THE ECOLOGICAL DEBT The campaign and its future J.Martinez-Alier, 17/5/04

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THE ECOLOGICAL DEBTThe campaign and its future
J.Martinez-Alier, 17/5/04

• Several currents of thought and action led to the
  campaign of the Ecological Debt, from around
  1990.
• In Latin America, long awareness of expoliation
  (Potosi, guano, quebracho...). Galeanos Venas
  Abiertas. Also, in the 1950s and 1960s, the
  CEPALs doctrine on the deterioration of terms of
  trade.

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The campaign of the Ecological Debt, origins in
Latin America

• Now, in 2002, we know that Latin America is
  exporting six times more tons than it is
  importing. Ecologicallly unequal exchange.
• In around 1990, awareness also of ozone layer
  threat. The Instituto de Ecologia Politica in
  Chile launched campaign on Ecological Debt. Help
  from J.M. Borrero of Cali (Colombia). Alternative
  treaty in Rio in 1992, on the link between
  external debt and ecological debt.

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In India

• Because of the accident in Bhopal in 1984, one of
  the components of the Ecological Debt has
  immediate resonance in India, i.e. the unpaid,
  unrecognized environmental liabilities of
  transnational companies.
• Same issue with Texaco in Ecuador, Shell in Niger
  Delta. Several South African cases.

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Corporate unaccountability

• This is indeed one issue which is here to stay.
  Discussion in the USA on what to do with ATCA
  law which allows class action suits in the USA
  for damages done by USA citizens/ companies
  abroad.
• European legislation?

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Also in India, Latin America, Africa
Biopiracy, a word from 1993, a practice for
five centuries

• From the international discussion on Farmers
  Rights within FAO, the word Biopiracy came into
  use. It points to the asymmetry between the free
  use of traditional seeds and peasant knowledge
  developed over 8000 years, and the payment
  required for the use of so-called improved
  commercial seeds and the restrictions on their
  use.

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Many cases of Biopiracy

• Pat Mooney (of RAFI, now ETC) introduced the word
  Biopiracy, 1993.
• The practice in very old. Not only for
  agricultural seeds and knowledge. Also for
  medicinal plants.
• A scandal every month, because of attempts to
  take patents Neem, and basmati rice in India,
  quinua varieties in Bolivia, yellow bean in
  Mexico, ayahuasca in Amazonia...

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Export of toxic waste

• This another component of the Ecological Debt
  from North to South, namely the damages from
  exports of toxic waste.
• In theory prohibited because of Basel agreement.
• In practice, many cases. For instance, Alang ship
  breaking yards in Gujarat.

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Exported risks

• One should also include among the exports of
  toxic waste, the damage done because of nuclear
  testing in the Pacific during decades (by the
  USA, France).
• Also, the damage done by introducing unsafe or
  untested technologies the examples of DBCP in
  banana planations, asbestos in South Africa and
  elsewhere.

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Components of the Ecological Debt

• The environmental liabilities of transnational
  companies a question more relevant every day.
• Ecologically unequal trade e.g. the EU imports
  four times more tons than it exports.
  Displacement of environmental loads from North to
  South through trade. We also import cheap
  exhaustible resources. Questions more relevant
  every day because we take a social metabolic
  view of the economy.

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Components of the Ecological Debt (cont.)

• Biopiracy many current examples. The CBD of
  1992 introduced remunerated Bioprospection, but
  this is often only disguised Biopiracy.
• Exports of toxic waste from North to South, also
  introduction of technologies of uncertain effects
  no application of Precautionary Principle. More
  relevant than ever.

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Components of the Ecological Debt (cont.)

• Finally, the greenhouse effect debt, the
  Carbon Debt increasing every day.
• It was Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narain from the
  CSE, New Delhi, who in 1991 published Global
  Warming a case of environmental colonialism.
  Who is the owner of the sinks (oceans, soils, new
  vegetation), and reservoirs (atmosphere) of
  carbon dioxide?

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Kyoto as grandfathering

• Kyoto agreement of 1997 is better than nothing.
  Nevertheless gives emission rights very generous
  to the rich countries. We can produce almost as
  much CO2 as in 1990 (while our per capita
  production in the EU is 3 times the world
  average).
• Calculations of the Carbon Debt Damage Costs
  or Abatement Costs.

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The Carbon Debt

• The Damage Costs would require to count the
  damages in the future in money terms, give them a
  present value. Prices of human lives, disappeared
  species?
• The Abatement Costs how much it would cost to
  reduce emissions by 50 or 60. Not the necessary
  emissions but the luxury emissions.

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One early calculation of the Carbon Debt
(abatement costs)

• Jyoti Parikh, 1995. 25 of population produce 75
  of emissions. Need to reduce total emissions by
  half, say, about 3000 million tons of carbon.
  First 1000 million tons could be reduced at cost
  of 15 US/ton, then marginal costs increase. Take
  average of only 25 US/ton. Annual subsidy of
  75,000 million USS from South to North (or from
  poor to rich).

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More on the Carbon Debt

• Other calculations have been published for
  instance by Christian Aid (Who owes who? 1999).
  Several articles by Andrew Simms.
• Possibility of international law suits from
  Pacific Islands, or AOSIS. Also from NGOs.
  Against northern governments for failure to
  prevent increased greenhouse effect.

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Public and Private Ecological Debt? A useful
distinction?

• Private Ecological Debt liabilities of private
  companies (Dow Chemical-Union Carbide, Repsol,
  Agip, Chevron-Texaco...). Or biopiracy
  companies or toxic export companies.

• Public Ecological Debt owed by all citizens,
  who are represented by states. For instance,
  because of Ecologically Unequal Trade. Or the
  Carbon Debt.

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SUMMARY

• There is an Ecological Debt towards Future
  Generations and towards other Species.
• Here we focus on the Ecological Debt from North
  to South. The USA, the EU, Japan are creditors of
  External Debt but big debtors on account of the
  Ecological Debt.
• There is certainly a north in all countries,
  and a south in all countries, but there are
  patterns of unequal trade, biopiracy, occupation
  of environmental space... between North and
  South.

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ISSUES OF EVER INCREASING RELEVANCE

• The components of the Ecological Debt are then
• - the Environmental Liabilities of TNC,
• - the damages from Toxic Waste exports,
• - the gains the North has obtained and obtains
  from Ecologically Unequal Trade and Biopiracy,
• - the Greenhouse Effect Debt (or Carbon Debt).
• Much need for further studies directly
  related to concrete situations, useful for local
  groups. But, WHERE AND WHO ARE THE ACTORS?

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Who will claim (or support the claim of) the
Ecological Debt?

• Who are the social groups, or agents that claim
  the Ecological Debt? This is the main question
  now for the Campaign.
• The new government of India? The PT government of
  Brazil? Will some parts of the the UN system use
  the concept of the Ecological Debt? Will the
  World Social Forum include the Ecological Debt
  really as one main issue? Will Jubilee South
  continue to push it? Role of the media? Role of
  academic research? Northern allies European
  Greens? Human Rights groups?