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GNN ISSUE 1 : 23-Apr-04 |
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A free email newsletter that provides green news and views so that
together we can create a better world
As the Press Officer for the Gloucestershire Green Party I see there is a paucity of green news. GNN was born in the hope that it will grow to help fill some of
that gap. Any help would be welcomed with news collection, editing,
marketing or writing feature articles. Please join us by phoning 01453
755451
This is a pilot issue and we would especially welcome feedback. GNN has evolved out of the GLOS GREEN NEWS and will initially be monthly and
will go to the 100 people who received GLOS GREEN NEWS. However if
things go well we would like to make it more regular and get 'green'
news to many thousands more people.
We plan an initial feature article each month, this time on Blair's
climate change speech, followed by other news and views with a brief
description and a link. GNN will cover key Green Party news items but
to get the majority of Green Party news releases issued nationally you
will now need to subscribe to Green Mail from the Green Party's
homepage or send a blank email to greenmail-join@lists.greenparty.org.uk
Philip Booth, GNN
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"Be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi
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CONTENTS
FEATURE ARTICLE
" CLIMATE CHANGE - MORE HOT AIR FROM No 10"
With further articles on climate change:
(i) IT'S THE CLIMATE CHANGING, STUPID - Dr Glen Barry
(ii) MONBIOT ON NUCLEAR POWER AND THE ALTERNATIVES- George Monbiot
(ii) GREENS BACK AIRCRAFT FUEL TAX AND SEEK RENEWED DIALOGUE WITH
BLAIR - Green Party
OTHER ITEMS
1. EU AGREES £6bn BRITISH ENERGY BAILOUT - Green Party
2. MEACHER RAILS AT 'BIASED' CANCER REPORT PLUS ACTION - Paul Brown
3. WAR WAS ILLEGAL - CALLS FOR BLAIR TO FACE IMPEACHMENT - Various
articles
4. THE TERRIBLE TEENS -
Madeleine Bunting
5. UK TO REMAIN ‘EUROPE’S SWEATSHOP’ UNDER EU ‘FUDGE’ - Green Party
6. MED JOURNAL ARTICLES PENNED BY GHOST WRITERS - Antony Barnett
7. IN THE PAY OF DRUGS COMPANIES - Guardian article
8. HUNTING: A CLASS WAR THAT NEEDS TO BE FOUGHT - George Monbiot
9. CLONE TOWN BRITAIN - New Economic Foundation
ACTION OF THE MONTH - ELECT THE LORDS WEBSITE LAUNCHED
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MORE HOT AIR FROM No 10
After all the hype, Blair’s long-awaited speech (i) on the environment
was no better than Howard's speech earlier in the same week. They both
shied away from making the specific and detailed policy commitments
required to tackle the causes of the devastating climate chaos we are
beginning to see with increasing frequency.
Climate change is going up the public's agenda, so Blair has to sound
as though he's taking it seriously. But he made speeches just like this
in 2000 and 2002. He just hasn't backed words with action.
Blair's own Chief Scientific Adviser has warned that climate change is
a far greater threat to the world than international terrorism. With
Iraq, the government pledged to spend ‘whatever it takes’. It is time
to make the same level of commitment, politically and financially with
climate change. Sadly there is no such commitment - just another PR job
to tell the world what it already knows: that we need to address
greenhouse gas emissions or things will get dramatically worse.
Blair has the nerve to talk about aviation being a problem for the
climate, when his own policy is to treble the size of UK aviation, and
to help it he gives it a £9 billion tax-break every year. Targets to
reduce traffic and increase cycling have both been ditched in favour of
a massive road building programme. On renewable energy we still lag far
behind many of our European neighbours: for example we will spend £9
million on solar panels this year, compared to Germany spending £66
million last year.
Blair on climate change boils down to inadequate targets, policies that
won't even meet those targets, and some policies that go in completely
the wrong direction. But in true New Labour style he masks his inaction
and his incompetence in well-spun statements. It's as though he only
needs to say the right things to be taken seriously, and defuse the
threat to his vote.
