On 14th October, four members of the group went along to the community centre adjoining Kingston Mosque to talk to Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond Park, about WDM’s current campaigns. On climate debt, Zac was broadly supportive of the principle that those who have contributed very little to climate change should not have to bear the costs of adapting to it. He appeared surprised to learn that so much of the UK’s funding for climate mitigation is being administered by the World Bank and provided in the form of loans rather than grants, an arrangement he did not support. He also spoke of other schemes designed to mitigate climate change that might bring benefits to poorer countries. On food speculation, while arguing that there are other reasons for long term global food price inflation that cannot be easily addressed, he agreed that the price volatility caused by speculation is problematic. He was interested to hear about the measures WDM is campaigning for to address this, in particular the use of position limits. We left him with the latest WDM reports on these two issues, and have asked him to write to the ministers concerned. We are now hoping that he will report back to us.
Archives for October 2011
Africa demands climate justice – speaker tour
Bongani Mthembu, Maria Adebowale (director of Capacity Global) and Kirsty Wright (WDM climate justice campaigner) will be speaking on the effects of climate change in Africa and the need for the UK government to adopt a fairer approach to addressing this. There will also be poetry from Selina Nwulu.
7pm at University of London Union, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY.
Further details at www.wdm.org.uk/events/africa-demands-climate-justice.
Think-in-Kingston
Richmond and Kingston WDM are involved in organising three free events in this year’s Think-in-Kingston, a festival that’s now in its seventh year.
Measuring well-being: How will it make a difference?
7.15 for 7.30pm on Thursday October 13th 2011
In Room 3002, John Galsworthy Building, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, KT1 2EE
With Edward Davey MP for Kingston and Surbiton, Liberal Democrat Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs in the Coalition Government
and Charles Seaford, Head of Centre for Wellbeing at New Economics Foundation (economics as if people and the planet matter) and member of government’s Measuring National Well-being Advisory Forum led by the Office for National Statistics
http://e-voice.org.uk/thinkinkingston/calendar/item/5749905
Are you happy in your work? (or retirement?)
Learn how you can optimise your chances of being happy at work
7 pm – 8.30 pm on Monday October 24th 2011
In Room 1004, John Galsworthy Building, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, KT1 2EE
With Dr Stephanie Morgan, Chartered Occupational Psychologist
http://e-voice.org.uk/thinkinkingston/calendar/item/5838861
Spirit Level – “Does equality matter for a happier you and society?”
7-9pm on October 27th 2001
At Surbiton YMCA, 49 Victoria Road, Surbiton, KT6 4NG
With Bill Kerry from The Equality Trust
Surbiton Festival
WDM R&K held a stall jointly with the local Fair Trade group at the annual Surbiton Festival on 24th September. This was an excellent opportunity to introduce WDM and its campaigns to local people.