Friends of the Earth brings environmental concerns to WTO protests

November 13, 2002

Friends of the Earth activists from across the country are joining the protests against the World Trade Organisation in Sydney and Melbourne.

"The WTO has the power to override a host of national environmental legislation", says trade campaigner Damian Sullivan. "In the past two years, we have seen a number of countries including Sri Lanka, Croatia and Bolivia drop legislation imposing a moratorium on Genetically Modified Organisms. They dropped the legislation because they were scared of sanctions for not complying with the WTO."

"The Kyoto Protocol and other Multilateral Environment Agreements are also under threat," adds trade campaigner Domenica Settle. "Saudi Arabia recently asked the WTO to decide if agreement which includes the Kyoto Protocol, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, is compatible with the WTO. The trade agreements should not override environment agreements, and the WTO should not have the power to clarify this issue."

National Liason Officer Binnie O'Dwyer adds: "The WTO serves the interests of big business, not people or the environment. We don't want big business to rule the world."

In Sydney, FoE activists will be taking part in the various WTO demonstrations, adding an environmental voice to the protests. In Melbourne, FoE is helping organise the Samba Against the WTO action, where protesters will be samba-ing through the streets of Melbourne (5:30 at the GPO, Wednesday November 13).

   Sydney:

Damian Sullivan, Trade Campaigner

0421 874 838

Binnie O'Dwyer, National Liason Officer

0417 476 720

   Melbourne:

Domenica Settle, Trade Campaigner

+61 3 9419 8700

Cam Walker, National Liason Officer

0419 338 047