We can only attain our environmental and social goals with a green economy that corrects the balance of power between civil society and big business, that overcomes the corporatist economy, forces the financial markets to shrink in size and breaks down the dominant paradigm under which the only thing that matters is limitless economic growth. ADPD-The Green Party declared this in its submission to the government’s Vision 2050 proposals. ADPD proposes an alternative Green Vision 2050 for an economy which is of service to all, is socially just, ecologically sound and sustainable.

ADPD Secretary General Dr Ralph Cassar stated that the government’s Vision 2050 is based on the economic orthodoxy of growth without any limits. “It is above all else an economic strategy, in which the growth-at-all-costs economy is prioritised over everything else. Education, culture and social development are portrayed as servants of economic growth.

“Green Vision 2050 on the other hand, seeks to offer an alternative narrative, integrating social, ecological and economic imperatives in policy making. It is based on the concept of wellbeing rather than limitless growth. Green for all rather than greed for the few, at the expense of the many. A Green-tinged capitalist or social democratic economic policy will not do the job,” insisted Cassar.

ADPD’s Green Vision 2050 is based on these 5 principles: Wellbeing – all people contribute to and share prosperity, not just a few; Justice – the new economy delivers equity within and between generations; Limits and Planetary Boundaries – the new economy safeguards, restores and invests in our country’s nature; Efficiency and Sufficiency – production and consumption must be sustainable; and Good Governance – economies are guided by integrated, accountable and resilient institutions.

Although at first glance the four pillars in the government’s Vision 2050 (also referred to as enVision 2050), seem somewhat ‘green’, a closer look at the details reveals a business as usual scenario, and a limitless growth mindset. Resource use is hardly tackled, education and public services are seen as servants of the market, and land and sea as exploitable commodities. 

ADPD proposes four alternative pillars which go beyond the current undisputed paradigms of more growth, more market, more individualism and ultimately greed.

Over the next few weeks ADPD will be explaining its Green Vision 2050 through articles and other communications.

ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci emphasised that what is needed is a paradigm shift; a transition on a large scale, that includes an EU-wide transition. “We must resist attempts to put spokes in the wheels of this transition by corporate interests and their political allies. Malta should be loud and clear in this respect. What we need is a paradigm shift in economic policy. We need to fundamentally transform Europe’s economy, renouncing the pressure for growth and redirect it together to ecological and social aims.”

“The choice is between  an economy which serves us all, is socially just, ecologically sound and sustainable and an economy based on exploitation of people and resources, locally and abroad that implies the prosperity of some at the expense of others. The government’s Vision 2050 fails to tackle these issues.”

“Reduction in resource use, penalising pollution, a reappraisal of taxation which favours companies according to social, ecological, democratic, and economic criteria as well as other public-interest criteria underpins our Green Vision 2050. Public and private finance should be geared to the transition to a green, sustainable, wellbeing economy. Issues of taxation (which should be shifted from work to resource use and extreme wealth), we want investment to flow to sectors which improve wellbeing and the quality of life of all, and to greening industry.”

“Our vision prioritises Green over greed,” concluded Gauci.

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Viżjoni 2050 Alternattiva – Viżjoni Ħadra. 

L-għanijiet ambjentali u soċjali tagħna nistgħu biss naslu għalihom b’ekonomija msejsa fuq prinċipji ħodor li tikkoreġi l-bilanċ tal-poter bejn is-soċjeta’ ċivili u n-negozji l-kbar; b’hekk negħlbu l-ekonomija li taqdi biss in-negozjanti l-kbar, inċekknu s-swieq finanzjarji  u nxejnu l-mudell ekonomiku attwali fejn jgħodd biss it-tkabbir bla razan. Din hi stqarrija ta’ ADPD – the Green Party fis-sottomissjoni tiegħu dwar il-proposti tal-Gvern dwar id-dokument Vision 2050. ADPD-The Green Party qed iwassal il-proposti tiegħu fid-dokument Green Vision 2050 għal ekonomija li taqdi lil kulħadd, ekonomija li twassal għal ġustizzja soċjali u li hija ekololoġikalment sostenibbli. 

Is-Segretarji Ġenerali ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Dr. Ralph Cassar saħaq li Vision 2050 kif proposta mill-Gvern hija msejsa fuq mudell ekonomiku konvenzjonali ta’ tkabbir mingħajr limitu. “Hija fuq kollox strateġija ekonomika li tagħti prijorita’ lit-tkabbir akkost ta’ kollox u saħansitra tqis l-edukazzjoni, il-kultura u l-iżvilupp soċjali bħala qaddejja tat-tkabbir. 