Howard's "green" rhetoric also contradicts the facts Green Party MEP Dr
Caroline Lucas commented on his speech: "Either Mr Howard has had a
Road to Damascus conversion - which I very much hope he has - or he is
guilty of the most outrageous hypocrisy. For example, his apparent
commitments on hydrofluorcarbons (HFCs) are flatly contradicted by the
way Conservative MEPs have voted in recent months in the European
Parliament."
Michael Howard outdid Blair in blandness and lack of commitment. He has
only a vague idea of "incentives" for business, when what the renewable
energy business needs is major pump-priming from the public purse -
billions of pounds of government investment. He also described solar
power as "emerging" and "potentially viable" - doesn't he know that a
Green Party environment minister in Germany is building a million solar
roofs and has already created over 20,000 jobs in the solar sector?
The Conservative Party, like Labour, remain committed to more
road-building, more airport expansion, and increased freight-mileage.
They have routinely opposed rises in fuel tax, have rejected a European
levy on aviation fuel which could be implemented immediately, and have
failed to invest in public transport.
The Liberal Democrats are no better. They have long been masquerading
as a "green party" - but continue to support policies that make a
mockery of their fine pronouncements. But whatever Conservative, Labour
and LibDem politicians may say about climate change the fact remains
that none of these parties have the policies necessary for the UK to
make its fair contribution to the global effort of stopping climate
change.
Real progress on climate change - Twelve urgent commitments on climate
change
We know what needs to be done. Indeed as Caroline Lucas, Green MEP
said: “We are in danger of going down in history as the species that
spent all its time monitoring its own extinction rather than taking the
steps necessary to prevent it.”
Climate change is the biggest threat to Britain's and the world's
economy (let alone the human costs and the environmental costs). It
isn't a case of not being able to afford to stop climate change. The
simple fact is that we can't afford not to. The Kyoto target was
hopelessly inadequate. The Green Party believes the UK must make 40%
cuts by 2020 to be on course for 90% cuts by 2050.
The Green Party have published twelve urgent commitments on climate
change which anybody serious about climate change must make(ii). They
include: - two million solar roof systems in the UK by 2010
- at least £2 billion a year from ecotaxes on non-nuclear renewables
and energy conservation measures.
- assist sustainable development in poorer countries
- scrap the national road building programme
- end the £9 billion annual tax break which is given to the UK aviation
industry.
Sadly both Blair and Howard score zero on the twelve commitments. The
lib Dems did slightly better with 3 points. Their hot air is part of
the problem and it is simply naive to believe that they will ever be
part of the solution.
Further information:
(i) For the PM's Speech on Climate Change:
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page6333.asp
(ii) For the Green Party's twelve commitments see:
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/files/reports/2004/climate%20challenge.htm
See also www.risingtide.org.uk www.sinkswatch.org
www.thecornerhouse.org.uk
Philip Booth, Press Officer, Gloucestershire Green Party
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Further articles on climate change:
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(i) "IT'S THE CLIMATE CHANGING, STUPID"
Dr Glen Barry discusses our world leaders attitude to climate change:
"There has never been a more critical political issue than climate
change, yet both candidates for U.S. President are virtually silent on
the matter. I am appalled at the lack of attention paid to the issue
of climate change in the American campaign for President. The
conventional wisdom sold to us by corporate greens is that Kerry is an
environmental crusader. What a lie. Yes, President Bush has turned his
back on the Kyoto protocols. But Kerry did so first, voting against
Kyoto when Clinton was president.
"Climate change is the most immediate manifestation of disregard for
ecological systems upon which all life depends. It is a matter of
prudence as a society to respond with utmost urgency to implement a
clean energy economy.
"The result of failure to adjust to climate change will be societal
ruin. Shall we proceed, evolve or die? Around the World we must vote,
as if our life depends upon it, for who you think will best address
climate change and related social justice and equity issues."
