Converging Crises, Policy Responses - Feasta Seminar Series

Date and Time: 12 noon, 1 Friday followed by 4 Thursdays in June and July 2008
Venue: Irish Architectural Archive building, 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
This series of seminars was aimed primarily at policymakers, however Feasta members were most welcome too. Each seminar is now available on the website in QuickTime format.

The five seminars are as follows:

The Future's Not What it Used to Be, Friday 13th June
David Korowicz
view Introduction/launch by Richard Douthwaite and Minister Eamon Ryan (09:02, 9.5 MB QuickTime file)
view Lecture by David Korowitz (50:35, 43.9 MB QuickTime file)
Many of our civilisation's key resources have become more tightly coupled and are under increasing strain. We look at the systemic interactions of energy, greenhouse gasses, food, and the macroeconomy; and assess the risks of a critical breakdown of this global system. We outline how risk-management must be integrated into policy.

Planning for Food Security, Thursday 19th June
Bruce Darrell
view Lecture (55:16, 42.7 MB QuickTime file)
Global food price inflation has been driven by declining yields, commodity markets, the rush to biofuels, increased production costs and greater consumption of meat. Many producing nations are restraining exports, reducing the availability of food on the global market. Achieving a secure food supply globally and nationally is a major task which demands a transformation of our food supply systems.

The Need For Benign Inflation, Thursday 26th June
Richard Douthwaite
view Lecture (36:00, 40.1 MB QuickTime file)
An inflation is needed for two reasons. One is that, as energy prices rise in relation to labour, the cost of everything needs to change by differing amounts, and the only pleasant way this can happen is if all prices move up. The other reason is that the burden of debt being carried in Ireland has got out of step with incomes. Asset values are also out of line. An inflation would correct both relatively painlessly. But who would create the money which allowed the inflation to happen?

Note: Due to circumstances beyond our control we had to cancel Thursday July 3rd's seminar - Mark Rutledge's "Dopamine and Kill Size: Understanding the inertia in our response to critical threats."

Reclaiming the Commons, Thursday 17th July
Emer O'Siochru
view Lecture (52:50, 48.9 MB QuickTime file)
This talk addressed destruction of 'the commons' - the vital but undefined resources that sustain life and civilisation that are under threat form the current system. It offered ideas about how they can be redefined, given legal protection within the market economy, their proper owners identified and champions assigned to manage and conserve them for current and future generations. The commons include the atmosphere, the oceans, surface and ground waters, aspects of land, genetic information, plant and animal diversity, scientific knowledge and culture.

Global Governance for Climate Change, Thursday 24th July
John Jopling
view Lecture (1:06:07, 67.2 MB QuickTime file)
The current system of inter-governmental negotiation, its inherent limitations, and moves towards designing and creating a better system.