Il-għan ta’ Green Vision 2050 min-naħa l-oħra hu li jwassal narrativa differenti li tgħaqqad prinċipji soċjali, ekololoġiċi u ekonomiċi fit-tfassil tad-deċiżjonijiet. Hija msejsa fuq il-kunċett ta’ benesseri minflok fuq it-tkabbir. Politika Ħadra li twassal għall-ġid komuni u trażżan ir-rgħiba tal-ftit li tagħmel ħsara lill-ħafna

Green Vision 2050 huwa msejjes fuq ħames prinċipji li huma: il-Benesseri, fejn kulħadd jikkontribwixxi u jgawdi mill-ġid, minflok ma jgawdu biss il-ftit pivileġġati; il-Ġustizzja, b’mudell ġdid ta’ ekonomija li jwassal għal ekwita’ fil-ġenerazzjonijiet u bejniethom; għarfien tal-limitazzjoniet tar-riżorsi tal-pjaneta, u b’hekk l-ekonomija l-ġdida tirristawra u tinvesti fl-ambjent naturali ta’ pajjiżna; Effiċjenza u Suffiċjenza, għaliex jeħtieġ li kemm il-produzzjoni kif ukoll il-konsum ikunu sostenibbli; u l-Governanza Tajba, b’ekonomija mmexxija minn istituzzjonijiet integri, reżiljenti u affidabbli. 

Għalkemm mad-daqqa t’għajn, il-ħames pilastri fil-Vision 2050 tal-Gvern (magħruf ukoll bħala enVision 2050) jidhru pjuttost ħodor fil-prinċipju, jekk inħarsu lejhom mill-qrib malajr nifhmu li ma joffru xejn ġdid għax huma mfasslin bi ħsieb ta’ tkabbir bla limitu. L-użu tar-riżorsi bilkemm jissemma filwaqt li l-edukazzjoni u s-servizzi pubbliċi fid-dokument tal-gvern donnhom jeżistu biss biex jaqdu l-ħtiġijiet tas-suq. Kemm l-art kif ukoll il-baħar huma biss riżorsi lesti biex jiġu esplojtati.

ADPD-The Green Party qegħda tipproponi erba’ pilastri alternattivi li jmorru oltre mill-mudell ta’ tkabbir infinit, suq ikbar, individwaliżmu sfrenat u fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, rgħiba.

Fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin, ADPD se jkompli jfisser il-Green Vision 2050 permezz ta’ artikli u kommunikazzjonijiet oħra.

Sandra Gauci, Chairperson ta’ ADPD saħqet li hemm bżonn ta’ bidla radikali fil-mudell ekonomiku, saħansitra fuq livell Ewropew. “Hemm bżonn li ma nħallu lil ħadd ipoġġi l-bsaten fir-roti tal-bidla għal mudell ekonomiku li jtejjeb il-kwalità tal-ħajja tan-nies u tal-ambjent tagħna; la negozjanti kbar u lanqas il-ħbieb tagħhom fil-politika. Hemm bżonn li pajjiżna jsemma’ leħnu bil-qawwa. Hemm bżonn bidla qawwija fil-mudell ekonomiku li nħaddnu. Hemm bżonn li nitrasformaw l-ekonomija tal-Ewropa mill-qiegħ, nirreżistu aktar tkabbir u flimkien insostnu għanijiet ekoloġiċi u soċjali.”

Hemm bżonn li nagħżlu bejn ekonomija li taqdi lilna lkoll, li hi soċjalment ġusta, li hi ekoloġikalment sostenibbli; u ekonomija msejsa fuq l-esplojtazzjoni ta’ nies u riżorsi kemm hawn Malta kif ukoll f’artijiet oħra – ekonomija li taqdi lill-ftit a skapitu tal-ħafna. Dan kollu, Vision 2050 jinjorah.

Green Vision 2050 hi mfassla sabiex innaqqsu l-użu tar-riżorsi, sabiex nippenalizzaw it-tniġġis li joqtolna u jmarradna, sabiex noħolqu sistema ta’ tassazzjoni li tiffavorixxi negozji skond kriterji soċjali, ekoloġiċi, demokratiċi, ekonomiċi u fatturi oħra ta’ interess pubbliku. Finanzi kemm pubbliċi kif ukoll privati għandhom jintużaw sabiex isseħħ it-transizzjoni għal ekonomija ta’ sostenibbilita’, tal-benesseri u ħadra. Hemm bżonn li naraw x’nistgħu nagħmlu dwar tassazzjoni biex tonqos it-tassazzjoni fuq ix-xogħol u tiġi trasferita fuq il-ħela u fuq min huwa sinjurun, irridu investimenti li jagħmlu l-ħid lis-soċjetà u jtejbu l-kwalità tal-ħajja.” 

“Il-viżjoni tagħna tagħti prijorità lill-prinċipji ħodor fuq ir-rgħiba. Green over Greed!” temmet tgħid Gauci.