Carbon markets: Trading in ignorance

Are tradeable emission credits, offset schemes and carbon markets the way to solve the climate crisis? Do such markets demonstrate how ‘environment’ and ‘development’ can be combined into ‘green capitalism’? In a carefully argued deconstruction of the carbon market fiction, Larry Lohmann explains how such markets effectively conceal and undermine “the knowledge and analysis needed [...]

The World According to Monsanto

The World According to Monsanto is a documentary that dissects the evil that is Monsanto. Evil is a very strong word, but I don’t know a better one. Watch for yourself and judge if I’ve been too harsh. It makes for fascinating, if grim, viewing, and is available to watch free on the web. Be [...]

The Green Party and the environmental movement in New Zealand

A recent editorial in the New Zealand Herald (4 June 2008 ) offers the Green Party some advice on political positioning:
Despite their durability, the Greens should be a stronger party in this country. Environmental values are widely held and can offer a political identity outside the normal social divide. The party in our Parliament, however, [...]

On the origin of specious(ness)

A recent study of environmentally sceptical books gives a fascinating glimpse behind the wall of denial that has been constructed in these publications. Peter Jacques, Riley Dunlap and Mark Freeman, the authors of the study, characterise this environmental scepticism as:
- the denial of the significance and even the authenticity of environmental problems
- the questioning of [...]

The unequal cost of climate change inaction

Climate change is inescapably a social justice issue. It’s not just about how much climate change will cost the global economy, it’s also about who will pay that price. Rich-nation inaction on climate change will most likely condemn many of the world’s poor to continuing poverty, homelessness and even death. We pollute, they pay.
Two studies [...]

The Carbon Connection

Greens around the world are exhorting governments to take action on climate change. But in encouraging this action, we are also responsible for ensuring that it is both meaningful and just. The theme of climate justice is central to the 40-minute documentary The Carbon Connection (available for free viewing here).