Author: Paul Scholes

  • What is ACT’s economy group for?

    What is ACT’s economy group for?

    Much of the advice ACT offers can best be described as “how to live sustainably”, ie living in a way that does not jeopardise the needs or wellbeing of others, future generations or the environment. It often involves satisfying needs rather than wants and considering “sufficiency” when we consume. ACT’s Economy group explores how these…

  • Economic growth measure fails on green front

    Economic growth measure fails on green front

    The UK economy shrank by 9% in 2020 but bounced back in 2021, growing by 7.5%. This year, it is expected to grow by 3.6%. These numbers matter a lot to the government, but there is increasing debate about how relevant they are to setting economic policies to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies. That’s…

  • IPCC Working Group lll report on mitigation of climate change

    IPCC Working Group lll report on mitigation of climate change

    António Guterres Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels. Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness. Christiana Figueres The IPCC report tells us we are on a suicidal path. Change or kiss stability goodbye.…

  • Call for new approach to measure progress towards net zero

    Call for new approach to measure progress towards net zero

    The Environmental Audit Committee has written to both the Chancellor and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to ask for estimates of greenhouse gas emissions to be published alongside GDP figures to indicate whether economic growth and slashing emissions can be achieved together. This follows the committee’s inquiries in February and March into “Aligning the…

  • Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on Aligning the UK’s economic goals with environmental sustainability: Part 2 – 2 March 2022

    Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on Aligning the UK’s economic goals with environmental sustainability: Part 2 – 2 March 2022

    Following Part 1 of the enquiry this part questioned witnesses on how environmental sustainability could be incorporated better into the economic measurements that guide Government policy. The full inquiry of over an hour can be viewed on parliamentlive.tv however we have separated out the following clips covering the discussions around the use of GDP and…

  • Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on Aligning the UK’s economic goals with environmental sustainability: Part 1 – 9 Feb 2022

    Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry on Aligning the UK’s economic goals with environmental sustainability: Part 1 – 9 Feb 2022

    A fascinating in depth inquiry into how government policy could move away from GDP as the prime measure of national prosperity to encompass other, more meaningful, measures for social and environmental wellbeing and to consider issues such as a post-growth world, non-monetary capital and inequality. The remit of the Environmental Audit Committee is to consider…