Sustainability for a Thriving Future
I sit here writing now, in the beautiful mountains of Portugal, and the scientists are increasingly concerned that the 1.5⁰C safe(ish) threshold of planetary warming will be passed in 2027. I am in a small village surrounded by Eucalyptus plantations for the paper industry, which smell glorious but are combustible and dangerous. If you walk through the roads between the monocultures you discover pockets…
There is a feeling among my friends and colleagues, it fills the algorithms of my social media too. This feeling is nearly despairing, a clamouring and call to action on the climate. Yet, days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and years have come and gone. New leadership in the UK heralds yet more back-turning, away from the facts, the truths of global temperature…
These last few weeks have been framed by an opportunity for some deep learning. I accidentally signed up for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled ‘Worldviews: Moving From Sustainability to Regeneration’. It has been a lot more work than I thought, really enjoyable and importantly, a chance to learn and reflect on my professional practice. It’s not often that we have the opportunity…
Unfortunately, the funding bid was unsuccessful. It was disappointing, yet I’ve still been busy, building links with the Cooperative movement in Portugal and supporting them to get funding for a forthcoming conference in June. Down, but not out. The plan, although stalled, is still a plan, defined and written, ready for the wider world. Instead of a quick bolt out of the blocks, it…
Busy, busy, busy as always, but amplified somewhat in the run up to Christmas. I’ve been interviewed for the Association of Sustainability Practitioners, by the lovely Lourdes Gant. Guided the national launch for the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces, new report Better Friends, which details the vibrant and committed Friends group movement in the UK. Kept up with other voluntary commitments, launched…
Is everyone ready for the conference of our lifetimes? Do the politicians understand the severity and challenges facing humanity? Can they look past profit and shareholder value to see how our economic systems needs a refresh? Blah, blah, blah (well put Greta!). The vast majority of us won’t be attending COP26 in Glasgow. Even if we did, our voices there might well be drowned…
Truly honoured last night to spend an hour, as part of the Association of Sustainability Practitioners Earth Conversations series, with Satish Kumar. A true gentleman and hero, Satish inspired us with his stories and words, so here are some of the takeaways from my notes during the evening: We are one humanity, one life and one Earth – all coming from the same origin…
Been a busy few weeks here after doubling-down on our house (land) hunting in Portugal. We’ve now settled on the area of Fundão, nestled in the foothills of the Serra da Gardunha. There’s a strong culture of food and farming, with lots of incoming settlers from around Europe and beyond, bringing permaculture and organic ideals to small-holdings across the area. The trees are broadleaved…