Davos elites must listen

The WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, takes place on 23-27 January 2008 and offers multinational corporations an unparalleled opportunity to influence decision-makers and shape the global agenda in their favour.
Friends of the Earth International will be keeping a close watch on Davos through its ‘counter-event’, known as the ‘Public Eye Awards’, a joint project of Pro Natura / Friends of the Earth Switzerland and the Berne Declaration. [2]

Friends of the Earth International chair Meena Raman said:
“This elitist and anti-democratic Forum allows the world’s richest businesses and most powerful politicians to negotiate deals behind closed doors. The underlying assumption in Davos is that the current corporate-run global economy– where profit margins are more important than people and the planet – must remain the order of the day.”

“Those taking part in the World Social Forum Day of Action believe that another world with sustainable societies is possible and desirable. Our elected leaders need to get out of bed with big business and start implementing policies that protect people and the environment,” she added.

Environmental campaigners also warn that increasingly there is a corporate takeover of the climate change agenda through ill-conceived ‘solutions’ being proposed to tackle the climate change crisis. These false solutions include agrofuels, ‘carbon offsetting’ projects such as monoculture tree plantations, and risky technology including nuclear and genetic modified crops.

A newly formed coalition – Climate Justice Now! – is demanding that the climate change crisis be addressed by supporting radical cuts in emissions particularly by industrialised countries, increased energy efficiency, reduced consumption, safe renewable energy, supporting Indigenous peoples’ land rights to preserve forests and leaving fossil fuels in the ground. [3]

Achieving true climate justice also requires huge financial transfers from the industrialised countries who owe the global South an ecological debt that should be paid for by redirecting military budgets, innovative taxes and debt cancellation. [4]

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Meena Raman, Friends of the Earth International Chair,
Tel: + 60 1243 00042 (Malaysian Cell)

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] To find out more about the World Social Forum and actions taking place around the world on 26th January 2008, visit www.wsf2008.net and forumsocialmundial.org.br

[2] To find out more about the ‘Public Eye Awards’ visit: www.evb.ch/en/p13576.html

[3] Members of the Climate Justice Now! coalition include:
Carbon Trade Watch, Transnational Institute; Center for Environmental Concerns; Focus on the Global South; Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines; Friends of the Earth International; Gendercc – Women for Climate Justice, Global Forest Coalition; Global Justice Ecology Project; International Forum on Globalization; Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE); La Via Campesina; Members of the Durban Group for Climate Justice; Oilwatch; Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environment Coalition, Aotearoa/New Zealand; Sustainable Energy and Economy Network; The Indigenous Environmental Network; Third World Network; World Development Movement, World Rainforest Movement

[4] A recent Guardian story on ecological debt is online at : guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jan/21/environmental.debt1/print