Impact would be a hammer blow to the environment, global emissions, small farmers and consumers
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has called on the Irish government to oppose the Mercosur trade deal between the EU and Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay because the impact that the deal would have on the environment, global emissions, small famers and consumers would be devastating.
He said that the impact on the environment and global emissions would be a hammer blow to the fight against climate change.
He said:
“There should be no if’s or buts, our government need to stand up clearly and oppose this deal urgently. The impact on the global environment due to the clearing of Amazon rainforests to make way for grazing land for cattle and the increased shipping emissions would have a disastrous impact on global emissions.
“The impact on our small famers in Ireland and on the consumer would also be shocking as many family farms, who currently struggle daily as it is, would be in even more danger of being run out of business. For the consumer, food quality standards for beef and meat will be undermined, potentially affecting public health and diet.
“The only winners out of this deal are the big ranchers in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and big business such as the petrol chemical industry and French and German car manufacturers. 80% of deforestation in the Brazil Amazon is as a result of agriculture. Jair Bolsonaro for example is falling over himself in an effort to clear the amazon rainforest to make way for grazing land for cattle and soy plantations.
“He has expressed that climate change isn’t real and that Indigenous people in Brazil must essentially assimilate into the mainstream Brazilian society and abandon their ancestral lands to make way for the big ranchers that are set to benefit massively from this deal. This deal is no good for the planet and no good for the people of Europe or Latin America and it must be opposed by our government.
“This deal also exposes as hollow attempts by the EU to portray itself as a more environmentally and economically progressive force in the world than the Trump’s and Boris Johnson’s of this world. It reveals the EU as being equally guilty of pushing forward a global race to the bottom which will hurt our environment, our health and ordinary working people.”