Extracts taken from Earth Meanders By Dr. Glen Barry. For the complete
article and more information go to:
http://www.environmentalsustainability.info/blog/archives/
cat_earth_meanders.htm
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(ii) MONBIOT ON NUCLEAR POWER AND THE ALTERNATIVES
There is an alternative - George Monbiot explores the future of nuclear
power in Britain:
"Suddenly, climate change exists: George Bush says so. After years of
ridicule, the greens' jeremiads about declining oil production are
now spilling from other people's mouths. Politicians and the press have
at last picked up our arguments, and are using them as a stick with
which to beat us. If we care about climate change, if we care about
future energy supplies, then surely we should support the revival of
nuclear power? It is a question we have to answer."
Monbiot goes onto conclude that we do not need nuclear to tackle
climate change; "There need be no choice between two kinds of mass
death. We are still permitted to choose life."
Extract taken from George Monbiot article for Tuesday September 7, 2004
The Guardian
For the complete article visit www.monbiot.com
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(iii) GREENS BACK AIRCRAFT FUEL TAX AND SEEK RENEWED DIALOGUE WITH BLAIR
On September 16th, 2004 the European Parliament approved a Green Party
resolution calling for the EU to take a clear and determined position
on imposing tax on aviation fuel at an international conference for
civil aviation at the end of September.
In addition, the Green Party is seeking a renewal of dialogue with 10
Downing Street over the climate crisis. Almost exactly four years ago,
leading Greens met with Tony Blair's environment advisers in an
unprecedented meeting at Number Ten.
The Green Party's Prof John Whitelegg said: "A lot has happened in the
last four years, yet government policy on climate change remains
practically the ame. We're not convinced Tony Blair's advisers really
understand the policies necessary to stop climate change, and we think
a further meeting could be fruitful."
"If Tony Blair now understands how critical the climate crisis is, and
if Margaret Beckett now believes the UK might have a Siberian-type
climate by 2020, then there's no time to lose. We want to get Tony
Blair and Margaret Beckett in the same room and spell out what we
think they need to do to be serious about climate change."
For Further information and the full article visit:
www.greenparty.org.uk
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1. EU AGREES £6bn BRITISH ENERGY BAILOUT - EURO-MPs CONDEMN MASSIVE
SUBSIDY OF FAILING NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
EU COMMISSIONERS have given the green light to a bailout of Britain’s
nuclear industry with £6 billion of taxpayers’ cash. BE is de facto
bankrupt, as its assets are insufficient to cover both operating costs
and its multi-billion liabilities – the cost of processing radioactive
waste generated by the UK’s ageing nuclear power stations.
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MEP who lodged the initial complaint
with the Commission, said: “Today’s decision is nothing short of a
disaster. It will lower the cost of generating nuclear power – by
granting the industry a massive subsidy of taxpayers’ cash. This will
force renewable generators and research projects into bankruptcy and
set back efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Nuclear power is dangerous,
deeply unpopular and economically unviable. This decision represents
yet another blow for the democratic legitimacy of the EU.”
For more information www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk
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2. MEACHER RAILS AT 'BIASED' CANCER REPORT PLUS ACTION
The former Labour environment minister Michael Meacher yesterday
accused a government committee he set up to assess the health effects
of low-level radiation of suppressing a report on the possible cause of
childhood leukaemia. He called the alleged suppression "criminally
irresponsible", saying he had formed the committee so as to reflect all
opinion on the contentious issue and so that a report could be
published putting all the facts before the public.Instead the final
report gave a one-sided establishment opinion, he said, which did not
"accommodate a full and fair representation of all views".
It is stated in the article that the report failed to mention the
theories of the committee members Richard Bramhall and the Green
Party's science and technology spokesperson Chris Busby, who examined
cancer clusters and concluded that radiation from Sellafield and other
nuclear plants could be responsible.
You and your MP can help - This affects you, your children and
grandchildren Please ask your Member of Parliament to sign Early Day
Motion 1548. It calls for a new, balanced and credible committee to
advise on the health effects of radioactive pollution. The new body is
to replace COMARE(Committee on Medical Aspects of Radioactivity in the
Environment) which was set up after a child leukaemia cluster was
discovered at Seascale near Sellafield in 1983.
