Greedtopia: A Teach-in on Global Trade and Climate Change
By Mark Strothmann, Joining Hands in Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy
The Joining Hands Action Team of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy has joined together with six other St.
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Participants at Greedtopia, February 17, 2013, Photo by Don Fitz
Louis organizations to form The St. Louis Roundtable on Extractive Industries. Our first big event was “Greedtopia: A Teach-in on Global Trade and Climate Change,” held on Sunday, February 17 in Forest Park in St. Louis. We were in solidarity with “#Forward on Climate Change Rally” which was held in Washington, D.C. on the same day.
The Teach-in was an opportunity for local environmentalists to come together with international trade activists to learn about the vital intersection of tar sands, pipelines, trade agreements, climate change, and greed. There were three panel presentations:
- “#Forward on Climate: Tar Sands and the Keystone Pipeline.” This is a vital concern in Missouri since a similar pipeline is being built across our state.
- “#Flush the TPP: Global Trader or National Traitor.” TPP is the Trans Pacific Partnership, a new Pacific Rim free trade agreement which is now being negotiated in secrecy. TPP is of great concern to us and our partners in Joining Hands Peru because of investment chapters that allow international corporations to sue sovereign nations for loss of investment when environmental agreements are enforced. (This is happening now under the US/Peru Free Trade Agreement; RENCO Group is suing Peru for $800 million.) Karen Wilson and Mark Strothmann of Joining Hands participated in this panel. Other presentations discussed the history of trade agreements between the US and Latin America and the real effect of these agreements on US jobs.
- “#Kicking Ash: Missouri’s Coal Addiction.” We learned that Missouri has a problem with coal. The top 5 coal companies in the nation have headquarters in St. Louis. Area electric power plants fueled by coal are the top polluters in the nation, and coal ash is a critical environmental and health problem.
About 60 people attended this event; many were local environmentalists who welcomed the opportunity to learn more about climate change and international trade agreements. Moving ahead, advocacy on TPP will be a major focus. Several of us have already had a conference call with Senator Claire McCaskill about our concerns. We are also planning another major event in St. Louis in May at the same time of the TPP meetings in Peru. We are hoping we can do this is solidarity with our partners Red Uniendo Manos Peru.
