Structural causes of the crisis need to be tackled
The Bolivian Climate Change Platform represents indigenous organisations and social movements in Bolivia, and is one of the most active climate change lobby groups in South America. It rejects the use of market mechanisms to solve the environmental crisis. Here are some of the group’s key points:
We reject the “green economy” and the document “The Future we Want”, approved by all member governments of the United Nations, that instead of resolving the socio-economic crisis will deepen the structural causes through the strengthening of the liberalization of the economy and the commodification and financialization of nature via a “green economy”. In addition we reject that the text gives a green light to strengthen market mechanisms such as REDD+ that violate the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
The document does not take into account the warnings by scientists that demonstrate there is an urgent need for a deep change in paradigm and of consumption patterns. The document promotes economic growth as the basis for “development”. It omits dealing in a real way with the structural causes of the crisis and does not call for the deep changes that are needed to the current economic system.
This document is a backwards step after what was achieved at the Earth Summit at the 1992 Rio and also in relation to other legal instruments that recognize human rights, the rights of indigenous peoples and women´s rights, among others. It will potentially lead to the violation of rights enshrined in the 2009 Bolivian Constitution.
The full declaration
Statement on the final Rio+20 agreement in English
Bolivian Climate Change Platform
This statement is on the conclusions of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development held between 20 and 22 June 2012:
We reject the “green economy” and the document “The Future we Want”, approved by all member governments of the United Nations, that instead of resolving the socio-economic crisis will deepen the structural causes through the strengthening of the liberalization of the economy and the commodification and financialization of nature via a “green economy”. In addition we reject that the text gives a green light to strengthen market mechanisms such as REDD+ that violate the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
The document does not take into account the warnings by scientists that demonstrate there is an urgent need for a deep change in paradigm and of consumption patterns. The document promotes economic growth as the basis for “development”. It omits dealing in a real way with the structural causes of the crisis and does not call for the deep changes that are needed to the current economic system.
This document is a backwards step after what was achieved at the Earth Summit at the 1992 Rio and also in relation to other legal instruments that recognize human rights, the rights of indigenous peoples and women´s rights, among others. It will potentially lead to the violation of rights enshrined in the 2009 Bolivian Constitution.
We condemn the inclusion of concepts of “rights of nature” because they are used to legitimize a text that deepens the neo-liberal economic model, irrational consumption patterns and the “green economy” which is a new phase of the capitalist system and free market.
We condemn that the so called “progressive” ALBA governments have chosen not to object to the negotiation process and therefore are complicit in this dangerous weakening of the rights of Mother Earth by the proposal of a “green economy”. This “green economy” will deepen the planetary crisis and increase inequalities. It will continue to promote the irrational consumption of natural resources and facilitate the private appropriation of natural resources. Civil society has not been adequately consulted on all of these issues. The world´s governments have ignored the proposal for a new paradigm (Live Well / Vivir Bien) put forward by the world´s ancestral cultures who have until today practiced a real relation of harmony with nature.
The world´s peoples recognise that it will not be possible to restore a balance with Mother Earth through the same inhuman capitalist system that is based on the pursuit of profit.
We back the following declarations:
• Kari-Oca 2 Declaration. “Indigenous Peoples Global Conference on Rio+20 and Mother Earth”.
• NO REDD+! in RIO+20 – A Declaration to Decolonize the Earth and the Sky. Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on Climate Change against REDD+
• Peoples’ summit: Letter of Rio de Janeiro. Final declaration of free land camp IX – living well / healthy full life
Rio de Janeiro, 22 June 2012
Pronunciamiento ante el resultado final de Rio+20 en castellano
Plataforma Boliviana Frente al Cambio Climático
Ante los resultados de las negociaciones de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Desarrollo Sostenible realizada del 20 al 22 de junio de 2012 expresamos:
Reiteramos nuestro rechazo a la “economía verde” y al documento “El Futuro que Queremos”, aprobado por todos los gobiernos parte de Naciones Unidas, que lejos de resolver la crisis socio-ambiental global que enfrentamos, profundizará las causas estructurales, a través del fortalecimiento de la liberalización de la economía y la mercantilización y financialización de la naturaleza viabilizada por la “economía verde”. Además rechazamos que el texto da una luz verde al fortalecimiento de mecanismos de mercado como REDD+ que vulneran los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y comunidades locales.
Dicho documento no toma en cuenta las alertas de la ciencia, que ha demostrado la urgencia de un cambio profundo de paradigmas y patrones de consumo, promoviendo el crecimiento económico como base para el “desarrollo” y omite el tratamiento real de las causas estructurales de la crisis, sin plantear los cambios de fondo necesario en el sistema económico actual.
Este documento significa un retroceso en lo alcanzado en la Cumbre de la Tierra de Rio 1992 y de otros instrumentos legales de reconocimiento de derechos humanos, de los pueblos indígenas, las mujeres entre otros. En Bolivia potencialmente significará la violación de los derechos consagrados en la Constitución Política del Estado del 2009.
Denunciamos que la inclusión de los conceptos de “derechos de la naturaleza” acaban legitimando este texto que profundizará el modelo económico neoliberal, los patrones de consumo irracional y la “economía verde” como una nueva fase del sistema capitalista y el libre mercado.
Denunciamos que los gobiernos llamados “progresistas” del ALBA han perdido la oportunidad de objetar el proceso de negociación pasando a ser cómplices de una peligrosa dilución de los principios de los derechos de la Madre Tierra con la propuesta de la “economía verde”, que profundizará la crisis planetaria, aumentará las desigualdades y seguirá promoviendo el consumo irracional de los recursos naturales permitiendo la apropiación privada de estos, todo esto en medio de un proceso donde la sociedad civil no ha sido debidamente consultada. Los gobiernos del mundo han ignorado las propuestas de un nuevo paradigma de vida (Buen Vivir) propuesta por las culturas ancestrales del mundo que han pervivido hasta hoy en una verdadera relación de armonía con la naturaleza.
Los pueblos del mundo reconocemos que no es posible que el mismo modelo capitalista inhumano, a través de sus herramientas basadas en el lucro, sean las respuestas que logren restaurar el desequilibro con la Madre Tierra.
Asimismo respaldamos a las siguientes declaraciones:
• Kari?oca, la “conferencia mundial de los pueblos indígenas sobre rio+20 y la madre tierra”
• ¡No REDD+! en RIO+20 – Una Declaración para Descolonizar la Tierra y el Cielo. Alianza Mundial de Pueblos Indígenas y Comunidades Locales sobre Cambio Climático en contra de REDD+
• Cumbre de los Pueblos: Carta de Rio de Janeiro. Declaración final del campamento tierra libre IX –vivir bien/vida plena.
Rio de Janeiro, 22 Junio 2012.