interests. Herein, the authors examine the roots of ecocentrism
and discuss its mixed history of international recognition. They argue that non-human
nature has intrinsic value irrespective of human preferences or valuation, and they refute
the claim that ecocentrism is misanthropic. They then summarize four key examples from
the academic literature in which anthropocentrism fails to provide an ethic adequate for
respecting and protecting planet Earth and its inhabitants. The authors conclude that
ecocentrism is essential for solving our unprecedented environmental crisis, arguing its
importance from four perspectives: ethical, evolutionary, spiritual and ecological. They
contend that a social transformation towards ecocentrism is not only an ethical but a
practical imperative, and they urge support for ecocentric understanding and practices.