Raül Romeva i Rueda

El proper dissabte celebrarem, conjuntament amb la Fundació Heinrich Böll (la Fundació dels Verds Alemanys) unes jornades sobre Economia Verda (Green Economics). De cara a preparar el debat/reflexió, he estat consultant les propostes dels verds belgues (Ecolo) els quals han el.laborat un interessant document segons el qual caldria fomentar una economia de projectes basada en tres principis: Estimular, Orientar i Redistribuir. Adjunto el text pdf en document adjunt, i les línees generals de la proposta a continuació: (segueix…)
Putting Belgium on the road to sustainable development 

For ecologists, the economy, whether viewed scientifically or politically, is the means, not the end.

The means for moving towards the ideal of sustainable development, which is defined internationally as a mode of development that meets the needs of the present while ensuring that future generations will also be able to meet theirs. 

We are on the side of those who believe that the “invisible hand” of liberalism does not necessarily lead to the type of development we are looking for.

We are among those who wish to track down the sources of problems in such a way that we will no longer have to – at best (the social-democrat option) – increasingly patch over social problems or – at worst (the neo-liberal option) – eliminate them progressively so that the only parameter to work with will be the workers themselves. 

In order to build this future gradually, we believe it is necessary to use economic and political regulatory tools for the purpose of “stimulation”, “orientation” and “redistribution”.

Stimulation, because for the Greens there can be no sustainable development without mobilising the players, whether they are businessmen, officials, researchers, employees, associates, self-employed, voluntary workers, administrators, etc. Whether or not they belong to the commercial sector, whether they are “small” or “large”, they are the ones who are and will be caught up in the action. Thus, the prime role of politics has to be to sustain and, even more so, to stimulate the development of their initiatives. 

Orientation, because most of the natural resources are “finite” and sustainable development is not a matter of course – if everyone were to consume at the same levels as we Belgians, we would need three planets! Orientation, because there is an alternative and the “green sectors” entail a large and still untapped potential for jobs that can be localised here.  

Redistribution, because satisfying the needs in question cannot be limited to satisfying the needs of some people. Redistribution, because we cannot afford to be complacent in a situation where almost 600,000 workers are unemployed, and almost 1,600,000 of our fellow citizens are living below the poverty line. Fairness is required both between and within the generations.

Obviously, no social paradise can be constructed on an economic cemetery.  But in the short-term an economic paradise may be constructed on a social and environmental cemetery. This is what our politics must avoid, by having regard simultaneously to the three aspects of development: the economy, society and the environment. That is the only basis on which we can progress towards a project-based economy. 

An alternative world is possible and, as P. ELUARD stated, it is already here in this one. 

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