The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) have brought out a video report about the links between extreme poverty and climate change. It draws a bleak conclusion: there can be no end to extreme poverty unless we act on climate change.
Fossil Free Oxford rally
The Oxfordshire local authorities and the University of Oxford have investment portfolios that include both direct and indirect investments in fossil fuel companies. But according to the IPCC, in order to avoid dangerous climate tipping points, 60-80% of known fossil fuel reserves must remain underground. They are “unburnable” assets from a climate perspective. Something doesn’t add up.
The Fossil Free Future rally in Oxford demands a stop to the “carbon bubble”, asking organisations such as Oxford City Council to stop investing in fossil fuels and start investing in a cleaner energy future. The march begins at 10:30 am from the Radcliffe Camera and finishes with a rally in Bonn Square at noon. This event is not organised by WDM.
Come to our AGM – and maybe volunteer?
We’ll be getting together in May for our AGM (Annual General Meeting). We’re meeting at Oxford Town Hall as usual. The AGM is where we get through the necessary business of running a successful group such as signing off our accounts. It’s also time to elect committee posts for the coming year, so it’s a great chance to get involved with the group. Committee positions include:
- Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Oxspur editor
- Communications Officer
- Stall organiser
If you are interested in any of these roles, it would be great if you could let us know before the meeting. Please get in touch by emailing oxfordwdm@gmail.com.
We are particularly keen to find a new Treasurer. You don’t need amazing maths or financial skills to take on the role, and if elected you will get support in learning how to do the job.
Note: all posts on the Oxford WDM committee are voluntary, unpaid roles. Your “payment” will be getting involved with an inspiring organisation, meeting cool people and learning new skills!
Life before Debt conference: photos and more
Photos and videos of the Life before Debt conference in March are now available online. There’s also a great blog post summarising the day on the Burning the Books site.
View videos of some of the conference sessions
Videos on the topic of Debt and Morality – when is it okay not to pay? featured four different speakers:
Andrew Ross on the morality of repayment
Njoki Njoroge Njehû on the morality of repayment
Rowan Williams on the morality of repayment
Sarah-Jayne Clifton on the morality of repayment
(This event was one of many we’ve listed on our Events & Meetings page over the past few years. This page is a list of upcoming events, not all organised by WDM but all of possible interest to Oxford WDM supporters. If you want to stay up to date with this kind of news, it’s worth bookmarking our Events & Meetings page or just adding the whole site to your RSS reader.
Africa is so tasty!
Yum, Africa is so tasty! Executives from corporations such as Diageo and Monsanto and celebrated the corporate carve-up of Africa with a cake…or did they? OK, we admit it, those people in suits were actually WDM activists. We were trying to highlight the way that the UK government’s Department for International Development is using aid money to help multinational corporations get a piece of Africa. The two-minute video went viral and it’s worth watching if you haven’t already seen it!
Video: Corporations celebrate new scramble for Africa
More info on our Africa campaign at www.wdm.org.uk/food
Oxford Village Fete (part of folk festival)
Gloucester Green will take on the atmosphere of a village fete in April, as part of the Oxford Folk Festival. On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April, various local groups will get together to run traditional-style games as well as doing a little (equally traditional) campaigning. The atmosphere should be fun and family-oriented. We’ll be there on the Saturday – why not come along and say hello?
