WEED (World Economy, Ecology & Development) was founded in 1990 as an independent non-governmental organisation with offices in Berlin and Bonn. Weed is active in the areas of International Financial System and Debts, International Trade and Investment Policy, European and International Environmental and Development Policies.
Globalisation is a process with tremendous historical implications. It is not only an economic process but also has political, cultural and social dimensions. Globalisation changes the structures of the world economy and international relations and affects the everyday life of people everywhere. So far, globalisation has been following the paradigm of neoliberalism: liberalisation, deregulation, privatisation and free market access have been the dominant dictum. The results are many losers and only a handful of winners. Social justice and ecological sustainability are being subordinated to the interests of Global Players, shareholders, investors and creditors. WEED is not going to accept it that is why it exists.
WEED stands for a different kind of globalization and campaigns for a change in international economic and environmental policies. Justice, human rights and the environment have to be put before profits. WEED sees itself as a consistent lobby for justice in North-South relations – in Germany, the EU and in international institutions such as the IMF, the World Banks, the WTO and the UN. Our goal is to raise awareness of the negative impacts of globalisation, to develop concrete alternatives and to contribute to their implementation. For doing so WEED analyses and evaluates processes of decision-making in the world economy and proposes alternatives to prevailing politics; provides professional expertise for social movements and other actors of the civil society; takes part in public campaigns and mobilises civil society interventions proactively, approaches decision makers in politics and economy and demands the realisation of sustainable policies.
WEED cooperates in national and international networks like ATTAC, IFI-Watchers, Seattles to Brussels Network, Social Watch, Erlassjahrkampagne (jubilee Germany) as well as with unions and many more partner organisations as EURODAD.
