The main concerns that drove the Brexit vote - mass immigration and declining job prospects - must be taken seriously, writes Colin Hines, in the UK and across Europe. We need a new, cooperative union: of decentralised regional economies, with public investment in 'green' infrastructure driving our transition to a sustainable, low carbon future.
… A green, cooperative Europe - for people and planet! … in the UK and across Europe. We need a new, cooperative union: of decentralised regional … a new direction for Europe - that of a cooperative grouping of countries prioritising …
Farmers on Palawan are being tricked into giving land away to palm oil companies with local government support, writes Rod Harbinson. Under the palm oil company 'leases' the farmers lose all rights to their land, never receive any money, and are saddled with 25 years of debt. Those who resist the land grabs are now in fear for their lives following the murder of a prominent campaigner.
… first leases began, none of the participating cooperatives have reportedly received a single … He explained that officials from the tribal cooperatives often signed up on behalf of … "To our surprise even the officers of the cooperative had entered into a contract, they …
For decades Israel has been driving Palestinian farmers off their land by imposing restrictions on agriculture, writes JONATHAN COOK. But one company, Canaan Fair Trade, has found an innovative way to resist peacefully, increasing resilience and prosperity in rural West Bank communities, and forging international alliances in the global movement for good food and farming.
… and dignity, is being championed by a cooperative farming project known as Canaan … Canaan has 52 villages set up as separate cooperatives, representing some 2,000 farmers. … certifying farmers who qualified. "Before the cooperatives, the [olive oil] buyers had been …
Next April the UK government proposes to increase taxes on self-consumed solar electricity installations on schools, offices, warehouses and factories by a whopping 6-8 times, write the STA and undersigned. This inexplicable move, which threatens a once thriving solar industry already on its knees, must be abandoned.
… Democrats Ramsay Dunning, Managing Director, Cooperative Energy Syed Ahmed, Director, … Andy O'Brien, Co-Director, Bristol Energy Cooperative Julia Craik, Managing Director, …
The leaked chapters of the EU-US TTIP 'free trade' deal reveal a shredding of health, environmental and other protections for consumers and citizens, writes Pete Dolack. It's a wet dream for corporate monopolists and profiteers, and the elite bureaucrats that serve them. But for civil society it represents an irreversible destruction of democracy itself.
Goodbye to democracy if TTIP is passed Pete Dolack | 5th May 2016 News Trade EU US Corporations Politics GMOs Toxics 2016-04-23_anti-ttip-demonstration_in_hannover,_(10398)-cut.jpg The leaked …
Groups representing over 5 million Nigerians are resisting Monsanto's attempt to introduce GM maize and cotton, writes Vanessa Amaral-Rogers. With growing evidence of harm to human health and environment, and failing GM crops in other countries, they say Monsanto's applications must be refused.
… (Greencode) Kebetkache Ahoada Women Farmers Cooperative Ahoada Uzutam Women Farmers Cooperative Ogboaku Ahoada Farmers Cooperative Gbobia Feefeelo women Ovelle …
Colin Tudge reports on The College of Real Farming and Food Culture; a project designed to tackle the current issues in global food production. The current system is not fit for purpose but through a holistic approach and an overhaul of current mainstream agriculture, achieving a balance between feeding the world and conserving the environment is within grasp.
A Food Renaissance Colin Tudge | 28th January 2016 Other Farming Food vegetable-medley-1549802 copy.jpg Colin Tudge reports on The College of Real Farming and Food Culture; a project designed to …
Rooted in the Andean principles of sharing, resilience and 'Vivir Bien' (Living Well), Bolivian activists in the world's highest capital city are building cooperative, grassroots alternatives to the profit-oriented economy, writes Sian Cowman. Their weekly lunch party is just the most visible way in which they are challenging the injustice of capitalism and the fragmentation it inflicts on communities.
… the world's highest capital city are building cooperative, grassroots alternatives to the …
Secret documents leaked to Greenpeace from the EU-US TTIP negotiations show that environmental protection, climate change mitigation, consumer protection, public health and sustainability are sacrificed throughout to corporate profit and commercial interests.
Leaked TTIP papers reveal 100% corporate sellout Oliver Tickell | 3rd May 2016 News Trade Corporations US EU Politics ttip-leaks-cut.jpg Secret documents leaked to Greenpeace from the EU-US TTIP …
Vandana Shiva is more than just a leading scientist, author and campaigner on green issues and anti-globalisation, writes Scott London. She is also among the most prominent of Mahatma Ghandi's intellectual heirs. In this interview, she discusses how this led her to be an outspoken voice on such crucial environmental issues as seed legacy, biopiracy and economic injustice.
In the footsteps of Gandhi: an interview with Vandana Shiva Scott London | 14th February 2016 Comment Seeds Politics Farming GMOs India vandana shiva.jpg Vandana Shiva is more than just a leading …
Reporting from The 5th International Degrowth Conference in Budapest - which continues today and tomorrow - NICK MEYNEN explores the new narrative of ‘sufficiency' being discussed and and asks will it catch on before it's too late?
… flourish already. Just look at local food cooperatives vs supermarkets. The EU funded … Another case presented was a shopping basket cooperative in a town of 120,000 in the east … the city supply 2,000 consumers with the cooperative as the only link. Volunteers …
With the EU Parliament voting next week on CETA, the EU-Canada trade deal, 89 MEPs are demanding that its system of 'corporate courts' must first be verified by the European Court of Justice as compatible with existing EU law. But pro-CETA parliamentary leaders are trying to block all debate in the run-up to the vote.
