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Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva urges a paradigm shift away from the pervasive short-sighted growth model we see failing all around us, and says that “making peace with the earth” is now a “survival imperative.”

Shiva made the comments in an interview with Salim Rizvi of Free Speech Radio News.

Speaking about current environmental activism in India, she says the grassroots movement “has never been stronger because the crisis is deeper.” She adds that rights issues are intertwined. “You cannot separate the issue of sustainability from the issue of justice from the issue of access to resources and from the issues of peace.”

Emphasizing the urgency of our times, Shiva says “Making peace with the earth” is now “a survival imperative.”

Speaking about the Rio+20 United Nations sustainable development summit in Rio de Janeiro which officially starts today, Shiva says that Rio “was very important 20 years ago,” and that India played an important role then.  But now India is “playing second fiddle to the United States,” which “wants to dismantle Rio.”

Shiva says that India’s civiliazation is based on “compassion and sharing,” and “you cannot sacrifice that very very open generous civiliazation for a short-term growth model that is failing all around us. ”