I try to blog most of the time on the amazing innovations and ideas that are happening on the ground in Canada and internationally. This movement, led by Harvey Locke, is a simple and yet very elegant idea, namely that Nature Needs Half.
On our front page this week, we feature our video on spatial justice, justice that takes into account place integrated into social justice, that we can’t have spaces of inequality alongside gated communities. The rising income inequality revealed by the recent Oxfam study that the top 1% now possess 48% of the world’s wealth is further exacerbating a world of haves and have nots.
There is a new metric when it comes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: the ‘spillover effects’ of each country on the world at large. These spillover effects include pollution, financial secrecy, and contribution to peace abroad. Since these effects are accounted for outside of a country’s borders, they are not represented by national statistics. A country might rank very highly when judged only by its own statistics (such as the US and Switzerland), but this is a lopsided view when looked at in a global context.
Right now is the perfect time to share feedback with our federal government, especially when it comes to basic income. To identify poverty reduction strategies in Canada, they are calling on the public to submit ideas on how our various levels of government can address this issue. They are also encouraging Canadians to join the conversation by sharing personal experiences with social support programs.
In this very far ranging commentary, Noam Chomsky talks about some critical questions: Is Russian hacking really more significant than what we have discussed — for example, the Republican campaign to destroy the conditions for organized social existence, in defiance of the entire world? Or to enhance the already dire threat of terminal nuclear war?
As the Trump Administration announces their plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, other countries are set to take the lead in reducing global carbon emissions.
Bill Clinton’s speech at Martin McGunness’ funeral
Collective intelligence refers to the ability of large groups—a community, region, city or nation—to think and act intelligently in a way that amounts to more than the sum of their parts. In a post-truth world and the aftermath of Brexit, an informed and engaged citizenry is even more critical to democracy and governing. Nesta has just released a new report, Governing with Collective Intelligence, which brings together dozens of examples from around the world.
The Swedish government is introducing tax breaks on repairs to everything from bicycles to washing machines so it will no longer make sense to throw out old or broken items and buy new ones. This is consistent with Paul Hawkin's article, 12 steps Society can take to save the whole enchilada.
There is no denying the complexities of the messy, wicked problems we are currently facing. Climate change threatens 1.3 billion people and $158 trillion in US assets. There are $2 trillion in fossil fuel assets that fail the 2-degree stress test.