Capitalist market economy is the biggest enemy of the ecosystem

The Socialist Party of Iceland's general meeting today approved a new environmental and climate policy, emphasizing that radical systemic change is needed to achieve success in climate issues, and that no solution can be found within capitalism. The party's policy is as follows:

Environmental and climate issues are moral and humanitarian issues that affect everyone, and we must take a clear stance on them. The global warming we face calls for a declaration of a climate emergency and a response with revolutionary systemic changes. A capitalist market economy, which encourages maximum production and maximum profit, is the biggest enemy of the ecosystem and the biggest contributing factor to the climate changes we face. The production methods of large corporations and the consumption habits of people today inevitably exploit nature, and this must be addressed with sanctions and strong regulatory bodies. Solutions of so-called “green capitalism” and an individual-centered approach in the spirit of neoliberalism do not work to combat the climate problem. It is important to raise public awareness about reducing consumption, utilizing, and recycling, but the real problem lies at the production end of the product. The focus of the regulatory framework must be on production and import, rather than on „punishing” the consumer for consuming what has already been produced.

Domestic production must be strengthened, and a more sustainable society aimed for. Imports of products that can be produced under domestic conditions must cease. Domestic vegetable and fruit cultivation, as well as bean and grain cultivation, must be strengthened with public subsidies for green energy. Efforts should be made to reduce intermediaries as much as possible and give consumers easy access to food producers. Enjoying healthy, organic food has not been economically accessible to everyone. It is important that opportunities to live a healthy life and practice nature conservation do not depend on people's class or status in society.

Regulatory bodies shall fulfill their role, and laws and sanctions shall be effective and respected. The Environment Agency must be strengthened, oversight harmonized, and work processes ensured to be clear and transparent. Efforts must be made against corporate “greenwashing” and to ensure that carbon offsetting is not done on false premises. Information flow must be strengthened, and financial interests prevented from controlling the discussion. Furthermore, people's access to participation in environmental issues must be enhanced, and policy-making and decisions made more democratic.

The state and municipalities must ensure that residents can manage responsible waste disposal. Sorting bins and compost bins must be at every house in the near future.

Plastic processing depletes our fossil resources and pollutes the ecosystem. Consumption habits must change, and single-use consumption stopped as soon as possible. The use of glass bottles and other reusable materials should be reintroduced.

Laws must be enacted to prevent supermarkets, institutions, and companies from landfilling expired food and to establish a system that results in the utilization of these foods where they are needed, preventing overproduction and oversupply. The entire operating environment around reuse and repairs must be facilitated to reduce overproduction of goods such as electronics and clothing, and to increase consumer protection regarding product durability and quality. This will promote better utilization and less landfilling.

Public transport needs to be greatly improved and operated with the view that it is an essential service for residents throughout the country and the key to reducing pollution, not with the goal of its operation being self-sustaining or profitable. Oil production is a major problem, and the production of electric vehicles is also polluting and rapidly depletes Earth's resources. Exploitation and destruction of ecosystems are an inevitable consequence of this production, and it is difficult to avoid thinking about these issues globally. Therefore, replacing energy sources or switching to electric cars is not a complete solution; rather, a holistic approach is needed to make public transport a better option and private cars unnecessary for most, although it should also be made easier for people to modify their vehicles and make them more environmentally friendly, for example with methane.

Reducing air travel is an important goal, as it is a highly polluting mode of transport. However, it must be borne in mind that we live on an island at a considerable distance from most destinations, and there is a risk that restrictions on flights in the form of quotas and taxes will hit the less affluent hardest, who already find it most difficult to use flights. All restrictions on air travel must be considered with this in mind and focus on the airlines that fly here and look at the utilization of trips. Traffic of military aircraft, private jets, sightseeing planes, and air traffic that pollutes relatively much compared to the number of passengers must be particularly restricted.

“Black oil” is a collective term for heavy and viscous oils that can contain a high proportion of sulfur, and black oil is used, among other things, in shipping. It pollutes more than other fuels and releases a lot of soot into the atmosphere when it burns. Most cruise ships burn black oil, and its combustion releases a large amount of soot particles into the atmosphere. Such particles are harmful to human health, and this type of air pollution is considered responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide annually. Rapeseed can be cultivated for the production of biodiesel and used for our fleet. We have the land area and the knowledge to produce biodiesel. Rapeseed also offsets twice as much carbon as is produced by the combustion of biodiesel.

Exploitation and destruction of ecosystems in the “Global South” are interconnected with globalized capitalism, the climate crisis, and the environmental and resource crisis we face today. The exploitation by previous generations has increased the prosperity of Westerners, while the poorest countries often suffer the most. Over-cultivation and deforestation to create arable land for specific types of vegetables for consumers in Western countries have disrupted the lives and food security of people worldwide. Deforestation causes climate changes that manifest as droughts, floods, pollution, and disruption of the ecosystem, which in turn causes displacement of people from areas that are no longer habitable. Therefore, it is not only our society that we need to consider, but also to scrutinize the production chain and consider all the people involved in it and the sacrifices it entails. These issues must always be considered in a global context, and we must recognize our privileged position and show full solidarity with people in other countries.

The Socialist Party of Iceland's policy on environmental and climate issues is...

that environmental and climate issues are regarded as humanitarian issues concerning the rights of future generations to life. It shall therefore be the duty of authorities to protect nature and ecosystems, and the legislature shall be utilized for this in every respect.
that a climate emergency be declared, and Icelandic authorities shall respond to this problem quickly and effectively and in cooperation with the international community.
that the capitalist economy and neoliberal approaches to addressing environmental issues be abandoned, and holistic solutions be found where responsibility and emphasis are primarily placed on the state, municipalities, and businesses.
that nature and its ecosystems always take precedence in all decisions concerning them, and that the right of future generations to a healthy life always be placed above considerations of financial profit for individuals and companies.
that all residents of the country be enabled to live an environmentally friendly life regardless of economic status and residence. Furthermore, general and accessible education for the public on environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyles shall be increased.
to support food production in the local environment with subsidies for electricity for greenhouse cultivation and to aim for local community lifestyles.
that radical steps be taken to cease the use of single-use plastic and prevent plastic pollution and over-packaging by all available means.
that municipalities take responsibility and establish a sorting system that makes it easier for residents to sort waste at their homes, free of charge.
that frequent and efficient public transport be regarded as part of environmental protection and an essential service for residents throughout the country.
to review air travel and shipping to the country from an environmental perspective.
to halt further heavy industry and increase oversight of existing large corporations with the aim of reducing pollution.
to green the land, restore wetlands, and increase tree cultivation for the country's carbon offsetting.
to impose requirements on companies and institutions to prevent food waste and other usable goods and reduce landfilling.
to make radical changes to fuel use and prevent the use of black oil off the country's coasts.
to increase people's opportunities to own or convert their vehicles into more environmentally friendly conveyances.
to limit the use of studded tires as much as possible and limit all possible causes of particulate matter.
to protect marine life through species conservation and a ban on overfishing and discards.
that oversight be increased in water utilization and that wastewater be utilized where applicable. Furthermore, that companies pay an adequate fee for water utilization in the form of a resource fee, as water is one of the most valuable resources of the future.
that all construction of structures be carried out in an environmentally friendly manner, considering design, material use, and implementation simultaneously.
that environmental issues be regarded as common interests of all Earth's inhabitants by examining and considering global ecological footprints and the true cost of production and its impact on people and ecosystems in more distant countries, no less than in the immediate environment.