Worldlog week 3 – 2015

First of all, my best wishes for the New Year! Also in 2015, we will reaffirm our commitment to a better world for people, animals, nature and the environment.

Unfortunately, 2015 started with an event that shocked the whole world. Twelve people were killed in an attack on the office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. This kind of terrorism is frightening, we will have to overcome terrorism and fear. Thousands of people, including in the Netherlands, took to the streets to express their sympathy and solidarity. Charlie Hebdo also makes cartoons about animal rights. Peta selected the ten best.

The New Year was again accompanied by a lot of banging and fireworks nuisance. This year, the time in which it is permitted to set off fireworks was restricted in the Netherlands, but we continue to advocate for an end to consumer fireworks. A majority of the Dutch population agrees with us that private fireworks should end, but so far our motions to this effect have been rejected by Parliament.

I look back on an eventful and successful 2014. The municipal elections in March led to a doubling of our number of council seats. We now have a seat in 12 municipalities. Shortly after, we gained more than 4% of votes in the European elections. As part of the Nordic Green Left-coalition, Anja Hazekamp is now fighting for the interests of our planet in the European Parliament.

In the Dutch Lower House, we also achieved many successes. We achieved great successes in the fight against bee mortality, nature pollution, and health risks due to the use of pesticides. There will finally come an and to docking of pigs’ tails, and administering electric shocks to tethered cows or hanging chickens, ducks and other birds alive on the slaughter line are prohibited. A motion of mine has put an end to the self-control on animal transports and a GPS system will be mandatory in cattle trucks. In addition, the Netherlands is committed to a European ban on angora and will take a tougher stance against whaling and the slaughter of dolphins.

Worldwide, a lot has been done for animals. Check here the 10 major animal rights and welfare wins of 2014. At the end of December, a judge in Argentina decided that orangutan Sandra is a non-human person and must be given ‘person rights’. This means she can no longer stay in the zoo, because it would make her depressed. After 20 years in a zoo, Sandra will soon be transferred to a sanctuary due to her complex cognitive and emotional abilities.

This interesting documentary shows how great the influence of multinationals is on our food. Shocking!

Good resolutions are made at the start of a new year, and that is what I did. The beginning of this year will focus on expanding our representation in the provincial elections, water board elections and Upper House elections. We will also reaffirm our commitment in 2015 for a sustainable world and an end to factory farming!

Kind regards, Marianne