Friends of the Earth protests Pacific trade deal

Friends of the Earth and its allies are protesting the Trans-Pacific Partnership: a colossal, job destroying free trade agreement being negotiated in secret among nations bordering the Pacific that will result in rollbacks of environmental, public health, food safety and other public interest protections. Unless we raise our voices in protest, Big Oil, coal mining multi-nationals, bio-tech giants and other global corporations will ram the TPP through Congress using Fast Track trade promotion authority legislation.

Fast Track would allow the TPP to be ratified on an expedited schedule with little debate, no amendments and a straight up or down vote. This turns the U.S. Constitution upside down — the founders intended for Congress, not trade bureaucrats indebted to corporate polluters, to regulate trade with foreign nations.

U.S. Trade Rep. Michael Froman is making a concerted effort to generate political support among environmentalists for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement. On Tuesday afternoon, November 19, a major event was held at Charlie Palmer’s Steak House, a restaurant located near the Capitol building, during which Froman asked conservation and environmental groups for their backing. Friends of the Earth joined community activists demonstrating outside the steak house to protest Froman’s attempt to characterize the TPP as environmentally friendly.

Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth, had this to say: “Friends of the Earth sent a clear message to Ambassador Froman that while we support enforceable conservation commitments within the TPP, the deal as a whole is a huge danger to the planet. In particular, the investment chapter would allow multinational corporations to undermine important environmental and health regulations. It would also have a chilling effect on future environmental policies that are desperately needed to address climate change, save ecosystems and protect communities.”