(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #253 (Oct) - ecology,
Green capitalism: The market for clean-dupe (fr, it, pt) [machine
translation]
Following the Grenelle Environment smoky, a new approach to industrial conquest has
emerged: the clean-up, or reclaiming old polluted sites. Another market that opens to
"enhance" this sacred ecological transition. ---- Since the emergence of big capitalists
and their factories in the nineteenth century, nuisances were noted and laws were made
to protect activities. Far from solving the problems, these laws have instead allowed the
industry to remain still thriving [1]. Thus the beginnings of industrialization in the
late eighteenth century, accompanied immediately by complaints about the nuisances. But
the state wants to industrialize, and a first decree regulating the establishments will be
launched in 1810 to suppress dissent. Written and endorsed by industrial chemists, this
text protects industries relocation, a competition of traditional craftsmen, and takes
away the right of complaint to the tenants of the neighborhood. This founding text
therefore emphasizes the superiority of synthetic chemistry, experts who are alone judges
and territorial control industrial (also chemists).
The reign of chemistry
Always defended by specialists, including chemists, the industrial sector remains in a
very hard position to challenge. The new pollution laws put forward the "polluter pays"
principle, and laws preventing exploitation continue to sanctuaries all directions.
So we see that three criteria currently chairing the development of industries in the
urban fabric: perceptible nuisances (odors, noise ...), health, environment. All this is
included in the issue of the establishment of the factory, which shall avoid interference
to produce power quietly. Prevention is manifested for example by these basins can be seen
flourishing around industrial zones, in order to say "see how we are responsible." The
polluter pays principle means that the operator must pay for the damage to citizens or the
environment. More complex than the purchase of opinion by a psychic system (and healthy,
to be honest!) Like those of prevention, this is aimed at a disappearance of polluted
sites. Obviously, the purpose of the state is not to kill the industry, but rather to
create a new business model to ensure the unhindered transmission of development
activities. For this, the chemistry specialists are always at work, including the company
Brownfields (brown fields).
Fill the need for territories
Just as resources become scarce available land and new solutions must emerge to
accommodate future activities. The solution to clean up former industrial sites, even
increase the price of land is implemented.
So our charlots pollution control landing. Using a concept that worked very well in the
US, is a box Brownfields founded in 2006 by the investment funds Colony Capital and
Eurazeo sprawling (who call themselves "Green Partner", the jokers) to meet this need
market. Managed by the former leaders in the chemicals business (Rhodia, Suez) and a real
estate developer, their goal is to identify brownfields high current speculative value.
Posing as specialists in decontamination, the Brownfields are buying up cheap land, as
polluted, treat pollution, and put all the standards of the activity of the future buyer.
Everything is guaranteed and integrated into their only activity.
This centralization of all domains induces a decrease in recycling costs, and opens up
opportunities for exploitation. The other highlight of the industry point of view, is that
the case is fully managed by the box, and that local communities and citizens have nothing
more to say only since the land transfer until implementation of the new activity. As this
type of activity is new, it is heavily subsidized by the state and local authorities.
The Trojan
In the history of territorial expansion of cities, businesses have always played a major
role. Promising growth and jobs they are implanted in the last two centuries on
territories, including agricultural, managing networks in cooperation with the cities. The
integrated solution lets you take complete control of an existing site.
Replacing the towns in the choices of development, the company can place its priority
partners and thus run the whole group to which it belongs. For example, Green partners
hold an equity portfolio in companies related to various sectors, Accor (the global leader
in hospitality) to chains of bakeries, through Fonroche (geothermal) [ 2].
Brownfields, not having the stress of tenders, will be able to use this enormous
portfolio. The first major website run by this box is that of the former Reichstett
refinery (80 hectares) in Alsace, a remediation project planned over five years, which
announced with fanfare its first host from obtaining the contract: the 'Fonroche company.
What interests industrial is not to protect the environment, but to sustain their
activity. The laws on pollution, or pollution prevention are a great way to stay away from
the mob. The territory is the first of its aggression object system, and it is therefore
the implementation of the activities that we must act. These are often community leaders
who led the revolt against the industry, in which the capitalists are included as well and
"their" working men and women. But now that the productivist dogma is widely disputed,
struggles must extend to the very meaning of industrial production.
Jean-André (AL Gard)
Read also:
the ecological emergency: out of capitalism
Production: Industry against ecology?
[1] For example, Jean-Baptiste Fressoz in the joyful Apocalypse, a history of
technological risk (Paris, Seuil, 2012), showed that the rules and standards imposed
against industrial pollution and nuisances in the nineteenth s n ' not limit the growth of
the industry, but rather increased acceptance by local residents.
[2] See "Deep geothermal energy: A little heat, a lot of profit" in G No. 251 of June 2015.
http://www.alternativelibertaire.org/?Capitalisme-vert-Le-marche-de-dupe
