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[French Version]
Environmental Justice, Sustainable Development and the Politics of Public Finance
Universite Gaston Berger, Saint-Louis, Senegal
African Green Party leader and international activist
I think that for us ecological movements in the Third World the presentations of our friends were very important.
In our efforts to change how things are being done so far, we have noticed that Green Parties and green organizations often just theorize. Most of the time when we or our leaders are interviewed there is no economic alternative proposed, there is no positive tax proposition. As a result of this we have no proposition for taxation. I am sure this is also true of all of us if we just take the time to question our political agenda in our respective countries.
I think Alanna has made it very clear in saying that we should in our vision of an earth rights network use geoclassical mechanisms of economic policy to reverse that. I think here we have a tool to make justice in terms of environmental issues. It is also an opportunity, too, for us to change the way taxes are now and to make alternative propositions as a political party.
This would be a peaceful revolution that all Green Parties could join. A peaceful revolution but a radical revolution. Actually to change the way the environment is being taxed so far is a real revolutionary policy that I and my colleagues from other countries here can see. In Africa we have the possibility to justify this tax information because tax policies in our countries are inherited from the colonial powers. Actually it would be a real revolution only if we have a good command and handling of this concept.
It would be an opportunity to make a land government. A land government allows you to fight against corruption. We think that here we have an opportunity to implement what we call environmental justice.
As you remember ten years ago in Rio de Janeiro the world community had a single opinion and the view was to help the coming generations in terms of environmental issues. That was actually what we called environmental justice. In five months those same stakeholders will meet again in South Africa in order to reflect on the coming generations.
In accordance with Henry George philosophy we know that to put in practice those rights is to propose that the rent of the land be a decision that the community has to take and all labor taxes be abolished. This is the revolution to say NO to the neoliberal system. And it is actually the neoliberal system that we are fighting.
Liberty in the philosophy of Henry George means justice and justice is the natural law, a natural right. Environmental justice is a questioning of the current order that favors the few.
We think that the ideology of political ecology is a peaceful ideology of revolution. I say it again, that it is a revolution based on intelligence, where we have the mind that is taking the place of arms.
I think that our friends have brought us the tools to come to this environmental justice revolution. This would be an opportunity for us to stop squabbling and to get together and unite because we have on the continent problems that we need to solve. If we do not do what we have to do then we give the opportunity for those who are leading us to keep on exploiting the poor.
http://www.earthrights.net/docs/dieng.html