Academic

https://vikalpsangam.org/south-asia-bioregionalism-working-group/

https://www.instagram.com/bioregionalism_/

Vikalp Sangam

The group intends to generate and strengthen the following: Knowledge creation and awareness of a bioregionalist approach to democratic decision-making in South Asia. Understanding and highlighting traditional/local systems of decision making and their ecological connections; revitalising democracy by re-situating ecology in individuals’ lives. Advocacy to integrate a bioregionalist perspective into policy, governance, socio-ecological-political structures, and community thinking. People-to-people communication/collaborations across current political and administrative boundaries. Efforts at envisioning, and working towards, the dissolving or porousness of current political and administrative boundaries where they are inappropriate or violative of bioregional principles, and their replacement by bioregional governance, for example – systems constituted around river basins that cut across current nation-state boundaries, as an ultimate goal. Support systems for communities, movements, and groups working on the ground. In order to attain the above goals, the working group intends to establish or strengthen collaboration with several existing forums, such as the Rights of Rivers South Asia process, the West Himalaya Vikalp Sangam process, the South Asia Vikalp Sangam process, the Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, the People’s SAARC, Community Conserved Areas in South Asia, amongst others.

The South Asia Bioregionalism Working Group, is a voluntary network of members reimagining an ecoregional and bioregional governance for South Asia. The group has undertaken several research and mapping projects to deepen the understanding of bioregions and its applications.

Reginal