Comments on: The big question http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/ hopping along the corridors of power Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:21:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: dbuckley http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25652 dbuckley Thu, 29 Mar 2007 02:14:30 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25652 "<i>the question of whether you can delink GDP growth from growth in resource use is the question that defines our age.</i>" Like that. Although I'm familiar with the background to each of the elements of that sentence, I'd not managed to put it into such a succinct form. Nice. “the question of whether you can delink GDP growth from growth in resource use is the question that defines our age.”

Like that. Although I’m familiar with the background to each of the elements of that sentence, I’d not managed to put it into such a succinct form. Nice.

]]> By: Gerrit http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25624 Gerrit Wed, 28 Mar 2007 18:53:31 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25624 Suggest a question directly to the Prime Minister along the lines of "Is electrification of the Auckland rail network in line with the Labour party stance towards carbon neutrality?" Follow up with a commitment on timeframe and funding. And while at it running a railline along the SH20 extension as it was intended to be 50 years ago. You need to keep putting the Labour party on the spot. They spouted being carbon neutral as a target, so keep asking questions. Suggest a question directly to the Prime Minister along the lines of “Is electrification of the Auckland rail network in line with the Labour party stance towards carbon neutrality?” Follow up with a commitment on timeframe and funding. And while at it running a railline along the SH20 extension as it was intended to be 50 years ago.

You need to keep putting the Labour party on the spot. They spouted being carbon neutral as a target, so keep asking questions.

]]> By: eredwen http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25622 eredwen Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:10:56 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25622 Alistair: I agree totally! Alistair: I agree totally!

]]> By: alistair http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25615 alistair Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:04:28 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25615 To put sustainability on the agenda in a very concrete way, I think we should be pushing the government on how they plan to deal with oil at $US100 a barrel. Most likely that's no more than six months away. At the longest, three to five years away, but that's really wildly optimistic. Forcing them to do the sums on that, will demonstrate how fragile and unsustainable the economy is, and how urgent it is to get it moving in a truly sustainable direction. Business as usual will no longer be an option, anyway. To put sustainability on the agenda in a very concrete way, I think we should be pushing the government on how they plan to deal with oil at $US100 a barrel.

Most likely that’s no more than six months away. At the longest, three to five years away, but that’s really wildly optimistic.

Forcing them to do the sums on that, will demonstrate how fragile and unsustainable the economy is, and how urgent it is to get it moving in a truly sustainable direction. Business as usual will no longer be an option, anyway.

]]> By: phil u http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25562 phil u Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:52:38 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25562 i hope you will have some back-up/follow-up questions..? as i live-blog questiontime...i sorta notice the greens need to get up to speed in the 'follow-up' question-area.. eh..? phil(whoar.co.nz) i hope you will have some back-up/follow-up questions..?

as i live-blog questiontime…i sorta notice the greens need to get up to speed in the ‘follow-up’ question-area..

eh..?

phil(whoar.co.nz)

]]> By: Russel http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25560 Russel Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:39:09 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25560 Gerrit, totally agree with Rod Oram and we're having another go at it in the house today. We abstain on confidence and supply and do everything in our power to get the dinosaurs to see sense on public transport and in particular the electrification of the Auckland rail network. But Cullen plus Winston plus Dunne equals cars cars cars. I have no hope of bringing Peters and Dunne into the twenty first century which leaves us with Labour, in the current government. I'm always open to suggestions as to how we can push the Labour Party into the 21st century! Gerrit, totally agree with Rod Oram and we’re having another go at it in the house today. We abstain on confidence and supply and do everything in our power to get the dinosaurs to see sense on public transport and in particular the electrification of the Auckland rail network.

But Cullen plus Winston plus Dunne equals cars cars cars. I have no hope of bringing Peters and Dunne into the twenty first century which leaves us with Labour, in the current government. I’m always open to suggestions as to how we can push the Labour Party into the 21st century!

