A UN-backed conference on climate change ended with a call to end capitalism. The conference, organised by the Venezuelan government, saw 130 green activist groups meet to discuss their demands.
Green website Respond to Climate Change says that at the end of the conference, the groups issued what is being called the ‘Margarita Declaration’, which says: “The structural causes of climate change are linked to the current capitalist hegemonic system. To combat climate change it is necessary to change the system.”
This declaration will be handed to environment ministers when they meet in the UN’s talks in Lima later this year.
Participants at the meeting included the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Climate Action Network International, Third World Network and Christian Aid.
The declaration also condemned the idea of having a so-called “Green Economy”, saying this was nowhere near radical enough, and only the end of the capitalist system would solve the problem of climate change.
Venezuela is governed by a staunchly socialist government under president Nicolas Maduro, and previously Hugo Chavez. Socialist policies have left the country impoverished, with the government forced to ration basic supplies such as water, flour, milk, vegetable oil and toilet paper.
One participant at the conference said that most Venezuelan non-governmental organisations boycotted it as they were concerned the government would use it as a forum to push their hardline socialist agenda.
“That made Venezuela not need to actively push for things, letting the movements propose their views instead,” he said.
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