Extract taken from Paul Brown, environment correspondent The Guardian-
Wednesday September 8, 2004
For more information about this article visit The Guardian's website
Copies of the Minority Report
Copies of the Minority Report can be purchased from LLRC. Dr. Chris
Busby said that the motive behind the suppression of material which had
occupied much of the three year CERRIE process was obviously that if it
were published in an official report it would bring a storm of
litigation down on the heads of the government and destroy any prospect
of a new generation of nuclear power. The cover price is £25
concessionary copies for campaigners from: bramhall@llrc.org
Please write to your MP at the House of Commons,
London SW1A OAA. Here's a suggested form of words:
Radioactivity contaminates the whole environment and can cause
permanent genetic damage. I am very concerned that the Government is
not getting reliable scientific advice from COMARE or SAHSU and is
underestimating the health effects of nuclear pollution. Please sign
Early Day Motion 1548.
Check out this website www.llrc.org to see who has signed Or see
http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=l 548
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3. WAR WAS ILLEGAL - CALLS FOR BLAIR TO FACE IMPEACHMENT
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has told journalists that the Iraq war
was illegal. The Green Party said all along that the war would be
criminal. Lawyers at Cherie Blair's firm, Matrix Chambers, said so
too, and delivered their legal opinion to the public on the same
platform as CND and the Green Party. Now the UN Secretary-General
himself has said so.
The Green Party along with MPs are now calling for Tony Blair to face
impeachment for misleading parliament in the run-up to the Iraq war.
The constitutional conventions require resignation for serious
misconduct of this kind, as we have recently seen in practice in the
cases of Beverley Hughes and Peter Mandelson. This is about the
principle of accountability and that no minister should be allowed to
pull the wool over parliament's eyes for cynical, political reasons.
However we mustn't put all the blame on Tony Blair. He was supported
by most Labour and Tory MPs. The LibDems equivocated - never once said
the war would be illegal - and gave it what Charles Kennedy called
their 'total support' once it went ahead.
Meanwhile Kerry remains ambiguous on whether the war was a mistake
even stating he would have gone to war if he had known there were no
WMD. The half-million or so people who protested in New York last
week clearly demonstrated that not all Americans agree with Bush or
Kerry. The 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows also publicly
condemned the war.
News from Iraq continues to be bad. A British think tank says Iraq
could splinter into civil war and destabilize the whole region.
- Iraq war illegal, says Annan:
http://www.greenparty.org.uk
- Nine Reasons not to bomb Iraq:
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/files/reports/2003/
Nine%20reasons%20not%20to%20 bomb%20Iraq.doc.
- Greens add voice to impeachment;
www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk
- New York demo:
http://mailhost.groundspring.org/cgi-bin/t.pl?id=86527:2798976
- 9/11 Family Members:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/091204Z.shtml
- Iraq’s Survival Still at Stake, Report Warns;
http://mailhost.groundspring.org/cgi-bin/t.pl?id=86531:2798976
- Iraq: what went wrong?:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/themes/article-2-2094.jsp
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4. THE TERRIBLE TEENS - WHO'S TO BLAME & WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Surveys of the developed world show UK teenagers have one of the worst
staying-on rates in after-16 education and are more likely than most to
take drugs, binge drink and have underage sex.
The big increase in behavioural and emotional problems among teenagers
tracked in the Nuffield study will set the context for a debate this
autumn on the plight of Britain's adolescents. The findings come ahead
of two government initiatives - the Tomlinson report on education for
14- to 19-year-olds and the green paper on youth, responding to concern
that Britain's education system and youth services are failing its
young people.
Madeleine Bunting - Monday September 13, 2004 The Guardian - Two
articles (i) Our teenage canaries (ii) Teen troubles: questions still
unanswered.Professionals divided over why Britain has problem with
adolescents.
These discuss forthcoming government initiatives and the possible
reasons for our teenagers behaviour. Is it unhappiness, the lack of
unemployemnt opportunites, the media, the parents or as Margot Waddell,
consultant psychotherapist suggests a lack of emotional dynamics?
To read more visit The Guardian's website or m.bunting@guardian.co.uk
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5. UK TO REMAIN ‘EUROPE’S SWEATSHOP’ UNDER EU ‘FUDGE’
The Commission has today adopted an amendment to the directive allowing
general use of the opt-out to continue, on-call time worked by doctors,
firefighters and other emergency workers to be excluded from the time
they are considered to have worked, and to extend the period before the
rules take effect in any new job from four months to a year.
