Categories
Big Picture Climate Change

Climate Camp G20 : Yes, but is it Art ?

“The Russian Revolution was accompanied by a remarkable period of artistic experiment known as Constructivism, which questioned the fundamental properties of art and asked what its place should be in a new society. The Constructivists…looked at how they could contribute to everyday life through design…”

So murmurs the small booklet handed out at Tate Modern to accompany the “Rodchenko & Popova” exposition galleria “Defining Constructivism”.

And it’s Big Art all over again in 2009 as we witness the construction of yet more Climate Camp settlements : the art of constructing the future right in your neighbourhood, down amongst the fading idiocy of what passes for modern “built environment”.

Prince Charles should be pleased with us : we’re taking architecture on, head on, and camping our way to a sustainable mode of community infrastructure.

Categories
Big Picture Climate Change

Franny Goes To Lollywood

You’d be forgiven for thinking that London has become the eco-celebrity film-making green-carpet capital of the world.

Gushing lesser and former names have been falling all over themselves to promote “The Age of Stupid”. Gillian Anderson (ex of X) was beside herself at the premiere and hasn’t stopped drawling since.

Doors have opened. Doors to Government Ministers, green pretender corporates, la-la fashion design houses. Anyone who’s green is ganging for Franny Armstrong. It’s like she’s made it to the Moon and made a new giant leap for cinematic (wo)mankind.

Categories
Big Picture Climate Change

Worthy Coventry Noises Off

Coventry is not the centre of the universe, but it has a meaningful cathedral with a poignant bombed-out cathedral ruin by its side.

But it’s not the centre of the political universe, nor even the media universe, so it seems a strange place to hold a premembrance burial service for the international victims of Climate Change.

Categories
Bait & Switch Climate Change

The Climate Denial Zoo – A Letter to The Guardian Environment

Dear The Guardian Environment,

I had to rub my eyes in disbelief at the article abstract entitled
“Global cooling?” for James Randerson’s 5th December piece “2008 will
be coolest year of the decade” :-

https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/05/climate-change-weather

Categories
Climate Change Contraction & Convergence Social Change

How Can We Be A Radical Low Carbon Borough ?

[ An address by Jo Abbess to Barkingside 21 Group, Fullwell Cross Library, 28th October 2006, 1 – 3 pm.

[ Meeting Speakers :-
Chris Church, Community Environment Associates and London 21
Jo Abbess, Poole Agenda 21
Lee Scott MP, Ilford North
Harry Cohen MP, Leyton & Wanstead
Jean Lambert MEP, Greater London
Cllr Hugh Cleaver, Redbridge Council ]

[ Put a large wastepaper basket on the table ]

Hello. My name is Jo Abbess and I’m a member of Poole Agenda 21. We have launched a national campaign called “Take Global Warming Seriously” and we are members of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition.

As campaigners for the Local Agenda 21, we frequently come up against the deeply
entrenched conflict between DEVELOPMENT and CONSERVATION.

Until recently, our proposals were considered “ahead of our time”, but it seems that time has finally caught up with the Sustainability Agenda. If the Earth cannot absorb the impacts of DEVELOPMENT, then we must take the CONSERSATION route.

Categories
Climate Change Contraction & Convergence

Surviving Climate Change – Some Geopolitical Indicators & Markers

[ Proposed chapter for the book “Surviving Climate Change”; finally published in “Time Up” the Climate Camp publication for 2006. ]

Surviving Climate Change – Some Geopolitical Indicators & Markers
by Tim Helweg-Larsen and Jo Abbess
23rd June 2006

“I kind of startled my country when, in my State of the Union [Address], I said we’re hooked on oil and we need to get off oil…we’ve got to diversify away from oil. And the best way to do it is through new technologies.” George W. Bush, President United States of America 21st June 2006

“We find that clean and more efficient technologies can return soaring energy-related CO2 emissions to today’s levels by 2050 and halve the expected growth in both oil and electricity demand” Claude Mandil, International Energy Agency, 22nd June 2006

Categories
Climate Change Contraction & Convergence Social Change

One World Week at Ealing Abbey

Ealing Abbey Personal Presentation for One World Week
Speakers : Bishop John Oliver, Laurie Michaelis, Jo Abbess

Hello. My name is Jo Abbess, and I get nervous when I have to speak in public, so please forgive me if I start to resemble cranberry jelly…

Over the last few years I have been busy reading and reporting on Energy Trends, Climate Change and Resource Depletion; and as a direct result I am morphing into an environmental campaigner. Along the way, I became a member of Christian Ecology Link, gratefully recognising there are others of faith who are on a similar journey.

Categories
Bait & Switch Climate Change Energy Revival Nuclear Nuisance Nuclear Shambles Pet Peeves

Shall We Go Nuclear ?

Shall We Go Nuclear ?

The way I see it, it’s not a simple straight choice between one energy production technology and any other. It’s quite a lot more complicated than that. There are issues of national energy policy, the method of financing and influential key players, practical details, economics, security and surety of supply, safety, security of installations, and also historical experience, when considering each option.

Categories
Climate Change Contraction & Convergence Low Carbon Life Methane Management Renewable Resource Social Change Wind of Fortune

Eleven Practical Ideas to Combat Climate Change

Very little of what follows is original thought. But after much reflection, I feel these ideas are worthy of attention, and so I have expanded them for your consideration.

1. Contraction & Convergence Video Conferencing

Yet another international meeting on Energy Efficiency, Climate Change, Renewable Energy. Yet another brace of airline tickets for big speakers, engineers, policy-makers and scientists (and reporters) to fly in and confer.

In order to demonstrate the Contraction & Convergence framework in action, the delegates at all these meetings and conferences should reduce their carbon emissions to be in line with the lowest emitter of them all. Everyone will contract their carbon emissions, and everyone will get in line. Equal rights to pollute. The Principle of Equity.

There is enough cable and wire laid under all the world’s oceans and through the world’s rivers and soils to hold every single meeting by videoconferencing. And so it should be done.

No more flying for people of green persuasions. Follow Aubrey Meyer of the Global Commons Institute and the UNFCCC papers for development of Contraction & Convergence.