Navigation: This page CCGE Main Page ('www.abxn.org/ccge/index.html') ---> Xn Main Page ---> AB's Page. About This Page. Contact.

Climate Change & Global Economy

This is the website of the CCGE Group - which is trying to work out the relationship between Climate Change and Global Economy. We find both have spiritual roots.

"I used to think the top global environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. ...
I was wrong.
The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy
- and to deal with these, we need a spiritual and cultural transformation ..." [1]

The CCGE Group comprises: the late Sir John Houghton, Prof. Bob Goudzwaard, Dr. John Lockwood, Prof. Andrew Basden.

It is with sadness that we learn of the passing from this life of Sir John Houghton, in the 15th of April 2020, aged 88. He was a humble man of great intellect, dedication, energy and effectiveness, and who, though he was knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom, was pleased to work with people of all kinds in all walks of life. Please see an excellent obituary by the John Ray Institute, of which Sir John was President.

We are deeply thankful that we were privileged to know and work with Sir John. We hope that, as we try to continue the work he began, our work will be worthy of him.

This site offers a few pages to discuss these things. So far we have the following pages, which are being built:

New:

Interview with Prince William and Sir David Attenborough --* New 8 October 2020 *--
Our Bloated Economy Should Shrink --* New 3 September 2020 *--
On Poverty and Environmental Responsibility - briefly looks at their links and what it means for us. --* New 4 August 2020 *--
Climate Change Themes: Summary of some main themes in the discourses around climate change, drawing several themes together --* New 14 October 2019 *--
Reports Relevant to Climate Change and Environmental Responsibility
Extinction Rebellion: Why I Took Part --* New 26 May 2019 *--
Do We Eat Too Much for the World?: Patrick McKenna's explanation of how we eat too much.
In Defence of Cal DeWitt's Song of a Scientist, with a critique of Cal Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance.
Analysis of the Cornwall Alliance's A Renewed Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor. I hoped to find challenging insight, but instead found mere polemic with flawed argument. Summary followed by detailed analysis.
Seven Questions about Climate Change
Why Is Oil a Problem?
Air Conditioning Bill of $20bn!

Outline of the main links between climate change, global economy and faith commitments.

Draft Manifesto
(Draft) Arguments to accompany manifesto.
Version 1 of Manifesto and Arguments.
Version 2 of Manifesto and Arguments.

Critique of Climate Responsibility Deniers (Climate Skeptics):

Analysis of the Cornwall Alliance:
- Analysis of 'evangelical' Cornwall Declaration - how certain 'evangelicals' are distorting the faith that comes from the Bible.
- Analysis of the Cornwall Alliance's A Renewed Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor. I hoped to find challenging insight, but instead found mere polemic with flawed argument. Summary followed by detailed analysis.
Analysis of Nigel Lawson's book.
- A detailed textual analysis of Lawson's book
- Sir John Houghton has published two responses to Nigel Lawson: Shorter version published in Nature (web page) Full version (pdf)

French 'yellow vest' protestor quoted on BBC Radio 4, Today Programme, on reasons why they want to stop fuel price increases for the sake of reducing carbon emissions:

"I can't eat out any more.
I can't afford a 2-week holiday in the summer any more,
But only a 1-week holiday in May." 7 December 2018

"I can't go to the cinema.
I can't go to the restaurant.
I can't do something nice." 8 December 2018

My comment: So, these people are willing to wreck the world so that they can eat out, go to cinema and have two holidays. How selfish!
While many in the world are starving and cannot 'eat IN' at all, and can take NO holidays, you want to make things worse for them so you can have your eating-out and your extra week's holiday. How selfish!

(Note: This was selected by the BBC Today Programme as typical of the yellow-vest protestors' motivations. So we can probably take this as fairly typical.)

NOTES

Note 1. Gus Speth, Common Cause Newsletter.

This page is an expression of part of a project to understand the links between climate change, global economy and other matters including society's beliefs and aspirations. It is designed to stimulate thinking and discourse. Comments, queries welcome.

This page is written on behalf of the CCGE Group by Andrew Basden, but the views expressed herein are his and not necessarily those of the other members of the Group. Written on the Amiga with Protext in the style of Classic HTML. Copyright (c) Andrew Basden 2008 - present, but you may use this material subject to certain conditions.

Created: 17 May 2009 by Andrew Basden.

Last updated: 19 December 2009 cornwall. 6 May 2010 version 3. 29 June 2011 link to aircon, and JH's bits, plus more on Cornwall; .end, .nav. 1 April 2012 oil. 1 March 2015 cornwall-rc, and tidy up. 22 July 2015 defend.dewitt. 13 October 2015 Speth quote. 10 July 2018 overfeeding. 3 December 2018 reports. 7 December 2018 French yellow-vest selfishness. 11 December 2018 another from 8th Dec. 26 May 2019 xr. 14 October 2019 climate.change. 25 April 2020 moved yellow-vest box later. 4 May 2020 Passing of Sir JH. 6 May 2020 slight reword. 4 August 2020 poverty. 3 September 2020 bloated.econ. 8 October 2020 interview-pwda.