Call

3rd International Ecosocialist Conference

Ecological and social emergency: building up alternatives to ecosocial challenges

Humanity faces a crucial decision: we either change the political and social system or move on to barbarianism. We are going through a severe social, assistance and ecological crisis, of which climate change is the most troubling expression, apart from the loss of biodiversity, depletion of natural resources and deforestation. We are so in the middle of several intermingled crisis that are threatening humanity and wild life.

Besides, the appropriation of wealth by few causes unfair sharing that increases economic and gender inequality, which eventually hinders people´s and societies’ worthy life.

Underlying this catastrophe is the capitalist heteropathiarcal system of production, reproduction, distribution and consumption, based on non stop accumulation, on consumerism and on commodities fetishism, which is opposed to nature´s and human being´s survival. We either shift the paradigm or will face more and more ecological catastrophes, migration flows, surveillance on peoples, militarization, wars for the seizure of decreasing natural resources, death and suffering. In other words, greed and growth driven capitalism is leading humanity to “ecocide”. It is a mass destruction weapon that is stealing our present and coming generations´ life.

This document´s signatories believe that the responses proposed from within the capitalist system (green capitalism, sustainable development, carbon markets, nuclear power, free market treats like TISA or TTIP, fracking , prioritization of cities over rural world, land appropriation, industrial agriculture, extractivism, giant devastating infrastructures, etc,..) are misleading solutions. They are socially unacceptable and lead us to abyss. They are nothing but new ways of pursuing profits at the expense of the planet´s destruction.

We are made to believe that they is no alternative, but there are today lots of examples of worldwide experiences and projects that show that we don´t believe that lie, like the marches against Keystone XL in USA, COP21 in Paris, against TTIP, for climate justice, etc. Other examples are Alternatiba in the Basque Country, projects of social, political and economic transformation in Latin America, Asia and Africa, led by a living-in-nature paradigm more than living against nature.

Nevertheless, these examples must increase by spreading the ecosocialist paradigm and by gathering strength to achieve a real transformation. We must put an end to institutions-economic power link by shifting to a system that gives priority to people over profit and speculation.

To cooperate in the making of this alternative true, as a continuation of the 1st Ecosocialist Conference Geneva 2014 and 2nd Ecosocialist Conference Madrid 2015, the Ecosocialist groups, trade unions, social movements and political organizations of the Basque Country, Spain, Switzerland and other European countries would like to invite all interested organisations, movements, collectives and individuals to participate in the 3rd International Ecosocialist Conference, in Bilbao (Basque Country) 23-25 September 2016.

We also ask you to sign this international call either as your organization representative or as an individual, share it and participate.

We have two blocks of debate:

  1. Ecosocial transitions before the ecological and social emergency.
  2. Troika´s time or Europe´s peoples´ time? Democracy, sovereignty and social justice.

We need to coordinate, set plans and joint mobilizations so that our alternatives are supported by those who seek for a radical transformation of the capitalist system. Our intention is also to join the mobilizations for post COP21 and Bplan for Europe. Finally, in our ecosocialist agenda will be welcome all those who work for just, sustainable and antipathiarcal societies.

First signers

International: Alfons Perez (ODG, Països Catalans), Amaia Pérez Orozco (Eje de Precariedad y Economía Feminista, estado español), Christine Poupin (CGT et NPA, France), Christophe Aguiton (ATTAC, France), Conrad Kunze (Rosa Luxemburg, Deutschland), Daniel Süri (Anti-Shale Gas Group, Switzerland), Daniel Tanuro (LCR-SAP, Belgique),  Elizabeth Peredo (Trenzando ilusiones, Bolivia),  Éric Toussaint (CADTM, Belgique), Jordi Roca (Universitat de Barcelona, Països Catalans), Jorge Riechmann (Podemos, estado español), Juan Tortosa (SolidaritéS, Switzerland), Manuel Garí (Fundación Viento Sur, estado español), María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop  (Universidad Carlos III, estado español), Marianne Ebel (World March of Women, Switzerland), Nicolas Haeringer (350.org, France), Pascoe Sabido (Corporate Europe Observatory, Belgique), Payal Parekh (350.org, Suitza), Tadzio Mueller (climate justice activist, Deutschland), Tchenna Maso (MAB, Brasil), Txetx Etcheverry (Bizi! Mugimendua, Euskal Herria), Vincent Gay (Ensemble, France), Yayo Herrero (Ecologistas en acción, estado español), Zoe Konstantopoulou (Greece).

Euskal Herria: Adolfo Muñoz, Txiki (ELA), Ainhoa Etxaide (LAB), Ayem Oskoz (Alternatiba), Dani Maeztu (Aralar), Iratxe Alvarez (ESK), José Ángel Elgezabal (Antikapitalistak), Marije Etxebarria (Steilas), Miren Zabaleta (Sortu), Purificación Pérez (Mugarik Gabe), Ricardo Hernández (Hitz & Hitz), Rosa Lago (Ekologistak Martxan), Rosa Martínez (Equo), Xabier Benito (Podemos).