Raised Voices

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The biggest impact of the G8 countries is the economy, or the type of economy they want to promote in the developing countries. The most direct impact of that can be felt in the forestry sector, along with land of course. In forestry what's been happening is that the way is being prepared for the entry of multinationals and global capital in a big, big way. So it comes in the name of development for the extraction of natural resources and also for conservation. For ostensible reasons of preventing climate change, for preventing pollution and for promoting ecosystems services in the forests.

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The G8 is a economic united front of some of the most powerful countries in the world. So once they put up a united economic front, they will be in a position to exploit the markets and resources of the whole world. And in particular the developing countries will be suffering the effect. Now what we see today is that 70% of Indian population depends on agriculture for its sustenance and livelihood. And now agriculture sector is going to be affected very very negatively. If multinationals make their entry, big multinational companies, in the agriculture sector, then what happens to almost 20-25% of the agricultural workers in India? Because multinationals will have their agriculture with big machines. What happens to millions and millions of sharecroppers? What happens to the small peasantry?

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Nigeria is an oil-exporting country and a number of important Western companies are involved in the oil industry in Nigeria. While it is good that they are investing in that economy, it's a bit of a problem the way they go about their business in an environmentally destructive manner. Which uses methods they wouldn't dare to use in their own home countries, to say the least. And which also imposes lots of burdens on ordinary communities in these communities where they work in, particularly in the Niger Delta.