Earth Based Governance
A living system of non-binary decisionmaking
Remembering How We Govern Together
Earth Based Governance is a non-binary framework for group decision-making grounded in our relationship with Mother Earth. It draws from wisdom carried in elder cultures across the world. These traditions recognized that relationship is the seed of everything.
Earth Based Governance is a remembering.
A way of making decisions that honors interdependence, reciprocity, and the natural cycles that sustain life.
The Three Freedoms
Anthropological research shows that across ancient cultures, three freedoms appear intrinsic to human life.
The freedom to relocate
The freedom to refuse a direct command from another.
The freedom to create novel social arrangements and move freely between them.
These freedoms remind us that governance is not imposed; it requires consent.
Why Earth‑Based Governance Matters
Most modern governance systems are built on domination, competition, and binary outcomes. EBG offers a different path,
one rooted in:
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relationality
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non‑binary solutions
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shared purpose
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Earth alignment
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collective responsibility
It is designed to help groups make decisions that honor the whole.
How We Govern: Circles & Consent
In Earth Based Governance we gather in Circles, because no one should be denied access to the central fire. We govern by consent.
Consent means:
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Every member’s interests are considered
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Solutions fall within everyone’s range of tolerance
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Once consent is given, all members act together
The Four Foundational Values
These values appear again and again in Earth‑aligned cultures. They are the roots of Earth Based Governance.
Relationship: we begin with our connection to each other and to the Earth
Respect: we honor wholeness, inclusivity, and the dignity of every voice
Reciprocity: we give and receive in balance, guided by Mother Law
Responsibility: we act with care for the Circle, the Mission, and the generations to come
These values shape how we gather, how we listen, and how we choose.
Stay in touch with us
Whether you are a youth leader, a community organizer, an educator, or someone seeking a more relational way to govern together, you are invited to stay in touch.
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Learn the EBG framework
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Explore the toolkit
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Initiate a cohort
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Bring this work to your community
Earth‑Based Governance is a way of remembering who we are.
How to Support this work
This is a rare chance to support a project that doesn’t just empower one group of young leaders, it supports existing organisations and plants a seed for generations to come.
You’re helping to support the ongoing co-creation and distribution of a free open source toolkit.
This toolkit will ripple outward, shared in schools, communities, and movements around the world, nurturing a culture of consent, collaboration, and care far into the future.
Earth Based Governance is an Initiative of the Earth Stewardship Alliance.