Climate costs of the Mercosur Agreement: 1,200 jobs in danger!

Climate costs of the Mercosur Agreement: 1,200 jobs in danger!

In Salzburg, the controversial Mercosur agreement is discussed violently. The globalization -critical organization Attac warns of considerable risks. Theresa Kofler, a representative of Attac Austria, sees hardly any economic advantages, but great ecological and social costs. According to their assessment, the agreement could promote growth, especially in climate -damaging industries.

A dark picture is emerging: A study by the Austrian Research Foundation for International Development supports the assessments of Attac. Forecasts indicate massive job losses-up to 120,000 jobs could be eliminated across the EU, 1,200 of them in Austria. Agriculture, which could lose up to 16,100 jobs through growing cheap imports, is particularly hard hit. The food industry must also expect a loss of around 33,800 jobs.

Ecological and economic concerns

The potential benefit of the agreement is assessed by experts as minimally: economic growth would probably be only 0.1 percent, which corresponds to around 2.50 euros per year and head. The concerns are numerous: criticism of globalization has increased in the past decades worldwide. Numerous actors, including not only organizations such as Attac, but also unions and political networks, ask fundamental questions about inequality and environmental degradation as well as the power relationships between multinational companies and local workers

These concerns are not unfounded. Criticism of globalization includes topics such as the increase in inequality and poverty in developed and developing states, privatization of public tasks and the exploitation of workers. Resistance is stimulated in this context, since many require a stronger regulation of markets instead of unbraked deregulation. However, the views within the movement are diverse, from moderate reformers to activists who want profound changes.

The role of Attac

Attac has established itself as a significant voice in global criticism of globalization since it was founded at the end of 1998 in France. With a membership of around 90,000 worldwide, 29,000 of which are in Germany, Attac is an important force that influences political discourse. A central concern of the movement is the taxation of financial transactions, which also fuels the discussion about social cohesion and justice.

Globalized trade not only brings opportunities, but also raises serious social and environmental issues. While some benefit from increased access to markets and an increase in living standards, the majority suffer from the consequences of unequal balance of power. The changing market conditions affect not only the economic structure, but also social stability in many countries.

In view of these developments, it is more necessary than ever to deal with the challenges of globalization and to find solutions together. The ongoing debate about the Mercosur Agreement in Austria is just another example of the continuous difficulties associated with global networking.

One sentence remains clear: the future of the globalized economy is on the brink, and the questions we ask today could be decisive for the course of our companies. The need for a critical examination of these topics is more urgent than ever. Interested parties can be found at bpb.de and das-wissen.de.