In the media
The world wasn’t ready for a Green New Deal in 2009. Today, it may be
Writing in the Guardian, the papers economics editor and a founding member of the Green New Deal group, Larry Elliott explores the opportunities that were missed in 2008 when the group first explored a transformative Green New Deal, what has changed since then and asks: If not now, when?
After coronavirus, focus on the climate emergency
In a letter to the Guardian, Colin Hines makes the case for an ambitious Green New Deal for the UK, to rebuild the economy after coronavirus and tackle the interlinked social and climate crises.
Converting industry – how rapid transition happens in crises and upheavals
Several other times have revealed the ability for rapid industrial conversion, not just to tackle tragic but transient challenges, but long-term economic and geo-political shifts. What are the lessons about industrial conversion for the long term, rapid transition to a low carbon economy, not just from the pandemic response, but also ranging from conflict to the end of the Cold War? asks Green New Deal group member Andrew Simms on the Rapid Transition Alliance blog.
How fresh economics can tackle coronavirus and climate change
In a letter to the Guardian, Green New Deal group member Colin Hines makes the case for “green QE” to fund a global green new deal that can transform the health of the planet and build a very different economy for a post-coronavirus world.
Cross-party letter urges Chancellor to use budget to show climate leadership ahead of UN climate summit
A cross-party letter, signed by MPs and peers from the Green Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, the SNP and Plaid Cymru, urges the Chancellor to address the climate, ecological and social crises by investing in a Green New Deal, in order to transform almost every aspect of our economy and society. Such a programme of investment, the letter points out, would also fulfil government promises to ‘level up’ the nation.
When 14 million homes and businesses switched fuel in less than a decade
In 2019 the UK’s official advisor, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), warned that the nation’s homes were ‘unfit for the challenges of climate change’. Writing for the Rapid Transition Alliance, Green New Deal Group member Andrew Simms explores the switch from ‘town gas’ to ‘natural gas’ to see what lessons we might learn for transforming our homes with a Green New Deal to meet the challenges of climate breakdown.
The Green New Deal is all about ‘levelling up’ the UK
Writing for his Tax Research blog, Green New Deal Group member Richard Murphy welcomes the findings of the 2070 Commission report, Make No Little Plans: Acting At Scale For a Fairer and Stronger Future, and argues that the Green New Deal would enable us to decarbonise the economy at the scale and speed needed, levelling up the country in the process.
Sainsbury’s plan for net zero-carbon ignores all the emissions that they enable – and that’s not good enough
Richard Murphy explores Sainsbury’s announcement that it will go carbon neutral by 2040, and finds a hole in the accounts. “Sainsbury’s cannot say they will be carbon neutral by simply ignoring the consequences of its own actions. Doing so is, in fact, is a caricature of the denial implicit in the whole climate crisis to date, where it has always been pretended that emissions are an externality and someone else’s problem. They’re not.”
Investment in the Green New Deal could revitalise democracy
A massive green investment programme in energy-efficiency would generate jobs in every constituency and result in “democracy in action”, since it would require the involvement of every household and local community, with the practical perks of improved living conditions and reduced bills. Since the general public lack trust or optimism that politicians can really improve people’s lives, this approach should garner all-party support. says Colin Hines in a letter to the Guardian.
From emergency declarations to practical action
Across the world, national and local governments are declaring a climate emergency on the back of dire warnings from UN scientists about the need for urgent and far-reaching action.
Green New Deal Group Member and coordinator of the Rapid Transition Alliance, Andrew Simms, explores the initiatives around the world that are setting our to turn declarations into action.