Green Party MEP and Member of the European Parliament’s Employment and
Social Affairs Committee Jean Lambert said the Commission had ‘fudged’
the issue with potentially disastrous consequences for health and
safety, workers rights and protection of the most vulnerable workers.
Workers in the UK already have the longest working week in the EU, with
the longest hours worked by the most vulnerable. This has increased the
poverty gap, ill-health and social exclusion, according to a report
published by Mrs Lambert to coincide with the TUC conference in
Brighton earlier this month.
Mrs Lambert has also called on the UK to end its opt-out of the Working
Time Directive, to recognise the needs of those caring for elderly and
disable relatives, to replace current social security arrangements with
a 'citizens income' to provide a living, rather than a minimum, wage
for all - including pensioners.
Mrs Lambert added: “Under pressure from a Labour government that is
wedded to maintaining Thatcherite anti-union working rules, the
Commission has decided to uphold Britain’s right to remain the EU’s
sweatshop.”
Info from: http://www.greenparty.org.uk
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6. MED JOURNAL ARTICLES PENNED BY GHOST WRITERS IN THE PAY OF DRUGS
COMPANIES
Hundreds of articles in medical journals claiming to be written by
academics or doctors have been penned by ghostwriters in the pay of
drug companies, an Observer inquiry has revealed. Journals, bibles of
the profession, have huge influence on which drugs doctors prescribe
and the treatment hospitals provide. The Observer has uncovered
evidence that many articles written by so-called independent academics
may have been penned by writers working for agencies which receive huge
sums from drug companies to plug their products.
These papers endorsing certain drugs are paraded in front of GPs as
independent research to persuade them to prescribe the drugs. Read
Antony Barnett, public affairs editor Sunday December 7, 2003 in The
Observer - Visit the Guardian Website to read more.
.................................................
7. HUNTING: A CLASS WAR THAT NEEDS TO BE FOUGHT
This is class war and as a class issue, it ranks behind private
schooling at number two. This isn't about animal welfare. It's about
human welfare. By taking on the hunt, our MPs are taking on those who
ran the country for 800 years, and still run the countryside today.
This class war began with the Norman conquest. It still needs to be
fought.
Extract taken from George Monbiot Tuesday September 14, 2004 The
Guardian - Visit www.monbiot.com to read more
8. CLONE TOWN BRITAIN
IMAGINE every high street in the UK identical, with identical
shop-fronts, identical brand portals, identical products, maybe in a
slightly different order in every place. It's not very difficult, is
it. That is actually the reality in many of our apparently thriving
market towns, just as it is in nearly every city high street.
Are we handing everything over to the ‘Big Boys’? Visit The New
Economic Foundation’s website to find out more where the full report
can be downloaded from.
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ACTION OF THE MONTH - ELECT THE LORDS WEBSITE LAUNCHED
Charter88 and the New Politics Network have launched the Elect the
Lords campaign with a new website: http://www.electthelords.org.uk.
The campaign is calling for the House of Lords to be replaced by a
predominantly elected second chamber at the earliest opportunity. You
can help make the campaign a success by doing three things:
1. Register your support for the campaign
(http://www.electthelords.org.uk/user/register.html)
2. Write to your MP and ask them to support the campaign
(http://www.electthelords.org.uk/involve/#write-to-your-mp)
3. Forward this email onto everyone you know.
In addition, if you would like copies of our promotional postcard, send
us a request by emailing info@electthelords.org.uk.
We have high hopes that this campaign will be a major success and
attract support from all parts of society. Fundamentally however, we
need your support to make it happen.
Charter88 website: www.charter88.org.uk
New Politics Network: www.new-politics.net
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TO JOIN the Green Party of England and Wales go to;
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/index.php?nav=join
To contribute to this news service (or to subscribe or unsubscribe) -
contact Philip Booth Gloucestershire Green Party on 01453 755451
E-mail: philip.booth2@virgin.net
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