Feasta member Brian Davey has produced several posters for use at Occupy camps which can be downloaded for free here. They make use of creative graphics in order to explore the nature of the current financial crisis, the energy and banking crises, financial predation, and the connection between the Occupy movements and climate change.
This paper, prepared by members of Feasta, asserts that the climate crisis demands a new paradigm of global governance. It was written with specific reference to a project currently being undertaken by the World Resources Institute which arose out of an initiative by members of Feasta and the United Nations Environment Programme and is supported by the Government of Ireland. The WRI project “aims to highlight the best proposals for the institutional design of an international climate change regime”.
Site Value Tax is a tax policy proposed by Smart Taxes Network. It would be an annual charge on zoned land, based on its market value, which would fund government expenditure and encourage productive and sustainable investment. Smart Taxes have created this brochure to offer a clear and simple explanation of what the tax is, how it works and the benefits it offers.
The EU’s collective austerity programme will do little or nothing to save the problem countries – Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Spain – from default and the rescue fund set up by the IMF and the ECB will only buy time before they do so. Richard Douthwaite argues that a limited, targeted injection of non-debt-based euros could provide a neat and swift solution to a debt problem the whole eurozone shares.
In response to an appeal on this website, two people, Ciaran Mulloy and Ruth Barrett, have volunteered to work together for the next two or three weeks digging out data for a National Welfare Index which will show the extent to which Ireland’s national well-being is being affected by government policies. The data will be processed by another Feasta member, Hans Diefenbacher, who has already prepared a similar index for Germany. The results will appear early next year.
The group organising the newly formed ‘Cafe Economique’ in Nottingham wanted an introduction to basic money theory for their first public event on Thursday 30th June and this article, written by Feasta member Brian Davey, was the result. The extended version of the talk, with notes on sources and for further reading, relates basic concepts to what is happening in the world right now, inclusive of the Greek financial crisis, and what should be done about it.
The land market currently distorts our economy. Unlike investment into tools, machinery, computers, new factories and capital equipment, greater investment into landholdings creates no new wealth. An annual Site Value Tax on the value of zoned land would help build a sensible and realistic land market, encouraging landowners to develop and maintain their land or release it for sale. Smart Taxes has just released a brochure which provides a clear overview of how such a tax could be implemented in Ireland, as well as the improvements it would bring about.
by Mark Garavan
This paper adopts a solution-based approach to the challenge of imagining a new democratic model for Ireland. It proposes a form of governance based on existing institutional and legal possibilities.
Response to Irish Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government Consultation Call Feb 2008:
by Emer Ó Siochrú
In general, we welcome these Guidelines and Urban Design Manual as they comprise a good outline of current best practice, an improvement on the current situation. But we fear that the Guidelines are too late; they address an economic reality that is rapidly changing; they largely ignore pressures in rural areas and they are not ambitious enough to properly address the energy, climate and social challenges currently facing Ireland.
PDF Version (175 K)
Richard Douthwaite, co-founder of Feasta and much-loved colleague and friend, died on November 14th 2011 after a long illness. We will miss his unique and far-ranging intellect, the clarity of his thought and writing, his warmth and his laughter. Tributes to him have come in from around the world and you can read them here.
In line with his wishes, we are continuing with our scheduled events and publishing of articles.
Professor Mary Mellor –
Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Northumbria
Chair of the Sustainable Cities Research Institute
Date: Saturday 11th February, 6pm
Venue: Boole 2, UCC, Cork
Date: 17th, 18th & 19th of February, Cloughjordan, Tipperary.
The aim of this weekend conference is to introduce the CSA concept to communities and growers on the island of Ireland. The event will bring together food producers and emerging Irish CSA’s while creating networking and learning opportunities with experienced initiatives from across Europe.
Feasta’s Autumn conference examined measures that this country could adopt to secure its economic future which would not leave it reliant on external factors largely outside of its control. Scenarios explored included the potential collapse of the eurozone. The conference featured prominent international and Irish economists and was aimed at economists, politicians, policy-makers, business people, social partners, and other key decision-makers.
‘Land value tax’ would be fairer, says Mark Drakeford AM Welsh Labour AM Mark Drakeford has given his backing to a “land value tax”. The Cardiff West AM’s championing of the tax comes as the Silk Commission investigates giving the Assembly new fiscal powers. In an article for the Institute of Welsh Affairs, Mr Drakeford [...]
Ronan Lyons’s report on Site Value Tax in Ireland is available for download. The report assesses the obstacles to implementing SVT in Ireland and how these can be overcome. It also assesses the revenue potential of the tax and the distribution of land values in Ireland.
By Philip Pilkington, a journalist and writer living in Dublin, Ireland. Cross posted in Naked Capitalism In 2008 profits in the US economy crashed out. But they soon bounced back. This bounce was largely due to the profits being reaped in the financial sector – which sickened many given that 2008 was in large measure [...]
Recent Comments