The Var and its prefecture are not generally at the forefront of the environmental struggle, yet the collective “ Zero fossil climate Toulon and surrounding areas » is determined to take its full part in the fight against cruises which is beginning on a European scale.
While, more than ever, the urgency of reducing the use of fossil fuels and pollution is glaring, capitalism and States want to continue to develop mass tourism and its destruction. Among these ecocidal industries, that of cruises is not the least, but, since 2022, the fight has been organized on a European scale with the European movement ECAN [1] (European cruise activist network).
This movement is present in France with the collective “ Stop cruises » [2] in which is written “ Zero fossil climate Toulon and surrounding areas ».
In Toulon, a military, nuclear, port, seaside and deadly city, such a collective is a breath of fresh air for environmental struggles ! And its actions to denounce the terrible environmental and social health impact of these leisure liners have already been noticed.
Many European cities (Barcelona, Lisbon, Naples, Marseille, etc.) are participating in this movement which calls for a different rethinking of tourism and these trips, by adapting to local realities. Faced with protests, the industry is trying green washing. In 2022, the charter “ Sustainable Mediterranean cruise » [3] was adopted.
The thirteen points of this are only a communication operation that only ratifies measures already present in the law or normalizes destructive practices. Likewise, the industry presents the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a solution when it represents a real climate time bomb. !
Anyway, there is no good cruise “ durable “, the good cruise is, like the good waste, the one that we do not do !
Indeed, tourism is not a trivial phenomenon. It often involves the arrival of thousands, even millions of people in the same places (1.5 million in Marseille in 2022). It leads to the expansion of airports and the construction of gigantic cruise ships.
It raises rents and pushes residents·are outside the city center ! Pollution from ships is so harmful to the health of residents·only to ecosystems [4]These problems are not taken into consideration by shipowners, on the contrary, they continue to build and use ships outside legal standards. !
Take action against a useless and harmful industry
The next major date for European mobilization, at the time of writing, is 1is June but the publication deadlines of our newspaper mean that you will only read them afterwards, we will undoubtedly continue to keep you informed of these mobilizations in the months to come!
In the meantime, a petitionstop cruises great harbor of Toulon» can be signed online[5]we encourage you to go and see and learn about the ongoing struggles! And to support your local ecological struggle collectives, whether against cruises or against all the ecocidal projects and actions that capitalism continues to produce.
Let’s force the richest and the unconscious to stop their leisure activities which destroy, for their sole pleasure, our lives and the environment!
Brigitte (UCL Toulon)
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