Paper short abstract:

The global problems of resource depletion, poverty and conflict can be located in scale and complexity in commercial culture. contrary to it, the original affluent societies/indigenous communities customary laws in natural resource management can be seen as alternative for ecocide.

Paper long abstract:

The global problems of resource depletion, poverty and conflict are problems of scale and complexity that are amplified in a global-scale commercially dominated human society. These can be located in too many demands on nature- over consumption, shift away from renewable resources and commercial culture creating exceedingly complex and unstable ecological conditions. Contrary to it, the technologically simplest and ethnographically known original affluent societies or indigenous communities life of low density, domestically organized and customary laws in natural resource management offer many human advantages not obtained by urbanized societies. This paper is based on empirical study among the Gadabas, Parajas and Bondos hill tribes in Odisha to compare land management and wasteland cultivation under statute and customary laws. It found that cultural principles of subsidiarity and heterogeneity, small population size and scale shapes the distribution of wealth, power and opportunity unlike urban societies where few people make decisions. It found that the customary laws are having the provision of self governing strategies, oppose the idea of property, and recognizes that natural resources management is adapted to local ecosystems. Hence, the destruction of nature or ecocide can be controlled and social and natural sustainability can be achieved. Hence, applications of customary laws in natural resource management can be the only alternative to ecocide, the world is facing today.