Following Haiti’s devastating earthquake in January, a multitude of grassroots relief initiatives have emerged. These local responses reflect philosophies of solidarity, mutual aid and collective resilience, offering a different vision of what ‘humanitarian’ means, says a report by Other Worlds.
Climate change cannot be treated as a single-policy issue. The challenge of weaning the industrialised world from its dependence on fossil fuels requires a multi-faceted effort, including public investment, effective carbon pricing and smart regulatory standards, writes James K. Boyce.
Food sovereignty is not possible in an industrial agricultural system dominated by for-profit corporations. By challenging the way international trade operates and supporting grassroots change we can help rebuild democratic control over food resources, says Raj Patel in an interview with Ronit Ridberg, Worldwatch Institute.
When it comes to how society can share the commons – the collective resources to which we all have a right – there is no one-size-fits-all solution. This collection of essays offers a thoughtful and provocative array of viewpoints, published by the Heinrich Boell Foundation.
‘Toxic debts’, generated by Western governments and institutions, have held back the fight against poverty across the Muslim world for three decades. Sovereign debt cancellation is a critical part of repairing this damage, says a report by Jubilee Debt Campaign and Islamic Relief UK.
Being scarce, land is in great demand, but in many cases its potential as a source of public revenue goes unrecognised. Introducing a Land Value Tax is a simple way to significantly improve the fairness and sustainability of an economy, argue three contributors to Tax Justice Focus.
It may seem that the goal of universal primary health care - in which state
capacities are strengthened to ensure the rapid expansion of free
publicly-provided health services - is further away than ever before. But there are many signs that the ideal of 'health for all' is making a second
resurgence, writes Adam Parsons.
Social security reforms, driven by the interests of private finance, have led to structural shortcomings in the healthcare and pensions systems of many developing countries. The expanding influence of financial markets and actors must be checked, says a report by the Bretton Woods Project.
USAID and the Gates Foundation continue to push market-driven and technologically intensive "solutions" for African agriculture, despite growing resistance from local farmers. Traditional practices offer a more sustainable and empowering route to ending hunger, argues Richard Jonasse.
Too often, debates about what kind of economy is preferable centre on a dichotomous choice between capitalism and socialism. Participatory economics, on the other hand, offers an alternative vision for institutional change based on equity and self-management, writes Michael Albert.
