Twilight of the Old Continent  The “European Garden” is withering

by Artem Kirpichenokby Copied from Caliber.Az26 December 2024 15:05 “We have built a garden. Everything works. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that the humankind has been able to build,” proclaimed Josep Borrell, the then EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, in October 2022. His remark drew widespread …

New City may be Built on a Flood Plain

According to the Daily Telegraph, an area of Bedfordshire which has flooding problems is the site for a new city.   https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/property/buying-selling/village-350000-person-city-flooding-hotspot/   Tempsford, a village in Bedfordshire, is being considered for a significant housing development that could transform it into a major city accommodating 350,000 residents. This proposal aligns with Labour’s initiative to establish …

Opt-Out Permits: A Tool for Decentralised Governance

This is impossible in the UK now.  Eventually, it may become necessary. In a rapidly evolving society, where the need for local adaptation increasingly challenges traditional regulation systems, opt-out permits offer a compelling solution. These permits allow individuals, communities, or organisations to opt out of certain formal regulations under specific conditions, fostering innovation and resilience …

Rising Wood Fuel Consumption Shows Limits of Energy Transition

byJohn Alexander Kemp https://jkempenergy.com/2024/12/11/rising-wood-fuel-consumption-shows-limits-of-energy-transition/ Wood and charcoal are among the most traditional sources of energy; they are usually presented as having been replaced by coal in the nineteenth century and then oil in the twentieth as part of the grand energy transition. Wood and other traditional biofuels accounted for just 6% of global primary energy …

The Perils of Extremes

The article, “The Perils of Extremes,” by Tim Morgan offers a thoughtful critique of modern economic and energy systems, emphasizing the risks inherent in polarized and unsustainable strategies. At its core, it highlights three interrelated issues: the overdependence on debt to sustain growth, the diminishing returns from energy resources, and the dangers of ideological rigidity …

The Fracturing of the Net Zero Consensus

Review Professor Sir Dieter Helm’s essay, The Fracturing of the Net Zero Consensus (October 2024), offers a critical perspective on the challenges and shortcomings of current net-zero strategies, particularly in the UK. He argues that the existing policies oversimplify the complexities of decarbonization and underestimate the associated costs, leading to a fragile consensus that risks …

The Economy as a Living System: Integrating James Lovelock’s Vision with Natural Economic Evolution

Introduction James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis transformed the understanding of Earth as a self-regulating, living system where the interplay of life forms and physical components work together to maintain conditions that support life. This profound perspective has implications beyond ecology, extending to how we conceptualise economies. As ecosystems evolve independently and sustain themselves through natural feedback …

The Future of the Discretionary Economy 

Further to my post on How Things Are this post on Tim Watkins’s blog “The Consciousness of Sheep” explains why discretionary doings are declining. … hospitality sector trade bodies are calling for nothing short of root and branch reform of the taxes and costs levied on them.  In particular, the outdated business rates system – …

How Things Are

My current view of the UK economy. It is based on Tim Morgan’s explanation of how the UK economy works.  Think of the formal economy as employed people undertaking discretionary and essential activities in a system where discretionary activities are declining. Discretionary activities are becoming increasingly unaffordable because the energy cost of obtaining energy is …

Homelessness in the UK: An Aspect of the Transition to Localism

Homelessness has increasingly become a pressing issue in the UK, with visible impacts in urban centers and smaller communities alike. In cities, where thousands pass through train stations, shopping centers, and landmarks each day, the homeless population is more visible. But behind the scenes, there’s a hidden and worsening crisis. The YouTube video link offers …

From Economic Growth to Regenerative Growth: Reimagining Progress to Save Our World

For centuries, economic growth has been a cornerstone of human advancement. Industrialisation, urbanisation, and technological leaps have all promised to increase prosperity, improve lives, and shape a better world. But today, we are coming face-to-face with the unintended consequences of unchecked economic growth: environmental degradation, alarming inequality, and an economic system stretched to the breaking …

The Future of the Discretionary Economy  

The latest post on Tim Watkins excellent  blog The Consciousness of Sheep is very relevant at the present time. … hospitality sector trade bodies are calling for nothing short of root and branch reform of the taxes and costs levied on them.  In particular, the outdated business rates system – which taxes businesses on the …

Budgeting for a Shrinking Energy Future: Implications of Art Berman’s Analysis for the UK’s Growth-Based Strategy

As the UK government prepares its upcoming budget with a focus on economic growth, energy expert Art Berman’s recent blog post, “This is How Oil Ends,” raises critical questions about the long-term viability of growth-oriented economic policies. Berman’s insights on the decline of the oil industry suggest that the traditional growth model may be increasingly …