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Volume 53 Number 10, April 22, 2023 ARCHIVE HOME JBCENTRE SUBSCRIBE

Earth Day 2023

The Necessity to Humanise the Natural and Social Environment

On Earth Day 2023, broad sections of the people, including the youth and working people from many walks of life, are demonstrating their determination to restrict and deprive the monopolies and oligopolies and governments in their service of their ability to pollute, destroy, wage wars, exploit, criminalise and deprive the people of their right to a say over all matters which affect their lives.

As a result of the crisis of climate change and global warming, humanity faces a truly grave situation. In this context, the working class and people face the absence of decision-making power as the cartel party system brings governments to power which serve narrow private interests and cause serious harm to the natural and social environment. Governments continue their relentless promotion and defence of companies whose pursuit of private profit endangers working people and the environment. How new technology is used and for what purpose is a matter which must be brought under the control of the people, not to benefit narrow private interests which have taken over government decision-making. The passion of ordinary people, especially the youth, is to make a priority of taking care of Mother Earth; there is a striving for empowerment of working people from all walks of life. To humanise the natural and social environment, the stranglehold of the oligopolies over government decision -making and their rule must be broken.

On Earth Day April 22, the peoples of the world are coming together to demand proper attention be paid to Mother Earth and to denounce the fact that their concerns are not being met. The more environmental disasters occur, the more disinformation pours from the official circles in the United States, Britain, the countries of Europe and others which represent the global elite. They attempt to give the impression they are taking measures to bring the climate crisis under control while in fact increasing the number of damaging pay-the-rich schemes and other self-serving practices, all the while spouting the high ideal of "greening the economy". But according to the climate plans submitted to the UN by 50 countries, 12 gigatons of CO2 per year will continue to be emitted by 2050 and will need to be removed from the atmosphere.

People are striving to stay the hand of the elites in the here and now and hold them to account to overcome the disasters taking place as a result of the climate crisis and related problems. The pollution of the rivers and coastal waters through the unchecked discharge of sewage is one clear example. In this regard, the privatisation of water must be brought to an end. The creation of alternative forms of energy which do not involve fossil fuels are necessary but themselves do not resolve the problem of global warming and despoliation of the environment if under the control of those whose interest is maximum profit and not humanity's well-being. Fracking is another example of a pernicious practice. What is crucial is that energy and the direction of the economy as a whole must be under the control of the people themselves.

On Earth Day it is also important to uphold the dignity of labour. To uphold the dignity of labour and Mother Earth means to bring social consciousness to the fore within the socialised economy and in political affairs. Only if working people themselves have a say and control over the production and distribution of the social product they create through their work can the serious problems facing Mother Earth and our societies be provided with solutions.

Furthermore, opposition to US/NATO-led wars of aggression and occupation must be high on the agenda. The war industry, of which Britain is a major and central player, causes massive destruction and pollution. Governments serving the elites, as is happening at present in Britain, are refusing to acknowledge the worth of working people as "unaffordable" and the like, while always finding funds on the magic money-tree for war and military aggression. In this respect, privatisation of public services is going hand-in-hand with imperialist war and destruction of the environment. Dismantling the aggressive NATO military alliance is thus required as an essential component for the flourishing of humanity's control over natural resources and building a human-centred society.

All governments of the ruling elite, regardless of party affiliation, have shown in practice that they fully identify with the narrow stance of private interests of the rich and the demands of the pro-war government in the United States. The Westminster consensus of the cartel-parties does everything possible to stamp out the anti-war concerns of the people and marginalise those that raise these concerns. This situation underlines the necessity for the demand to renew the political process, leading to a modern form of government which is anti-war as an essential part of fighting for peace and the respect for Mother Earth and the interests of humanity.

The warranted conclusion is that to further strengthen the movement of the people this Earth Day, the perspective of empowering working people must be espoused, so that the people can be at the forefront of all economic, political and social decision-making. The people must put themselves in the position of decision-makers and take control of the direction of the economy so that it can be organised in a manner that protects the environment and affirms the right to be of the peoples of the entire world. This is the way forward to humanise the natural and social environment!

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Earth Day Action

Parliament Square 10am 21-24 April

People's Pickets 7am 21 & 24 April

The invitation is for everybody to Unite to Survive at 'The Big One' - a four day action from the 21st to the 24th April 2023, where people from all groups and movements, not just XR, will gather throughout Westminster and at the Houses of Parliament.

More than 200 organisations are supporting - including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and PCS Union to name but a few.

The streets will be transformed with People's Pickets outside government departments and a diverse programme of speakers, performers and workshops, awash with colour and culture. There will be art and music, talks from experts, places to listen and engage, and activities for the kids.

Friday 21st - Unite to Survive. Westminster is filled with flags, banners and people.
Saturday 22nd - Earth Day. An enormous, celebration & family-friendly march for biodiversity!
Sunday 23rd - Running Out of Time! The Big One coexists with the London Marathon.
Monday 24th - Choose Your Future. Parliament returns, the demand is delivered.


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