In the run up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio (Brazil), Friends of the Earth France have launched their “Nature is not for sale!” campaign to highlight the dangers of putting a price on nature. Making nature, ecosystems and fundamentals like water tradable will not solve our current global crisis.
A guide for citizens ‘Nature is not for sale!’ criticises the Rio +20 “Declaration on natural capital” which outlines the new market mechanisms through which finance is taking over nature as part of the so called “green economy”.
The report shows the impacts of the financialisation of nature on people and the environment and provides concrete alternatives and recommendations for decision-makers.
Speculation on food, energy, creation of carbon markets would soon expand to create a market economy which includes ecosystems and the atmosphere, allowing banks and corporations to make profits, while the climate crisis continues to worsen.
Juliette Renaud, senior campaigner on the Private Finance Friends of the Earth France commented: “We do not want this ‘green economy’. It only increases social injustice and worsens the ecological crisis. It will further reduce the liability of companies who will be able to circumvent social and environmental laws, and take ownership of natural assets to the detriment of local communities. “
Through compensation mechanisms, multinationals can continue to pollute or destroy the environment without questioning their practices. The projects implemented to obtain carbon credits have led to violations of the rights of local communities, land grabs and loss of natural properties.
Friends of the Earth believes that no new market demand on natural assets should be created, and that financial players must be excluded from existing markets.
