This post is by Nigel Haigh, former director of the Institute for European Environmental Policy and chair of Green Alliance from 1989 to 1998.
Few people now remember the peculiar character of British environmental policy that existed before the EEC (now EU) began to exert an influence in the mid-1970s. Many reading this blog may not even have been born then. Read more
This post is by Dr Ben Caldecott, director of the Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme at the University of Oxford and a trustee of Green Alliance.
A new generation of tiny satellites are flying overhead in lower earth orbit taking high resolution images of every point on planet earth every single day. These constellations, the largest of which currently consists of over 150 CubeSats (at 10cm x 10cm x 30cm in size), allows us to see planetary-scale change on a daily basis. Read more
This post is by Green Alliance’s policy director, Sue Armstrong Brown.
The internecine struggle between supporters of natural capital and nature conservation continues to dominate the debate about how to restore the declining health of the UK’s natural environment. But what if they’re both right?
This post is by Paul Morling, principal economist for the RSPB.
UK and EU policy makers have increasingly favoured the use of voluntary approaches, like industry self regulation, as a low cost, more flexible alternative to binding regulations or market based instruments.
This post first appeared on the Huffington Post.
Technological innovation is intoxicating. Digital technologies have evolved so quickly that technology prophets are predicting a ‘digital disruption’, in which vast material bounty is created at such low marginal costs that big business and government melt away to reveal a new, environmentally friendly collaborative commons. Read more
This is a guest post by Caroline Jackson, former MEP and chairman of the European Parliament environment committee from 1999-2004.
“We need to examine whether the balance is right in so many areas where the European Union has legislated, including on the environment, social affairs and crime”
Thus said David Cameron in his recent “key speech” on Europe – and he sent an immediate shudder through the ranks of British environmentalists. What did he mean? Which bits of EU environmental policy is Britain going to raise in Brussels (when Owen Paterson has stopped worrying about horse/beef burgers)? What are the chances of getting anything changed anyway in existing legislation which it has been a pain to negotiate? Given that reform is needed in the EU approach to legislation (as I believe it is) is he going for the right targets? Read more
This is a guest post by Duncan Brack, formerly Chris Huhne’s special adviser and now a freelance researcher. It is part of a series on big ideas to reduce the UK’s environmental impact.
My big idea is for the government to be consistent in its support for its own energy and climate policies. Hardly a radical proposal, but one it is not achieving. Read more
This post is by Green Alliance’s director, Matthew Spencer. A version of this article first appeared in the ENDS report.
When Clement Atlee was asked how Churchill won the war he said ‘talking about it’. He imbued confidence in a nation by laying out a narrative and making it stick through repetition and reinforcement. In contrast the Coalition government is attempting to deliver the biggest transformation of our energy system since the Victorian age by talking about it as little as possible. Read more
This is a guest post is by Warren Hatter who advises on local low carbon policy and the use of behavioural insights.
When DECC published a report on consumption-based emissions reporting last week, the local perspective was only hinted at. But it jumped out at me during the evidence sessions that, in the absence of a localist (or at least pro-local governance) voice, the opportunity this presents for local areas could be lost.
Duncan Brack, Chris Huhne’s former special adviser and now a Green Alliance associate, gives his view from the inside.
What does it take to get green policies implemented in government?
I’ve had time to think about this question in recent weeks after my rather abrupt departure as Chris Huhne’s special adviser, upon his resignation as secretary of state for energy and climate change last month. Read more
Inside track 