Rebel MEPs demand legal scrutiny of CETA's ‘corporate court' system Oliver Tickell | 18th November 2016 News Trade Politics EU Canada ceta-lux-cut.jpg With the EU Parliament voting next week on CETA, …
A small fishing community in Mexico's Baja California is playing involuntary host to a gigantic tourism and real estate development, writes Viviane Mahieux. And while the branding of the Tres Santos resort is all about mindfulness, ecology and sustainability, the reality is one of big money, high level politics, and the unaccountable deployment of state violence against those who dare oppose it.
… the firm and the leaders of the fishing cooperative was revealed, but it was … the approval of the 68 other members. The cooperative voted to remove the leaders and … continues at breakneck speed, and the fishing cooperative's legal situation remains …
It's time for UK citizens to #takebackREALcontrol by challenging the anti-democratic powers that control our country, our economy and our lives, retiring Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett told her party conference this weekend in this barnstorming speech. And that's a challenge only the Greens are prepared to take on.
… Party really does do politics differently - cooperatively, collegiately, working together … built around small independent businesses and cooperatives. The environmental crisis extends …
Faced with multiple converging crises humanity is challenged to redesign the human presence on Earth within the lifetime of present generations, writes Daniel Christian Wahl, and so transform our impact from degeneration to regeneration. We are capable of creating diverse creative cultures elegantly adapted to the uniqueness of place.
Creating sustainability? Join the Re-Generation! Daniel Christian Wahl | 25th April 2016 Ethical Living Ecology Culture Society 1024px-longji_terrace_-_03-cut.jpg Faced with multiple converging …
What's the point of farming? To produce an abundance of wholesome food, writes Colin Tudge, while supporting a flourishing rural economy and a sustainable, biodiverse countryside. Yet the powers that be, determined to advance industrial agriculture at all costs, are achieving the precise opposite. It's time for a revolution in our food and farming culture, led by the people at large.
… are among the winners. In truth, too, cooperativeness is more efficient and … they may grow larger by various forms of cooperative. The oligarchs' selected experts …
International judges today condemned China's great 'water grab' of the South China Sea - not least for its destruction of over 100 sq.km of pristine coral reefs, dredged and ground up to build artificial islands, and the ransacking of their wildlife, from endangered sea turtles to giant clams.
China condemned for massive coral reef destruction Oliver Tickell | 12th July 2016 News Oceans Conservation China Fishing Coral Law Philippines scc-fb.jpg International judges today condemned China's …
Little Vermont is having a big impact on GMO food labeling across the US, writes Lawrence Woodward. And with 'regulatory cooperation' under TTIP that influence could reach into the EU. Trouble is, Vermont's labeling law contains major exemptions - on meat products, take-aways and restaurant food, as well as products from animals fed GM feeds. The US, and the EU, deserve better.
Flawed US GMO labeling will damage the anti-GM movement on both sides of the Atlantic Lawrence Woodward Beyond GM | 22nd April 2016 News GMOs USA EU Consumerism FOI bandg-labeling-cut.jpg Little …
How can progressive movements rise above merely being right, to mount effective mass opposition to corporate rule and the dictatorship of the super-wealthy? By learning from Gandhi, writes Colin Todhunter, and devising new campaigns that engage with people's everyday concerns - like access to safe, wholesome, affordable, 'open source' food.
From salt to GMOs - resistance is fertile Colin Todhunter | 1st February 2016 Activism Food GMOs Corporations History Human Rights War gandhi-cut.jpg How can progressive movements rise above merely …
With the EU referendum on the horizon, the Common Fisheries Policy is likely to figure in the debate as an exemplar of EU policy failure, writes Griffin Carpenter. But the much maligned and misunderstood CFP is doing a good job: stocks are recovering, bycatch-dumping is banned, and it may even force the UK to give more quota to small-scale fishers.
… form of loose arrangement would lead to a non-cooperative outcome when dealing with a shared …
EU and US resume their negotiations next week over the TTIP trade and investment deal. But deep rifts have emerged over the corporate courts in which investors can sue governments for any actions that reduce their profits. Meanwhile MPs are seething over their restricted access to draft texts and negotiating documents.
Secret TTIP talks resume Monday as EU-US rifts deepen The Ecologist | 19th February 2016 News Trade Politics EU Finance USA EU ttip-monkeys-cut.jpg EU and US resume their negotiations next week over …
This morning (28 October) in London, protesters dressed as Hallowe'en Zombies posed outside the European Commission office in London with a banner saying "Stop CETA rising from the dead - Toxic trade deals belong in the grave."
Hallowe'en Surprise - CETA back from the dead! Global Justice Now | 28th October 2016 News CETA Trade Tar Sands Global Justice Environment EU ceta .jpg This morning (28 October) in London, protesters …
The UK government's insistence of pursuing fracking is based on a flawed and utterly misinformed vision of our future, write Alex Russell and Peter Strachan. Rather than delivering the prosperity they promise, large scale fracking would cause massive pollution of air and water, undermine vital export industries, and leave us with an irretrievably damaged economy and natural environment.
Challenging the delusion of cheap, safe shale gas extraction Alex Russell Peter Strachan | 20th October 2016 News Fracking Fossil Fuels Pollution UK England Wales Scotland Water Health Food …
Almost 60 years since the world's first commercial nuclear power station began to deliver power to the UK's grid, the industry remains as far from being able to cover its costs as ever, writes Pete Dolack. But while unfunded liabilities increase year by year, governments are still willing to commit their taxpayers' billions to new nuclear plants with no hope of ever being viable.
After 60 years of nuclear power, the industry survives only on stupendous subsidies Pete Dolack | 4th January 2016 News Nuclear Economics Energy USA UK uentrop-nuclear-cut.jpg Almost 60 years since …