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Reflections from the bonfire – or where we went wrong with sustainable development - 15th April 2011

This week I spoke at a gathering of sustainability thinkers in the NorthWest, organised by Lancaster University’s management school. It was my first chance since the closure of the SDC two weeks ago to reflect, so I rather cheesily called my talk ‘reflections from the bonfire’, trying to capture that moment on Guy Fawkes Night when you stare into the (more…)

Osborne is nudging us – but in what direction? - 1st April 2011

Great to see Green Alliance launching its new report and short documentary about how government can encourage us all to be greener. They’ve also published some great thinkpieces on the subject. Here’s what I think… Does government need to do more than nudge us toward sustainable living? I think the short answer to this question is a simple no. If government (more…)

Smashing the green consensus: Osborne’s anti-enlightenment budget - 24th March 2011

Yesterday’s budget is far more than just bad news for the environment. I think it rips up more than two decades of careful, cautious progress on green politics. Since the late 1980s, (and yes, that includes a previous Tory government) we have been edging toward some kind of political consensus: a growing agreement that, in order to sustain our economy (more…)

The fat lady is singing - 4th March 2011

I’m so glad the Sustainable Development Commission decided to go out with a bang, not a whimper. This week we held our final event, the Big Sustainability Summit, joining nearly 200 friends and colleagues to reflect on progress and, most importantly, plot and scheme for the future. Read more on the Big Sustainability website. Together with our friends at Futerra, (more…)