Centre for Policy Development's Blog, page 88

Miriam Lyons | ABC The Drum, 26 April 2012

In this episode of ABC’s The Drum, Tim Palmer speaks with Miriam Lyons from the Centre for Policy Development, Radio 2UE broadcaster John Stanley and economist and contributing columnist to The Australian Judith Sloan. The panel analyse and discuss hot topics such as the Leveson Inquiry, the Australian auto industry, and the HSU scandal.

WATCH the full program on ABC iview here

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Club of Rome | Change the Course

The Club of Rome “Limits to Growth” study was launched 40 years ago in March, and the Club has launched a major social media initiative built around the analogy of the Titanic disaster of the early 20th Century.

Never before has humanity been better educated, informed and connected, or had so many opportunities to foresee challenges, manage progress and development, evaluate our actions’ consequences and manage them accordingly.

The Titanic has become a symbol of human self-esteem, the fatal belief in progress and the apparent victory of man over nature. The “unsinkable” ship, however, failed on its first voyage. Can we rely on (technical) progress? What role do we want to give to technological innovation? How much hope can/should we have, for example, that technological progress can compensate for the deep human intervention in natural ecosystems? 

We have to question the relationship between the urgency of the matter and the lack of tangible consequences of current actions. Do disasters have to occur first before countermeasures are introduced?

The first instalment, with its excellent and thought-provoking animation, including a contribution from CPD Fellow Ian Dunlop, may be found here: http://change-the-course.org/?show=Main&action=MainPage

Further key elements will follow throughout this year, including three new Reports to the Club of Rome:

“2052″ by Jorgen Randers, Norwegian Business School
“Bankrupting Nature” by former European Parliamentarian Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockstrom, Stockholm Resilience Centre
“Future of Tropical Rainforest” by Claude Martin, former Global Chair of WWF

Sustainable Business Australia | Should Australia Embrace the Blue Economy Report

Inspirational entrepreneur Dr Gunter Pauli was the keynote speaker at the Sustainable Business Australia forum, outlining his vision of The Blue Economy and its wide scope of economic, social, and environmental benefits. Providing the Australian context is a panel of leading thinkers; Rob Coombs, Miriam Lyons, and Ben Waters. The report was prepared by SBA’s CEO Andrew Petersen, in conjunction with Therese Raft and Stephen Lennon from ARUP.

The panel discussed and analysed current Australian industry and business psyche, concluding that we often don’t see beyond what is immediately available or obvious to us. The aim is to move attitudes and practice away from the status quo, and towards more innovation, increased sustainability, and the encouragement of local entrepreneurship.

Download the Sustainable Business Australia report here

 

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Ian Dunlop | The Future of Energy: The Most Likely Scenario – Emergency Action

The Future of Energy: The Most Likely Scenario – Emergency Action is a submission by CPD fellow Ian Dunlop as a response to the government’s 2011 Draft Energy White Paper (DEWP).

The DEWP confirms perceptions that the Australian Federal Government is, as yet, unwilling or unable to face up to the strategic risks to which this country is now exposed from the integrated climate change and energy dilemma.

Some key concerns include:

•  Climate Change and Energy are inextricably linked. However, the DEWP focuses on energy and makes only passing reference to climate change, implying that it is taken care of by the Clean Energy Futures package (CEFP)

•  Addressing climate change will require far more extensive action than is contained in the CEFP, as the government is well aware from the scientific advice it is receiving.

•  Peak oil is discounted as a risk, despite continuing instability in global oil markets, the empirical evidence that the peak in conventional oil has passed, our increasing reliance on international supply as domestic refining capacity closes, evidence from reputable bodies such as the IEA, and our lack of strategic oil reserves.

•  Rather than making Australia’s energy system more resilient, the DEWP would lead to overextended high-carbon growth with potentially catastrophic consequences.

In summary, the DEWP is wholly inadequate as the basis for Australia’s energy future to 2030 and beyond. It seems unable to move much beyond the old “official future” of our high-carbon, dig-it-up and ship-it-out economic model. It should be withdrawn and a comprehensive, whole-of-government, scenario framework developed which is prepared to “think the unthinkable” and seriously address the need for emergency action to transition rapidly from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy.

Download CPD fellow Ian Dunlop’s submission The Future of Energy: The Most Likely Scenario – Emergency Action here

 

About Ian Dunlop

Ian Dunlop was formerly a senior international oil, gas and coal industry executive. He chaired the Australian Coal Association in 1987-88, chaired the Australian Greenhouse Office Experts Group on Emissions Trading from 1998-2000 and was CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors from 1997-2001. He is Chairman of Safe Climate Australia, Deputy Convenor of the Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil, Director of Australia 21, Fellow of the Centre for Policy Development and a Member of the Club of Rome.

