John Bellamy Foster on the global financial crisis: ‘Nobody knows where the toxic debt is buried and how much there is’

John Bellamy Foster on the global financial crisis: ‘Nobody knows where the toxic debt is buried and how much there is’

John Bellamy Foster is an American journalist, sociologist, essayist and socialist, as well as editor of the Monthly Review, a prominent political journal foundered by the Marxist economist Paul Sweezy in the 1940s.

Foster is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Oregon in Eugene. He has written widely on political economy and has established a reputation as an environmental socialist.

He has argued that Karl Marx was a radical ecologist in his book, Marx’s Ecology: Materialism and Nature .

Foster is interviewed by Peter Boyle for Links and Green Left Weekly.

LeftCast April 29th, 2008

Original audio source

• Capitalism and climate change-- John Bellamy Foster -- video of Foster's talk to the Climate Change Social Change Conference

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Dick Nichols:Radical social action to stop climate change

Dick Nichols:Radical social action to stop climate change

The Climate Change Social Change Conference held in Sydney on the April 11/13 weekend was engineered to strengthen radical social action to stop climate change.

But did it succeed in its attempted aggregation of activists from the red and the green?

To answer that question LeftCast spoke to Dick Nichols --a conference featured speaker -- about the conference and what he thought its deliberations can teach us about what we should be doing next to save this planet from climate change.

LeftCast April 17th, 2008

Original audio source

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David Spratt : Climate CODE RED!

David Spratt : Climate CODE RED!

David Spratt -- along with Phillip Sutton -- has authored a sharp review of the Climate change crisis that is bearing down on all of us: Climate Code Red.

This interview with David Spratt explores the main arguments in this report (published by Friends of the Earth, Australia)and tries to locate the environment science in the context of what urgently needs to be done right now.

Spratt criticizes the politics of pragmatism and the ready habituation of low political expectations. He then tries to relate this penchant to compromise to the challenge of sustaining an emergency response as exemplified by the war economies during the Second World War.

18.3MB 20:05 128 kbs

LeftCast February 8, 2008

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Original audio source

After "The big melt: lessons from the Arctic summer of 2007" comes...

"Climate Code Red: The case for a sustainability emergency"

Available for download at http://www.climatecodered.net

Download Climate Code Red full report

Climate policy is characterised by the habituation of low expectations and a culture of failure. There is an urgent need to understand global warming and the tipping points for dangerous impacts that we have already crossed as a sustainability emergency, that takes us beyond the politics of failure-inducing compromise. We are now in a race between climate tipping points and political tipping points.

"Climate Code Red: The case for a sustainability emergency"

By David Spratt and Philip Sutton

Friends of the Earth (Australia)

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Kamala Emanuel: Climate Change/Social Change Conference

Kamala Emanuel: Climate Change/Social Change Conference

Kamala Emanuel -as well as being the environment campaigns coordinator for the Socialist Alliance is a key organiser for the upcoming Climate Change /Social Change Conference set for April 11-13 in Sydney.

In this interview Kamala (pictured left)discusses the present situation that confronts the climate change movement and what role the conference can have in advancing our shared perspectives.

17.4 MB 25 minutes 20 seconds
LeftCast January 25 2008

Mp3 file download

Climate change|Social change conference

The world is teetering on the brink of unstoppable climate change. Many now recognise the need for serious change in the way we produce and use energy, our transport systems, food production, urban design and forestry practices. Yet politicians are still mouthing platitudes while allowing corporations to continue to profit from polluting our atmosphere and destroying our ecosystem.

The need for social change has become an urgent part of preventing catastrophic climate change. Can the market fix the problem? What is the real record of carbon trading? How can we build a social movement capable of averting this disaster? What models and experiences can offer real solutions?

To strengthen the exchange of ideas and contribute towards that urgent action Green Left Weekly is organising the Climate Change Social Change conference from April 11-13, 2008 in Sydney.

