The commodification of nature is nothing new, but it now risks locking us into an
extractivist and privatising pattern despite the limits imposed on us by
the ecological and social crises. We urgently need to put forward a comprehensive alternative political project centred on
reclaiming the commons, writes Antonio Tricarico.
The Guardian newspaper asked 50 readers and public figures how they would lead the
world out of the climate predicament. According to the secretary general of Co-Operatives UK, it is time for the old idea of sharing to inspire us again. By Ed Mayo.
Cooperatives offer a means by which to change the economic and
social landscape and directly tackle issues of wealth inequality,
outsourcing of jobs and high unemployment. By bringing
democracy to our communities we can transform society and the economy, write Brian Van Slyke and Taliesin Nyala.
A series of four blogs give a colourful insight to the 3rd International Conference on Degrowth, Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity held in Venice, with speakers including Helena Norberg-Hodge, Serge Latouche, Silke Helfrich and Arturo Escobar among others. By Rob Hopkins.
Contrary to the incessant mantra of economists, politicians, and
media pundits, economic growth is not the solution to what ails us. Our
prime need is for a more intelligent distribution of the wealth we
have—giving social and environmental returns priority over financial
returns, argues David Korten.
If people cannot freely use the public
and supposedly “common” spaces of the city, then it is critical that
movements emerge to liberate those common spaces for their
participation. Such movements can provide a vital opening for a broader
common politics, explains David Harvey in an interview with Chris Carlsson.
As the consumer economy peaks in both economic and
environmental terms, the sharing economy offers a more hopeful prospect. Yet a fundamental problem must be
addressed for it to achieve scale: in an economy where we share houses,
cars, money, and work with strangers, how do we decide who to trust? By Paul M. Davis.
