Rupert's Read

What a stunning year 2011 has been. Full of hope – and horror. 2012 will see the continuation of the year of revolutions in the Arab world, including probably the fall (most probably, I would guess, the death) of Assad – and I hope that real change will come to our continent, too. For, while we complacently think that we at least live in democracies, the truth is otherwise.   With the intensification of the financial crisis in Europe, which will I believe probably get much worse in the coming year, and with the coming to power of some 'technocratic' (read NOT democratic, tacitly very right-wing, pro-finance) governments, we cannot avoid now facing a defining question: _Are_ the nations of Europe really serious about becoming _democracies_ at all? I say 'becoming', because 'Democracy' , etymologically, involves the people governing: Does anyone seriously believe that the people (rather than 'the markets') govern, today, in countries...

The liberated regimes in Tunisia and Libya have closed Syria's embassy there. It is time for Britain to follow suit...:   SIGN (as I have), and then spread the word! http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/25418 ...To boot the war-criminal Syrian regime's embassy out of Britain.   These Downing Street petitions can make a real impact - if they get thousands of signatories. Help make sure that this one does!   The Syrian army is killing its own people with impunity right now, in Homs: https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23homs  . This is the least that we can do, to try to make sure that, before too long, the killers can ge stopped.

Reality bites...

My Christmas 'Love-Gas', has just gone live over at the GreenHousethinktank site: http://www.greenhousethinktank.org/page.php?pageid=gases Have a read; and greetings of the season!

Me protesting outside City Hall on the National Day of Strike Action against the cuts on Wednesday 30th November 2011.

The beginning of the end for the Kyoto 'Annex 1' vs 'non_Annex 1' distinction is crucial. This opens the way for the starting-in-2020 climate agreement (or maybe 2017?) promised in Durban to be something modelled on Contraction and Convergence (or on GDRs, etc). This gives a crucial opening to achieve for the first time an agreement which encompasses everyone, is just, and is effective. So, although the long delay may well prove fatal, especially to AOSIS countries and LDC countries, we do now at least have a _chance_, for the first time, of achieving what we as a species need through the COP process. So: one cheer for Durban. ----------------------------------------    For all things Rupert, goto www.rupertread.net

The dodgy deal at #Durban (essentially, nothing except promissory notes til 2020 - by which time it will be too late) sheds new light on the direness of the need for new political institutions that will robustly think and act long-term-ist. Check out my piece at http://www.greenworld.org.uk/page305/page305.html   , for a concrete suggestion for what such institutions would/should/could look like... Would guardians for future generations allow the present moment to slip by without starting to act to stop deadly climate change? I think not...

My evidence to the House of Commons select committee is on p.38f. of: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmenergy/writev/consumpt/consumption.pdf

    This submission: ·          Draws on the author's political and journalistic experience to note and explore the failure of the previous Government to come clean about Britain's rising carbon emissions, once one takes into account factors such as 'embodied' emissions, and calls on the present Government to embrace honest full disclosure of the record, using a consumption-based emissions reporting system (and including in this air travel beginning in the UK, and some portion of sea travel); ·          Draws on the author's philosophical research to note and explore the danger of taking 'developing' countries to be more economically 'efficient' as a reason for justifying under the banner of 'globalization' the 'offshoring' of industrial production there – because such offshoring is often carbon -inefficient, as consumption-based emissions reporting would make clear.   ...

This film made by a former student of mine is WELL worth watching: Tonight 'An Inconvenient Truth 2 - A film about the world getting better' premieres on the Community Channel at 8.30pm, Sky 539 and Virgin 223. The series continues next Wednesday at the same time and on Wednesday 21st. If you don't have Sky/Virgin you can watch the series on Freeview 87 on January 15th/16th/17th at 6am. Or watch online at www.jackguest.com from December 10th. To watch the trailer and an interview the director did with BBC radio Gloucestersh ir e go to www.youtube.com/agreatfilm The follow the series and movie on Facebook go to www.facebook.com/aninconvenienttruth2 And if you want to buy the director's cut on DVD with special features (including a 2nd film) email dvd@jackguest.com with your order - the cost is £9.99 including postage.   If you can't watch tonight or the following Wednesdays the series repeats on Sky and Virgin on  The Community Channel, Sky 539, Virgin Media 233: 2...

A One ­day Conference with Tony Juniper, Molly Scott­Cato, Miriam Kennett and Rupert Read Saturday, 18th February 2012, Centre at St Paul's, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1JP An underlying question to much of today’s political agenda is “How can we get back to Economic Growth as soon as possible?”. Yet economic growth does not take into consideration finite natural resources, social justice and individual wellbeing. How can we escape the dependency of a system based on continuous economic growth? What alternatives are there? How can alternatives be implemented and given the priority they need in our crowded social and political agendas? This “Ideas Day” will bring together prominent speakers and activists who have addressed these issues constructively from a sustainable point of view; as well as a range of individuals and groups who are developing and implementing practical alternatives . Our intention is that this day will stimulate thought and action amongst sustainability and green ...

Richard Murphy ( anti-poverty campaigner, tax expert and author of the UK's No.1 Economics blog www.taxresearch.org.uk ) will be launching his new book - The Courageous State - in Norwich on Wednesday, December 7th at the Workshop Coffee bar. Click the image to enlarge.