KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- 130 environmental groups signed the Margarita Declaration in Venezuela, calling for an end to capitalism to address climate change
- The declaration rejected UN-backed market solutions like cap-and-trade and forest conservation programs
- Former UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres acknowledged this represents the first intentional attempt to transform the 150-year-old economic development model
- “The economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around,” Maurice Strong.
- The declaration highlights a divide between developed nations favoring “green economy” solutions and developing countries seeking direct financial assistance
- The declaration sparked debate about whether market mechanisms can effectively address climate change
A coalition of 130 environmental organizations has declared that addressing climate change requires dismantling the “hegemonic capitalist system,” rejecting traditional market-based solutions in a controversial declaration that has surprised United Nations officials and challenged conventional approaches to climate action.
The Margarita Declaration, presented at a UN-backed conference in Venezuela in July 2014, explicitly states that “the structural causes of climate change are linked to the current capitalist hegemonic system,” marking a significant departure from mainstream climate action approaches. The document, emerging from a United Nations-supported event aimed at increasing civil engagement, has created ripples through the international environmental community.
The declaration not only challenges capitalism but also opposes UN-supported climate initiatives, including cap-and-trade systems and forest conservation programs, labeling them as “false solutions.” This stance has created an unexpected rift between grassroots environmental groups and established international climate organizations.
Christiana Figueres, then-Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), contextualized the scale of proposed changes: “This is the first time in the history of mankind that we are setting ourselves the task of intentionally, within a defined period of time to change the economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the industrial revolution.” She emphasized that such transformation “will not happen overnight and will not happen at a single conference on climate change.”
The Venezuela conference, designed to increase civil society engagement before a major climate summit, highlighted growing tensions between wealthy nations’ market-based approaches and developing countries’ demands for direct financial support and technology transfers. The meeting revealed deep-seated divisions in how different nations and organizations approach climate solutions.
Environmental groups’ rejection of carbon trading mechanisms stands in stark contrast to initiatives supported by U.S. and European organizations. In the United States, mainstream environmental groups have backed Environmental Protection Agency proposals to limit carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, demonstrating a more moderate approach to climate action within existing economic frameworks.
“Climate disruption is the greatest challenge facing our generation,” Michael Brune, Sierra Club director, said in June 2014, supporting EPA’s emissions reduction plans. “Until now, power plants have been allowed to dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our air, driving dangerous climate disruption, and fueling severe drought, wildfires, heat waves and superstorms.”
“Current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class… involving high meat intake, consumption of large amounts of frozen and convenience foods, ownership of motor vehicles, golf courses, small electric appliances, home and workplace air-conditioning, and suburban housing are not sustainable.”
Maurice Strong, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
The declaration’s timing coincided with Australia’s repeal of its two-year-old carbon tax, reflecting broader global debates about economic approaches to climate action. Australia’s conservative government not only eliminated the carbon tax but also announced plans to reduce climate and green energy programs by 90 percent over four years, demonstrating the practical challenges of maintaining market-based climate initiatives.
The controversy highlights a fundamental divide in climate action approaches. While developed nations advocate for “green economy” solutions, countries like Venezuela argue for direct financial assistance to developing nations. This split reflects deeper disagreements about responsibility for climate change and appropriate remedial actions.
The ideological division became more explicit when Ottmar Edenhofer, an IPCC Working Group III co-chair, stated in 2010: “Climate policy has almost nothing to do anymore with environmental protection… One must say clearly that we redistribute the world’s wealth by climate policy.” This frank admission has fueled debates about the true objectives of international climate initiatives.
Critics, including Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter, have questioned the economic impact of climate initiatives. “EPA is setting up our states to fail – our local economies to fail – to deliver on the president’s promise that electricity prices will skyrocket – all for immeasurable so-called climate benefits,” Vitter said during a hearing on EPA regulations.
The implications of the Margarita Declaration extend beyond environmental policy. While climate-focused news site RTCC reports uncertainty about which specific groups signed the declaration, its impact on international climate discussions has been significant. The document challenges conventional wisdom about how to address climate change and questions whether market mechanisms can effectively address environmental challenges.
The declaration also raises questions about the relationship between environmental protection and economic systems. Historical evidence suggests that capitalist countries often maintain higher environmental standards than non-market economies, yet the declaration argues that capitalism itself is incompatible with effective climate action.
Looking ahead, the declaration’s rejection of market-based solutions and call for fundamental economic change has opened new debates about the relationship between environmental protection and economic systems. These discussions could significantly influence future international climate negotiations and domestic environmental policies.
As the international community continues to grapple with climate change responses, the tension between market-based solutions and systemic change advocates remains unresolved. The Margarita Declaration represents a significant milestone in this ongoing debate, challenging policymakers and environmental organizations to reconsider their approaches to climate action.
The document’s impact extends beyond immediate climate policy discussions, potentially reshaping how future generations approach the intersection of environmental protection and economic development. Whether this call for systemic change gains broader support or remains a minority position within the environmental movement could determine the direction of climate action for decades to come.
References:
Top UN official admits climate change is about transforming world economy, Arizona Daily Independent, March 6, 2015
Enviros are watermelons – green on the outside, red in the middle, Arizona Daily Independent, August 1, 2014
130 Environmental Groups Call For An End To Capitalism, Daily Caller, July 23, 2014
About Maurice Strong:
Maurice Strong held the official title of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was also the Secretary-General of the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the first Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Additionally, he served as Secretary-General of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit).
While Maurice Strong was not an official officer or chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he played a foundational role in global environmental governance that set the stage for the IPCC’s creation. As head of UNEP, he convened the first international expert group meeting on climate change, which contributed to early scientific and policy frameworks addressing climate issues.
Strong was deeply involved in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process as part of his broader leadership in UN environmental conferences and initiatives. His work in the 1992 Earth Summit was pivotal in launching the UNFCCC, which emerged from that conference as the key international treaty on climate change.
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