The Cartagena Declaration

The Cartagena Declaration, issued in September 2003, argues that a 'predatory economic model' and the 'greed' of the Global North drive systemic environmental and human rights violations. It highlights specific injustices, such as the fumigation of the Amazon and the desecration of sacred sites by the oil industry, while criticizing the role of transnational corporations and multilateral development banks. The declaration calls for a shift toward 'ecological security, food security and energy security' and an end to the criminalization of environmental defenders.

• The delegates attribute widespread environmental and human rights violations to a 'predatory economic model' and the 'greed emanating mainly from the North', which results in the destruction of ancestral cultures, the pollution of waterways, and the displacement of vulnerable populations.
• The document identifies specific ecological damages caused by the oil industry and agricultural practices, including the desecration of the Tikal site in Guatemala, the Niger delta, and the Orinoco, as well as the 'toxic footprint' left by fumigations in the Amazon that render soil infertile.
• The declaration criticizes the commercialization of water and energy, noting that it has left thousands without access to these services, specifically citing the experience of slum dwellers on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
• The authors call for a redefinition of 'security' to move away from the interests of the 'Group of Eight' and big investors, instead advocating for 'ecological security, food security and energy security' to ensure a habitable planet.
• The document expresses opposition to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and multilateral development banks (such as the World Bank and IMF), arguing that these institutions prioritize the rights of transnational corporations over human and environmental rights.

APA

admin (2003). The Cartagena Declaration. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/the-cartagena-declaration/

Chicago

admin. The Cartagena Declaration. Friends of the Earth International, 2003. https://www.foei.org/the-cartagena-declaration/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=The Cartagena Declaration |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=24 September 2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/the-cartagena-declaration/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2003cartagena, author = {admin}, title = {{The Cartagena Declaration}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/the-cartagena-declaration/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }