Alliance for Democracy Proposal Presented as part of the Water Track at the USSF
Trading Water, Trading Democracy

Corporate globalization threatens our right to clean, affordable water right here in the U.S. and around the world. With global warming threatening water supplies in parts of the U.S., the threat of corporate control of our water resources looms even larger. To protect the human right to water, it is essential that water services be kept in public hands and water resources not be controlled by corporations that will price water at whatever the market will bear.

This panel will expose how policies of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank and the international trade agreements work together to promote the interests of corporations over people and their communities and promote privatization of water services and resources that impact the poor and underserved globally as well as in the U.S.

Privatization is not the only issue we wish participants to take away. We will also expose and emphasize in this panel how democratic water governance is at risk under these neo-liberal financial and market-driven trade policies. One of the biggest challenges the U.S. movement for “fair” trade faces is to shift the discussion from economics and trade to governance and democracy.

For example, the workshop will describe how NAFTA allows corporations to sue states directly in secret trade tribunals over regulations that threaten their profits. Also, the workshop will look at how, under the WTO’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), local water services can be opened up to privatization by overriding any vote of the local community and how local control of water resources is threatened by specific provisions. And, finally, how corporate commercial bulk water sales are covered and protected under GATT and NAFTA, so that our governments and elected representatives may not be able to prevent local water resources from being exported to other countries. This will be an increasing threat as countries compete to protect their citizens from the consequences of global warming.

Each panelist will also offer a course of action, including mobilizing against the global financial institutions, fast track (Trade Promotion Authority), and creating local autonomy from trade agreements. Participants will be engaged in discussion of how to implement these actions in their communities or with their organizations. Handouts and discussion will be in English.

*Closing Down the World Bank, Sameer Dossani (50 Years is Enough),
*Trading Away our Water, Ruth Caplan (Alliance for Democracy)
* Slowing Down “Fast Track” (Trade Promotion Authority), David Edeli (Public Citizen’s Global Trade
Watch)
*Democratic Trade Zones: Local autonomy from trade agreements, Nancy Price (Alliance for Democracy)