We are pleased to have confirmed:

• John Bellamy Foster, author of Marx's Ecology: Materialism and Nature,editor of Monthly Review
• Patrick Bond, Director of the Centre for Civil Society, Univ of KwaZulu-Natal; editor of Climate Change, Carbon Trading and CivilSociety
• Roberto Perez, Cuban permaculturalist (featured in The Power of Community: how Cuba survived peak oil)
• Sandino Carrizales, Venezuelan environmental science student, studentactivist and community organiser.
  

We invite your participation in making this more than just an exchange of ideas important as that is but a part of building up resistance to corporate-led climate change and strengthening the movement for sustainable development.

If you would like to participate, including presenting a workshop, taking part in a panel, exhibiting your artwork or simply to register your interest in the conference, please email the conference organisers.

To receive updates about the conference, send an email here to subscribe by email or use this feed to subscribe with your Feed Reader.

Please forward this conference call through your networks.

In solidarity,
Kamala Emanuel and Pip Hinman
Climate Change|Social Change conference organisers

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Cam Walker interview: Climate Change Convergence

Cam Walker interview: Climate Change Convergence

Cam Walker is national liaison officer for Friends of the Earth Australia. Along with others sectors he is organising a Climate Movement Convergence in Melbourne on February 9th.

LeftCast used the opportunity of the convergence to speak with Walker about the political situation confronting the environment movement at the present time.

15.4MB / 22: 25

LeftCast January 23 2008

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Climate movement convergence

Melbourne Saturday February 9, 2008

Over the past few years, we have seen the emergence of a new social change movement, driven by an inspiring new wave of grassroots community activism. Around the country there are literally dozens of new groups, campaigning for effective action on climate change.

As yet, this new movement has not been able to gather in the one place. The climate movement convergence seeks to create this space in a one day forum, aiming to bring together the remarkably diverse climate change community we have here in Victoria, including local climate action groups, peak green groups, thinkers and strategists, social activists and other sectors concerned about climate change, and progressive businesses.

We aim to provide an inspiring day of workshops, open space for discussions, an overview of the latest climate science, ideas on building a strong and vibrant movement, and the opportunity to ponder what opportunities are now present with a change in federal government.

To offer a workshop, please see the website.

We would welcome your involvement.

Details:
Saturday February 9, 9am – 5pm
Northcote High School
St Georges Road, Northcote, 3070

Costs: low income $15/ waged people $25 (no one excluded through lack of funds).

The convergence is being organised by the Sustainable Living Foundation (SLF), Friends of the Earth (FoE), the Greenleap Strategic Institute and Sustainable Business Practises and is supported by a range of climate groups including Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), Carbon Equity, Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, Environment Victoria, Futureye, Greenpeace, Moreland Energy Foundation, Western Region Environment Centre and Zero Emissions Now (ZEN).

There are weekly planning meetings, if you would like to get involved please contact Cam Walker

Further details will soon be available on the FoEA website

and also at: Sustainability Convergence

• Draft 2008 Sustainability Convergence Program

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Derek Wall : being green and left and ecosocialist

Derek Wall : being green and left and ecosocialist

Derek Wall is current Principal Speaker of the Green Party of England and Wales as well as an environmental and social activist, academic and writer whose work concentrates on eco-socialism and the relationship between Marxism and the environment. Wall keeps a regular blog, Another Green World.

Wikipedia entry on Ecosocialism

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Zero carbon emissions and global warming

Zero carbon emissions and global warming

LeftCast #3, April 30th, 2007


Mp3

This is an interview with Adrian Whitehead from Beyond Zero Emissions.The interview was done by Susan Austin on January 24th, this year in Hobart,Tasmania, for Guerrilla Radio.

Guerrilla Radio is a social justice & environmental news program on Edge Radio in Hobart every Tuesday 2-3pm. People can listen to Edge Radio on line by visiting edgeradio.org.au.

Edge Radio runs its own message board here if you want to offer feedback.

Music, as always, is played by that modern 'Dutch Master' of the jewsharp, Danibal .


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