“ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS A QUESTION OF JUSTICE”

The Relation of Globalization and Ecology

Interview with Claus Methmann

[This interview publishe3d in: Junge Welt, 5/30/2005 is translated from the German on the World Wide Web,  http://www.jungewelt.de/2005/05-30/021.php. Claus Methmann is a member of Attac Germany’s coordinating circle.]


Q: You are one of the organizers of the second McPlanet congress sponsored by Attac, Greenpeace and the Alliance for Environmental Protection and Conservation (BUND) on the first June weekend in Hamburg. What is planned?

We expect over 1000 participants who will discuss themes at the interface of globalization and ecology for three days. The focal point will be on our lifestyles and consumption. We have invited 60 speakers from all over the world.

One of the central events will be a podium discussion “Consumption – Between Freedom and Responsibility.” We have known for a long time that our lifestyle is not sustainable and cannot be transferred to the whole world. The question now is: Why don’t we change it? Politics insists that the consumer should accomplish this as if the world would be better if we all only shopped in bio-stores. The exciting question is why this doesn’t work. This will be discussed. Politics certainly has much more responsibility than it admits. The role of corporations and advertising in this context is rather underexposed.

Further debates will concentrate on the theme of world trade. How much world trade do we really want? According to the neoliberal creed, world trade is good since the respective advantages of the different regions are utilized through world trade. This can be questioned from ecological, social and cultural standpoints.

Q: Do questions of environmental protection and consumer conduct play a role regarding unemployment and growing poverty?

The basic idea of McPlanet.com is that these things are strongly connected. The environment plays a role when I reflect on social themes. The poor are first affected by growing destruction of the environment in Germany, not only in the third world. Whoever is poor is sick more often. For example, poor people living at main traffic intersections are exposed more intensely to waste gases. This is even more striking in other parts of the world where people, particularly he rural population, depend more immediately on their environment. Environmental protection is a question of justice.

Conversely reflecting on social questions is important for the environmental movement. Environmental protection can only be realized when there is a relatively equal distribution of prosperity and social peace. For example, when an eco-tax is introduced and the income distribution is very unequal, environmental protection will obviously meet with little acceptance.

Q: How will this connection be reflected at the congress?

The congress will be organized by global justice groups and environmental organizations. Both sides will be illumined. This process will be very exciting at McPlanet. We want to show that both the social and the environment are threatened by unbridled globalization.

Q: Opening the way for new nuclear power plants puts in question promotion of renewable sources of energy. What will be the significance of the McPlanet congress with regard to the imminent Bundestag election?

Our themes global justice and ecological sustainability should play a role in the election. Obviously we don’t give any election recommendations. A strategy debate is earmarked. Cooperation between the participating organizations in the Bundestag election is vital. However there aren’t any concrete plans.