The ruling described in this Washington Post article is based on the idea that the climate is a natural commons which needs to be protected for public use – an approach that ties in with the arguments made in Feasta’s book Sharing for Survival. The lawsuit which brought about this ruling was part of a campaign by the Oregon-based non-profit Our Children’s Trust. It’s carrying out similar lawsuits in a number of other US states. Perhaps a similar approach could be effective in other countries? …
Brian Davey’s preface to our new book Sharing for Survival: Restoring the Climate, the Commons and Society describes climate change as a ‘wicked problem’, with no single, clear solution. The book therefore presents a patchwork-quilt-style diversity of responses to climate mitigation. Although the authors may differ in the specifics of what they suggest, they are united by their concern for effectiveness and equity. 
We’ve finally come to the end of our regular uploads from Fleeing Vesuvius. You can now read the entire book online and we will continue to respond to comments on the articles. Our final installment, from the New Zealand edition, is a practical list of tasks that need to be accomplished in order to adequately deal with the coming transition to a low-energy economy. 
At the Feasta climate weekend in Wales last month David Knight gave a presentation on ‘fracking’: the use of unconventional methods for extracting natural gas. Fracking has become the subject of much controversy on both sides of the Atlantic as the energy industry lobbies for its widespread adoption. Knight discussed its viability in terms of energy return on investment, its potential as a pollutant and its effect on climate change. You can download his powerpoint slides from this site now, along with the script he used while giving the presentation. 
Feasta recently made a submission to the Irish government’s Consultation on Climate Change policy. It addresses fossil fuel emissions, carbon cycles and sinks, the transition to a sustainable economy and lastly the need for a climate law. 
Broken promises and naive expectations – that’s how many people at the McPlanet Conference held recently in Berlin clearly felt about the last two decades of global environmental policy. They believe that an imperfect-but-better alternative exists: protecting and enhancing the commons and community-based protection of biological resources worldwide, including in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa where land-grabbing is currently rife. 
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. 
Feasta is badly in need of funding at present. Early in 2013 we will lose a sizable proportion of our core funding owing to the winding down of a trust fund that has been supporting Feasta for many years. Joining Feasta, making a donation or buying one of our books are much-appreciated gestures of support towards an organisation with a well-established track record of researching, debating and promoting the much-needed switch to a sustainable and just economic paradigm. 
Feasta and Sensible Money are organising a one day conference in Dublin on Friday 31st May to explore the consequences of our malfunctioning money system and some of the proposals for its reform, replacement or supplement. The morning session will explore the repercussions of the way in which money is currently created while the afternoon session will focus on responses, including some Irish initiatives. 
Environmental activists and anyone with an interest in environmental law are cordially invited to a weekend seminar organised by FEASTA and WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change). The seminar will consider fresh approaches to tackling climate change and how they might be put into action. It will appeal to those who like to hear alternative perspectives, challenge conventional thinking, and explore ideas through discussion with others. Saturday June 29th – Sunday June 30th 2013. 
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. 
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.
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