28 January 2003, Porto Alegre (Brazil) /
Davos (Switzerland)
PORTO ALEGRE AND DAVOS - LAST DAY
Today is the last day of the World Social
Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre, Brazil and the
Public Eye [2] on Davos, in Davos,
Switzerland a parallel summit outside the
World Economic Forum (WEF) there. Eighty
Friends of the Earth International [1]
members participated in the WSF and in the
Public Eye.
Corporate power and government complicity
in the rape of the planet was the main focus
of the activities undertaken by the Friends
of the Earth International participants in
Porto Alegre and Davos. “The tens of
thousands of participants at the WSF are
planning a new world order, one which is
socially just and ecologically sound”, stated
Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the
Earth International participating in the WSF.
“Ecological issues are finally being
recognised as a critical cornerstone to a
fair and just new world order,” he added.
While the process at the WSF was inclusive
and accepting of a diverse range of views and
positions, in Davos, governments have been
responding to demands of corporations for the
further exploitation of the natural resources
of the planet and the further undermining of
civil society’s rights. Secret meetings
between governments and major oil
corporations at Davos have serious
implications for the future stability of the
United Nations. A recent
Deutsche Bank report
indicates
serious conflicts of interest within the
Security Council of the United Nations (UN),
in considering the future of Iraq. Major oil
companies stand to gain depending on a future
decision by the UN in regard to Iraq.
Friends of the Earth International has
raised concern about the manner in which
non-government organisations have been
treated during the WEF. Pro-Natura, and
Friends of the Earth England Wales and
Northern Island and a leading human rights
organisation have been prevented from
presenting critical information within the
WEF to inform key debates. “This exclusion
clearly indicates that the potential for open
dialogue within the WEF is a misnomer, and
that civil society will never be able to
inform debates within the WEF,” says Tony
Juniper, Friends of the Earth Vice Chair
Friends of the Earth International, “trust is
no where to be found within the WEF.”
The violence of the world economic order
on local communities has been presented at
both the WSF and at Davos. Friends of the
Earth International calls on world
governments to “take back the power they have
given to the trans-national corporations
through the multilateral institutions like
the World Trade Organisation. Governments
should return that power to decide the future
of the earth to the communities,” said
Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the
Earth International.
"The WEF confirmed it is a business
leaders meeting supported by governments
trying to prioritize economic benefits of
transnational corporations at the expense of
social and ecological needs,” said Navarro.
“The World Social Forum on the contrary is
open to everyone and every idea, from people
protesting the free trade areas of the
Americas to the people who are concerned by
pollution. This is a truly inclusive
culturally diverse democratic and
participatory event.”
It is clear that trust cannot be built by
the governments and big business, therefore
Friends of the Earth International in
recognising the above weaknesses of the
global world order commits itself to
strengthening local community campaigns that
challenge the abuse by corporates and
governments.
ENDS
For more information:
Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the
Earth International + 55 519 213 8163
Tony Juniper, Vice Chair of Friends of the
Earth International + 44 771 284 3207
NOTES:
[1] Friends of the Earth International is
a federation of autonomous environmental
organizations from all over the world. Our
members, in 68 countries, campaign on the
most urgent environmental and social issues
of our day, while simultaneously catalyzing a
shift toward sustainable societies. [2] "The
Public Eye on Davos" is an international
conference held over several days at the end
of January at the same time as the WEF annual
meeting in Davos. This alternative to the WEF
is the joint project of a coalition of NGOs
from all the continents. It focuses on a
well-grounded critique of the neoliberal
globalization influentially promoted by WEF
members – the biggest multinational
corporations. Faced with the massive social
and environmental impacts of this one-sided
economic globalization, the Public Eye
promotes a globalization of justice and
environmental sustainability. The
globalization project of international
business is countered with viable
alternatives that have arisen from civil
society.
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