The Ecosocialists Meeting, organized by different political parties, trade unions and other actors, brought together hundreds of people in the Bizkaia Aretoa of the UPV/EHU and the Faculty of Economics and Business of Sarria. After taking action on climate change, production patterns and the social organization of work, energy and food sovereignty, the role that trade unions can play in the ecosocialist transition... the participants signed the joint manifesto.

According to the signatories, two main addictions must be taken into account when we talk about allowing people’s lives: the natural one – from which we acquire everything we need – and the reciprocal one. On the other hand, they consider that capitalism has developed behind the back of these two addictions, since it does not take into account the physical limits of the planet or properly recognizes the tasks of care.

“The origin of this ignorance and concealment is that capitalism only gives economic value to what can be measured in money. Natural cycles and caregiving jobs are invisible to the capitalist economy,” they say. Some of the consequences are that the goal has been to establish a continuous growth that clashes with biophysical boundaries and to build an unjust and unequal society. In fact, the organizers of the meetings believe that the ecological emergency and the social emergency are related. Another aspect of this situation is the oppression to which women are subjected.

Community management of natural resources

They consider that the empowerment of peoples and individuals is essential if the transition to a different model is to take place, and in particular that the management of natural resources and collective goods is in the hands of communities: “The future requires a radical change in the way we produce and consume.” In any case, it is considered that the material side of the economy will be diminished both desirably and undesirably. Therefore, forced transitions will come, which have claimed the need to be granted with social justice in mind: “The contrast and collaboration between these two fields, which have not always worked together, is essential.”

In this sense, those who have joined the manifesto say that the trade unions can play an important role. In fact, the importance of the union struggle taking into account the “green” perspective has been mentioned several times during the meetings. For example, giving priority in the pro-job claims to jobs that can help build sustainable models.

The commitments made at the end of the manifesto include bringing legislative proposals for an eco-social transition to the institutions and combating free trade agreements (TTIP; CETA, TISA, etc.).