AELA is committed to supporting the growth of Earth centred ethics among individuals, communities and organisations in Australia.
AELA’s Earth Ethics Program aims to help people learn and share information about how Earth centred life can be nurtured and built in a time of global ecological crisis and how human societies can continue to build hope and resilience as we face ever increasing environmental, psychological and spiritual challenges.
Earth centred Ethics represent an alternative way of understanding ourselves and the world, which is different from the current dominant Western paradigm that sees humans as separate and individually oriented. Earth Ethics aims to orient people towards recognising the delicately interconnected systems of life that live through us, and support each and every one of us. We believe that the ways we think about ourselves, and understand the world, inform the governance systems that guide our societies, so we view our projects and dialogue in this area as being a critical part of the roots for larger change.
The AELA Earth Ethics community is interested in nurturing and developing Earth centred approaches to change, through understanding wisdom and insights from First Nations Perspectives, the arts, psychology, philosophy, faith and spirituality and education.
Earth Ethics Australia Journal
Earth Ethics Australia is a biennial, peer-reviewed journal containing research--and commentaries on research--into ethics, law and governance with a focus on Earth-centred ways of being. As an official publication of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), the journal aims to share knowledge and understanding about living an Earth-centred life and building an Earth-centred governance system for our wider community.
Inspiring Earth Ethics: Linking Values and Action

Opportunities to connect and get involved
- We are also working on developing formal and informal platforms for continuing dialogue around the key thematic areas we have identified within Earth Ethics: First Nations Perspectives, Eco-Psychology, Environmental Education, Arts, Faith and Eco-spirituality, Philosophy and Law and Governance.
For more information about AELA's Earth Ethics projects, or to explore how to collaborate on a project, event or publication, please email: aela@earthlaws.org.au
Past Projects
EARTH ETHICS
- November 2019 - AELA's Second Earth Ethics Conference, Melbourne - 'Building Earth Ethics in Australia: Pathways and Challenges'
- December 2017 - AELA's inaugural Earth Ethics Conference, Brisbane - 'Inspiring Earth Ethics: Linking Values and Action'.
EARTH ETHICS AND ECOSPIRITUALITY
- 14 May 2016, Brisbane – “A Walk with a Difference in Toohey Forest”. Evening seminar.
- Tuesday 27 October 2016, Brisbane – “The significance of the Pope’s Encyclical“. Evening seminar.
- 5th September 2015, Blue Mountains – “Cosmic Walk“, 1 day event co-hosted by Pagaian Cosmology.
- 18 August 2015, Melbourne -“Exploring Ecospirituality: Faith, Earth Ethics and Professional Life” – Evening seminar, co-hosted with Earth Song.
- 23 June 2015, Brisbane – “Nurturing a Spiritual Approach to Climate Change”. Evening seminar.
- 23 March 2015, Brisbane – ‘Exploring Ecospirituality in Harmony Week’.
- 11th December 2015, Brisbane – “Journey of the Universe: Film Night and Discussion” – Centre for Interfaith & Cultural Dialogue, Griffith University.
- 22 November, 2014 – Perth. 1 day "Exploring Ecospirituality" workshop.
- 25 July, 2014 – Brisbane – 1 day ‘Exploring Ecospirituality Workshop. This workshop explored ecocentrism and ecospirituality from indigenous, Buddhist, Islamic, Pagan, Christian and secular points of view. 100 people joined us for the presentations and the day also featured open space and small group discussions.