[Pil-pc-oceania] Economics of Climate Change Report Available

[Tom Duncan]

Dear Permies, glad the list is up again.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/stern_review_report.cfm

In September a report commissioned by Britain's Treasury, author Stern, was 
released to the public. It categorically states that unless drastic action 
is taken, climate change will bring the next extended devastating global 
economic depression. Well, that is to be expected, given that the concept of 
'indefinite economic growth' is the aproach. I guess it is nice however to 
have an official report to throw into the Australian political arena, and 
say, well if the British Treasury has acknowledged the economic costs of 
global climate change, and that they are so severe, there is no excuse for 
not adding more investment into renewable energies, and sustainable living, 
where Permaculture leads the way potentially, low embodied energy lifestyles 
and small ecological footprint, and policy reflecting those constraints upon 
the global economy, redefining growth and development, redefining the goals 
and ambitions of western civilisation, and making concrete policy and 
legislation towards those ends of polluter pays and ecological and social 
sustainability is rewarded.

If our political leaders cannot rise to the challenge, then perhaps they 
should be overthrown by a popular movement, democratically. I guess it is a 
balance, to find a new approach where ecological and social growth is 
reflected as the benchmark for the economy, and energy transactions serve 
ecological and social equity, as opposed to simply selling of natural and 
social equity as capital, as is currently neoliberal flavour. What can 
permaculture's invisible structures offer in this regard? Are there examples 
of self-sustaining permaculture ecovillages that self support energy, food 
and fuel wise? I certainly would like to know of such examples if they 
exist, and if they don't, help build them. That means also potentially 
creating investment tools, whereby the fat of the land that has been banked, 
be re-invested into ecological and social sustainability, otherwise this 
tendency for permaculture to be an individualistic 'return to the land' 
almost as insane as Mao's and Pol Pot's 'return to the land', because it 
does nothing to alleviate the common problems, that permaculture can help 
solve. Its like saying, the ship is sinking, I'm going to get the best seat 
on deck, so I can slowly watch the sun sink in the west.......

The fact that 25 nuclear power plants by 2020 or something has been proposed 
by Howards men in yellowcake, is nothing short of apocalyptic. Perhaps it 
should be pointed out that the cost benefit analysis of nuclear power, when 
it takes into considerationt the half life of enriched uranium of 250,000 
years or so (someon correct me on this figure if you've got something more 
accurate), is very costly to guard it and make it consistenly safe from 
natural or manmade disaster. My question is: Have you ever heard of a stable 
Government that lasted 250,000 years? Well, who will guard and make sure the 
nuclear waste is safe from natural and man made disasters? No insurance 
company can insure that. If it can't be insured, surely Government policy 
that heads in that direction, can be defeated on purely economic grounds. 
They are saying it is to stop global climate change.....Without an example 
of a stable Government that lasted 250,000 to guard the nuclear waste, there 
is no pretext for saying that it is safe. Becuase there is 250,000 years of 
uncertainty ahead, climatically and geopolitically. Yet we are told the war 
on terror is the priority. Hmmph. Nuclear Power proliferation is just adding 
fuel to the war on terror, more feedstock for self annihilation. Imagine 
suicide bombers(this phenomena is not going away) with nuclear waste dirty 
bombs. Not inconceivable. I think a public campaign on dirty nuclear bombs 
needs to be considered, and the Howard Government playing into the hands of 
those who would like easy access to nuclear waste.

Howard in bed with terrorists, now there is an interesting idea, men in 
yellowcake creating chaos and disorder with their nuclear plans.

Biomass Energy from Biodigesters(20MW Installations), Biogasification of 
perrenial woody crops(5MW Installations), solar, thermal, wind and tidal, if 
invested in now, would bring us a lot closer to the targets needed. But 
instead, those that have the ear of our leaders, wants some more investment 
in their commodoties and nuclear power station building businesses. It is 
quite clear to see from the casual observer, that this is the response of an 
imbecile to propose so many nuclear power stations, in a country that has 
enough sunlight and tidal power to power ourselves into eternity..... and 
enough perrenial biomass that is non-native old growth forest of high value 
conservation value native forest..... to power us indefinitely......

Perhaps a rocket up Howards End would be appropriate, potentially nuclear 
powered, to make sure he stays out of orbit.

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/stern_review_report.cfm
Its a good read,
Cheers, Tom