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Gunter Pauli | The Blue Economy Podcast

CPD and Sydney Ideas co-hosted the return of Gunter Pauli to Sydney, for an update on The Blue Economy, a business model that develops socially responsible and sustainable enterprises by linking them with open-source scientific solutions. By presenting tested and proven cases, Pauli challenges us to not simply 'do less bad' by reducing emissions, but rather 'do more good' by encouraging true regeneration of ecosystems.

Listen to the podcast on Sydney Ideas here

 

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Taegen Edwards on Post Carbon Pathways | BayFM Spin Cycle

Taegen Edwards speaks to BayFM's Karin Kolbe on the recently published report Post Carbon Pathways: Reviewing post carbon economy transition strategies. Edwards outlines the key government policies and non-government projects from across the globe that address climate change at the scale and size that is required. In particular, Edwards promotes World in Transition, a report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change as a key solution, as it sets concrete structures for countering the social and political barriers that seem to be the most constricting obstacle in implementing a full-scale post carbon economy.

Listen to Taegen Edwards and Karin Kolbe on BayFM's Spin Cycle.

John Menadue & Greg Dodds | Deja vu as Australia returns from smoko for Asian century

Despite appearances, Australia's relationship with its trading bloc remains superficial, making little progress in 20 years of "discussions".

In the mid-'90s we went on smoko, even as we continued to dig up more of our ores and coal for export. Today, 48 per cent of our exports are fuel and mineral products, way more than most comparable countries. We are dependent on a few markets and a few exports.

In business, only four Australian companies in the top 150 bothered to put in a submission to the Henry Review. Far too many see Asia as customers rather than partners, when trade and investment is about relationships of trust and understanding.

Read the full article in The National Times here

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Dr Gunter Pauli & Ian Dunlop | Local Brainpower Can Save Manufacturing Jobs and the Environment

Dr Gunter Pauli and CPD fellow Ian Dunlop illustrate how Australia can stop sacrificing local manufacturing jobs for cheap overseas labour by looking at local innovation. Pauli and Dunlop examine the ways in which a new, low-carbon economy can deliver a wealth of manufacturing opportunities with a higher consideration for the environment. The evidence is already there for the doubters, with Pauli's 'The Blue Economy' identifying 100 cases covering 100 different sectors in which real businesses in real markets are achieving local, clean growth.

For example, if I am a world leader in instant coffee, and have no business in mushrooms, I may not realise my 3 million tonnes of waste grounds could be converted into 1.5 million tonnes of mushroom protein, generating a potential turnover of $3 billion – as now happens in now happens in Europe, the US and Africa.

For the 21st century, Australia will need a creative new economy, which is low-carbon, uses resources efficiently and competes with conventional industrial processes.

Read the full article in The National Times here

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Green Economy – Green Skills Symposium, 13 April 2012

The EU Centre at RMIT in partnership with the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) and TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) supported by the RMIT Sustainability Committee presents 'Green Economy – Green Skills'. A one-day symposium will be held to promote the sharing of experiences in the development of policy, programs and practice in Green Skills.

Keynote Speakers - 

Mr Antonio Ranieri, Expert, European Centre for the Development of Vocational TrainingMr Ben Eltham, Fellow, Centre for Policy Development, Sydney

Where - RMIT City campus, Building 13, level 3, room 9, Emily McPherson Building, Corner of Russel and Victoria Streets, Melbourne

When – Friday 13 April, 2012

Time – 9.00am-4.30pm

Cost - Free event. All welcome. Please RSVP by Friday 6 April to eucentre@rmit.edu.au for catering purposes

Additional Info - The European Union Centre at RMIT is funded through a grant from the European Union and RMIT University. For more information, please visit www.rmit.edu.au/eucentre

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Sustainable Business Australia | Should Australia Embrace the Blue Economy? 3 April 2012

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to hear one of today's great advocates of a clean, sustainable, and 'blue' economic future. Dr Gunter Pauli, founder of the "Zero Emissions Research and Initiative", will speak on Australia's roadmap for the future, as we face the challenge of moving away from a fossil-fuel relient economy.

At a time when Australia is agonizing over the hollowing-out of its manufacturing industry in the face of the mining boom, a different way of looking at the world may be nessecary.

A panel of leading thinkers on the Australian context will follow and they include:

Miriam Lyons, Exectuive Director, Centre for Policy Development, SydneyBen Waters, Director of ecomagination, GE Australia & New Zealand

Where – The Auditorium, Tusculum House, 3 Manning St, Potts Point, Sydney

When – Tuesday 3 April, 2012, 10am-12pm

Cost (ex GST) - $50 (Member), $80 (Non-member)

Please click here to RSVP to this event

[image error] Change can happen faster than you think – help us seize the moment and point to the alternatives. Add your voice to ours!