Text of Revised SCCCU Charter

Seikatsu Club was established in 1965 as a “club” where people got together to think by themselves and act by themselves based on their daily “lives”. Since then, we have protested against the market economy, which exploits consumers, made proposals for movements to allow consumers to get involved in production and distribution, and have implemented these movements.

We are now standing at a crossroads. Under globalism and the principle of the market mechanism, we are witnessing a rapidly widening gap between the rich and the poor, and people are becoming increasingly isolated. However, people do not lose hope, and many are working hard to solve problems in their local communities or through international solidarity. Under these circumstances, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, particularly their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration. People’s expectations toward the non-profit and co-operative sector are growing more than ever.

Member co-operatives of SCCCU, operated based on members’ sovereignty, unite with each other in order to advocate and implement “sustainable and democratic socio-economic models” that will enrich our daily lives. By sharing and implementing necessary functions, we will act in accordance with the following principles:

・ SCCCU regards safety, health, environment and cooperation as values for our lives, and works to improve them to enhance our socio-economic influence.
・ By making use of the power of solidarity among its member co-operatives, SCCCU works to create an “FEC Self-sufficient Network” which enables local communities to be self-sufficient in and to operate circulatory systems for food, energy and mutual care, and contributes to local communities.
・ SCCCU stands firmly for non-violence and co-existence in order to protect peace and the environment, the basis for a sustainable economy, society and culture.
 

Text of the Special Resolution
June 22nd, 2016

The 27th General Meeting, Agenda Item 7, Special Resolution

Let’s strive to increase the number of members involved in our collective purchase of electricity and create a sustainable future based on renewable energy.

The year 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident on April 26, 1986. It also marks the 5th anniversary of the 3.11 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Even after 30 years, molten nuclear fuel remains untouched at Chernobyl, and the reactor decommissioning plan is not making any progress. Many people are concerned about its effects on our health as various diseases including thyroid cancer are reported in surrounding countries. We still do not know exactly where the molten nuclear fuel is inside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors. The nuclear disaster is still not over due to polluted water leakage, a lack of intermediate storage facilities for nuclear waste, and so on.

According to the “Fifth Assessment Report” published by the United Nation’s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), humankind must reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2100 in order to achieve the 2°C maximum temperature rise target, even though this was the least ambitious target that could have been agreed to. We are frequently hit by natural disasters due to global warming. The IPCC report says that the 2°C target can be achieved and that an extensive use of renewable energy is one of the most effective measures to reduce CO2 emissions. In 2015, 60% of electricity newly developed in the world was generated by renewable energy. The global trend has already shifted toward renewable energy. However, Japan’s Energy Plan for 2030 stipulates that 76% of energy will be provided by nuclear and thermal power while a maximum of 24% will be supplied by renewable energy. Japan’s energy policy is retreating back to those drawn up before the 3.11 disaster. Contrary to the global trend to introduce more renewable energy, Japan is preparing to restart nuclear reactors, beginning with the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kyushu.

Based on the comprehensive energy policy adopted at the General Meeting in 2014, which focuses on “energy use reduction”, “renewable energy generation” and “consumer choice of energy sources”, we will work on our movements and businesses to implement alternatives to nuclear energy. Instead of depending on the national government and power companies in general, we will work to make autonomous decisions on the energy we consume. Let’s exercise our sovereignty over energy by promoting our collective purchase of electricity distributed by Seikatsu Club Energy Co., Ltd, a power company established by the Seikatsu Club.

The collective purchase of Seikatsu Club’s electricity will work not only to promote renewable energy but also to contribute to the creation of decentralized and autonomous, democratic and sustainable societies for our children, including those in food production areas. The future is not something we predict, but something we choose for ourselves. Let’s strive to increase the number of members involved in our collective purchase of electricity by working with as many members of the Seikatsu Club as possible in our pursuit of the creation of a sustainable future based on renewable energy.