European Ecosocialist Action Network – meeting report

Sean Thompson reports

Three members of Left Unity’s Environment Commission attended an important meeting of European socialists in London over the weekend of 28/29 June. Members of organisations from Belgium, France, Spain, Greece, Romania and Poland came to the meeting, as well as delegates from our comrades in Green Left and the Alliance for Green Socialism, and messages of support were received from Ireland, Galicia, Belarus and Hungary. It was the third of a series of preparatory meetings to design and formally establish a European network and a number of key decisions were made.

First, the name – the European Ecosocialist Action Network – was agreed, along with a basic statement of aims, which calls for the socialisation of our energy system and a rapid transition to renewable energy sources, the ending of nuclear power and the banning of fracking throughout Europe, along with a rejection of the ‘carbon market’ and the proposed EU/US Single Transatlantic Market.

The statement’s introduction makes clear the need for an internationalist – and an ecosocialist – approach to the problems that confront us:

‘We are facing an unprecedented ecological and social crisis on a global scale. We declare that ecosocialism is both a realistic goal and a necessity for the survival of human society.’

‘We must tackle the root causes of the problem with a transformation of our society and economy. We need radical political thinking and action, on an international scale.’

Second, delegates agreed to focus on a co-ordinated campaign entitled Green Energy for All. The main objective of the campaign will be to draw together and co-ordinate on a Europe wide basis our work in four vital and complementary areas; the renationalisation of the energy oligopolies and the transition to renewable energy, the ‘Million Climate Jobs’ campaign, the movement against fracking and the fight to end the scandal of fuel poverty.

The Green Energy for All campaign statement lays out its demands clearly:
• For a progressive electricity tariff system that guarantees the free supply of a basic quota to all, balanced by higher charges for heavy users.
• The imposition of additional taxation on the excessive profits of the energy multinationals.
• The development of public ownership and not-for-pro?t structures for the energy industry under democratic control.
• A planned energy conservation programme involving the retrofitting of insulation to homes, offices and factories and the reduction of road freight transport, at local, national and continental levels.
• The creation of tens of thousands of sustainable climate jobs.
• An exit strategy from a reliance on nuclear power and fossil fuels.
• A rapid and large scale transition to renewable energy sources.
• A ban on fracking and shale gas.
• A firm time scale and ambitious targets in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Energy councils with representation of employees, trade unions and citizens as well as political parties.