Sevilla, Spain – Spain, Brazil and South Africa today launched a coalition to advance work on taxing the super-rich at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla. The coalition reaffirmed political commitments to pursue effective taxation of the super-rich. They also signalled growing support for international tax negotiations at the UN that are gaining momentum.
In response, Fred Njehu, Global Political Lead for Greenpeace's Fair Share campaign, said [1]: "Financing is urgently needed for climate action and public services, not for polluting space travel and luxury weddings. This new coalition of governments working to tax the super-rich adds to the growing global momentum to make the world's wealthiest pay their fair share. People are fed up with billionaires' greed eroding the environment and communities we depend on. It's time for world leaders to listen and act.
Last week Greenpeace Italy together with UK Action group Everyone hates Elon unfolded a banner reading "If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax" on Piazza San Marco, ahead of Jeff Bezos's reportedly multi-million dollar wedding in Venice.
In a survey commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International across 13 countries, 86% of respondents want governments to close tax loopholes that benefit the super-rich and international corporations, and to use the increased revenue for public services.[2]
"Ultimately, we urge world leaders to support the on-going UN Tax Convention process as a global multilateral platform that will shape and determine the future of taxation, one rooted in equity and justice," added Njehu.