]]> By: mikeymike http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25557 mikeymike Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:41:19 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25557 ...maybe like a baby crying itself to sleep: the problem is gone in the morning. compared with drinking yourself to sleep and waking up with a monster hangover. it can only be dealt with by going back to sleep... <a href="http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/">mike</a> …maybe like a baby crying itself to sleep: the problem is gone in the morning.

compared with drinking yourself to sleep and waking up with a monster hangover. it can only be dealt with by going back to sleep…

mike

]]> By: Sam Buchanan http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25555 Sam Buchanan Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:12:04 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25555 "And in the process we will quite possibly save the market system from its natural tendency to destroy or consume all resources leading to its own demise as well as the demise of the planet and all of us living on it." A bit like trying to find a way to keep your body alive while at the same time trying to save the cancer that's killing it. - Sam Buchanan “And in the process we will quite possibly save the market system from its natural tendency to destroy or consume all resources leading to its own demise as well as the demise of the planet and all of us living on it.”

A bit like trying to find a way to keep your body alive while at the same time trying to save the cancer that’s killing it.

- Sam Buchanan

]]> By: mikeymike http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25553 mikeymike Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:41:01 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25553 russel in "be[ing] fair to the good doctor" i think you've acknowledged the point that many larger corporates are at. they're using efficiencies and consumer appeal as motivators for driving cleaner production. its looking more and more likely that big biz will have a lot more impact than govt action. especially if no coherent global policy is operative until 2013. check my latest post for examples (frog moderation wont let me link). gdp and emissions are not decoupled and (as you/i have posted/commented) they're a long way from it. at the moment improving the gdp-emissions ratio is a likely first step. for gdp/energy intensities, the other week i threw a few numbers around in the context of nz and costa rica both wishing to become carbon neutral: look for miss costa rica (again, i cant link) more efficient gdp units are old-skool thinking but its still better than doing nothing. cheers <a href="http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/">mike</a> russel

in “be[ing] fair to the good doctor” i think you’ve acknowledged the point that many larger corporates are at. they’re using efficiencies and consumer appeal as motivators for driving cleaner production.

its looking more and more likely that big biz will have a lot more impact than govt action. especially if no coherent global policy is operative until 2013. check my latest post for examples (frog moderation wont let me link).

gdp and emissions are not decoupled and (as you/i have posted/commented) they’re a long way from it. at the moment improving the gdp-emissions ratio is a likely first step.

for gdp/energy intensities, the other week i threw a few numbers around in the context of nz and costa rica both wishing to become carbon neutral: look for miss costa rica (again, i cant link)

more efficient gdp units are old-skool thinking but its still better than doing nothing.

cheers
mike

]]> By: mikeymike http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25550 mikeymike Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:57:18 +0000 http://blog.greens.org.nz/2007/03/27/the-big-question/#comment-25550 russel in "be[ing] fair to the good doctor" i think you've acknowledged the point that many larger corporates are at. they're using efficiencies and consumer appeal as motivators for driving cleaner production. this piece of shameless self promotion will illustrate: http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/2007/03/my-ideal-job.html its looking more and more likely that big biz will have a lot more impact than govt action. especially if no coherent global policy is operative until 2013. gdp and emissions are not decoupled and (as you/i have posted/commented) they're a long way from it. at the moment improving the gdp-emissions ratio is a likely first step. for gdp/energy intensities, the other week i threw a few numbers around in the context of nz and costa rica both wishing to become carbon neutral: http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/2007/03/stolen-thunder.html more efficient gdp units are old-skool thinking but its still better than doing nothing. cheers <a href="http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/">mike</a> russel

in “be[ing] fair to the good doctor” i think you’ve acknowledged the point that many larger corporates are at. they’re using efficiencies and consumer appeal as motivators for driving cleaner production.

this piece of shameless self promotion will illustrate:
http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/2007/03/my-ideal-job.html

its looking more and more likely that big biz will have a lot more impact than govt action. especially if no coherent global policy is operative until 2013.

gdp and emissions are not decoupled and (as you/i have posted/commented) they’re a long way from it. at the moment improving the gdp-emissions ratio is a likely first step.

for gdp/energy intensities, the other week i threw a few numbers around in the context of nz and costa rica both wishing to become carbon neutral:
http://shoppingfix.blogspot.com/2007/03/stolen-thunder.html

more efficient gdp units are old-skool thinking but its still better than doing nothing.

cheers
mike

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