My latest piece, for the Conversation, is out. Here’s a scene that will be familiar to anyone who has watched media coverage of a major geopolitical summit: By mid-morning the main entrance to the UN’s Palais de Congres, and its side entrances, were ringed by Swiss and German citizens, chained together. The blockade was total,... Continue Reading →
Nature as redeemer, nature as escape, nature as the solace for our "gridded, controlled, mannered urban lives." So far so romantic. Well, nature is on the road, and she’s gunning for the lot of us. We’ve poked the beast, and now it really is waking up. On a quiet day, you could hear it snoring.... Continue Reading →
According to the American humourist Dave Barry “Meetings are an addictive, highly self-indulgent activity that corporations and other large organizations habitually engage in only because they cannot masturbate.” (As in, meetings aren't just ego-potlaches, they're also for the recycling of anxiety and responsibility). While meetings might be full of wankers, they’re surprisingly joyless experiences. “Nesta”,... Continue Reading →
It’s an age-old dilemma; Existing industry has power, influence, lobbyists. The industries we need (solar, wind, energy efficiency etc) are smaller, weaker and as-yet-not-quite-there. So, how DO you get (enough) state bureaucrats to see and support an opportunity that isn’t there (yet)? How do you, when trying to talk about ‘green jobs,’ get the powerful... Continue Reading →
Iron Ore royalties leave, just when we needed them most… All is not well in the great Southern quarry that tourists know for its koalas and Ramsay St. For the last ten years selling iron and coal (and building infrastructure to sell ever larger tonnage) kept Australian mining companies busy, and rich. But since early 2011... Continue Reading →
When PhD candidates review a book in 'their field' they face multiple dilemmas. If the book isn’t helpful to their research, they’ll be tempted (fairly or unfairly) to be dismissive. It’s too helpful, they’ll be resentful because someone else has Gotten To Their Topic first. And regardless, they may feel tempted (or scared) to slag... Continue Reading →
Here we go. Here we go with the summit-hopping and the protestations that we have to Build a Mass Movement and the only/best/sensible (delete as appropriate) way to do that is to have a big march/ruck at (Prague/Genoa/Copenhagen and… Paris. (Yeah, well – screw Paris. No, seriously, screw Paris.) Here we go with the sages... Continue Reading →
Last night I got to do a ten minute "what is my research about" spiel at "PhD in the Pub." It was followed by a slightly-less-than-20-minute q and a session (because I 'donated' some time from that to having folks confer before we began asking questions). My spiel covered - "meet someone you don't know"... Continue Reading →
Who knows what about how the world works (on a geophysical level?) How do they find it out and what should “we” do with that knowledge? These were some of the questions that Professor Noel Castree grappled with (successfully!) yesterday afternoon at a seminar entitled “Changing while standing still? Global change scientists and the politics... Continue Reading →
Please see this excellent and important film. Covering a few vital months in the history of the US Black Civil Rights struggle in the mid-60s, it sweeps you along, forcing you to think, feel and hope. It received justifiably positive reviews in the States (with predictable carping about historical accuracy (1). Opening with Martin Luther... Continue Reading →
