The Environment & Animal Rights
ireland / britain |
environment |
feature
Monday February 28, 2005 22:12 by National Conference - WSM
a Workers Solidarity Movement position paper
We value humanity over all other life on earth although we recognise that our planet is a complex and developing web of interdependent life forms. The survival of humanity depends on maintaining balance within this web, the variety of its' species and habitats. All human activity, especially industry, mining etc. must be conducted in a way conscious of this reality
We value humanity over all other life on earth although we recognise that our planet is a complex and developing web of interdependent life forms. The survival of humanity depends on maintaining balance within this web, the variety of its' species and habitats. All human activity, especially industry, mining etc. must be conducted in a way conscious of this reality
The Environment & Animal Rights
a Workers Solidarity Movement
position paper
1. We value humanity over all other life on earth although we
recognise that our planet is a complex and developing web of
interdependent life forms. The survival of humanity depends on
maintaining balance within this web, the variety of its' species and
habitats. All human activity, especially industry, mining etc. must
be conducted in a way conscious of this reality
2.Humanity to survive must make use of the world's material
resources. Decisions should be made democratically after free
discussion and bearing in mind the vital necessity of our dependence
on nature and on the health of the planet. Production should be to
satisfy need and not profit. Right now environmental conditions are
seriously deteriorating. However the capitalist class far from
suffering are actually reaping the benefits whilst shielded from the
worst effects. This crisis highlights the fact that the vast majority
have absolutely no control over how the earth is used and for whose
benefit
3. The present environmental crisis is due to capitalist
industrialisation, which puts profit first before the health of the
environment and the needs of the people.
4. Our aim is to reorganise industry under workers self-management
so that all industry is based on ideas of sustainability and measured
in terms of the needs of humanity and the balance required with
nature. Reduction of waste and needless production, reuse of
resources and production of goods to last, recycling of waste to the
greatest degree possible, these are all important objectives. We are
for sustainable development to remove the burden of poverty and
oppression suffered by people in the underdeveloped world. Whilst
population growth is often cited as the cause of many environmental
problems, the truth is that it is the capitalist system that is the
greater culprit. The worlds resources properly employed can sustain
the worlds population and more. A more equal society with greater
personal freedom would result in a levelling off of population
figures in any case.
5. Much of capitalist production is unnecessary due to built in
obsolescence or advertising pressure and socially useless industries
such as arms production etc. Directing some of that productive
capacity to vital goods and services for the underdeveloped world
would not involve increased production in overall terms.
Sustainability is of key importance but this should not be
incompatible with ensuring a comfortable life for all.
6. The major problem of capitalist industrial pollution and the
destructive extraction of raw materials needs to be tackled on a
class basis. It is not those who take the profits but the working
class who suffer the consequences of polluted water, contaminated
food etc. Only by the people directly effected taking democratic
control of such industry can the problem be solved
7. Environmental crises and famines in the less developed
countries are a result of capitalist exploitation and the harnessing
of these countries industry and agriculture to meet the needs of
international capitalism. The working class in the developed world
have more in common with the workers and peasants of these countries
than with our own ruling class. Poverty, in equality and exclusion
are common features of the developed world. We are not rivals but
should be united in our struggle against capitalist exploitation.
8. Direct action by workers and local communities against the
activities of polluting factories is the best way to tackle
pollution. Where factories cannot be made safe the jobs should be
replaced locally with other sustainable industries making use of the
skills of the workforce while preserving their pay levels and
promotional opportunities.
9. Nuclear power is demonstrably unsafe. Profits and the needs of
the arms industry are placed before safety and the risks are far too
great to justify its use. Power production through renewable
resources such as wind power, hydro electric schemes and solar energy
are far more desirable. Energy saving initiatives and more
imaginative building technologies could substantially reduce the
growing demand for power.
10. The destruction of the rain forests is due to large capitalist
concerns 'strip mining' the trees. We call for strike action against
such companies to force them to re-forest and manage extraction. It
is also due to the emigration of land hungry peasants and unemployed
workers from the countries in these regions. This is a by-product of
the grinding poverty produced in these countries by capitalism and
imperialism. As such the problem will only be solved by revolution
and development in those countries. We call for the building of
unions among such workers and the carrying out of education programs
by revolutionaries within these unions.
11. Practically in Ireland this involves calling on Irish unions
to support the construction of these unions and aid in their
financing. It involves organising solidarity campaigns with the
struggles of these workers. We note that union recognition disputes
are already a major part of the workers struggles in this region,
e.g. Brazilian rubber tappers.
12. We oppose the testing of atomic, biological and chemical
weapons in all circumstances and support blacking of goods and
services as well as other direct action to halt such tests.
13. We call on the trade unions to fund their own environmental
monitoring section answerable to the workers and community affected,
and to publicise and organise action against industries which expose
workers or the community at large to toxic substances, pollution etc.
14. Within unions we also demand industry uses re-cycled products
where possible and finds alternatives for products or by-products
which harm the environment. Industrial action should be used to force
the bosses to comply.
15. Under capitalism most animal experimentation carried out is
unnecessary, we oppose all experimentation for military and cosmetic
purposes. Where animal experimentation is vital for medical research
it should be reduced to the minimum necessary levels. We support the
right of students and laboratory workers to refuse to experiment on
or dissect animals. We support workers victimised for leaking details
of experiments.
16 We oppose animal liberation campaigns which endanger workers
lives through firebombing of stores or labs, and the harmful
contamination of foodstuffs, etc.
17. There has been a rapid development of genetic engineering and
biotechnology. Biotechnology like any other technology holds out the
promise of an improved standard of living but also of potential
dangers.
For example advances in fertility treatment maybe of tremendous
advantage to childless couples. Genetic screening can give advance
warning of diseases like cancer.
We do not know if genetically engineered food and medicines pose
an inherent threat because there is no independent, publicly
answerable research into these issues. Certainly using anit-biotic
residence genes as markers for other genes or inserting toxin
producing genes into plants to kill insects raises serious questions
in relation to human health.
The fundamental issue is not technology but who controls it. That
does not mean we uniformly embrace all technology. In general we
favour environmentally friendly technology e.g. wind and solar energy
as opposed to nuclear power.
Under capitalism we oppose the introduction of GM crops, which
cross pollinate with the natural plant. Their introduction in an
anarchist society would depend on conclusive research and a
democratic debate about the necessity or value of such crops.
18. The present problems of Gridlock and pollution are the results
of a bosses solution to a bosses problem; more roads and more cars.
We favour more investment in rail and buses, restrictions on cars in
urban areas and more cycle/ pedestrian favouring road system. Again
we believe the issue is one of control, that workers have little
control over the decisions that effect their lives.
Updated 1998