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Wednesday 21st April, Torfaen People’s Centre, Pontypool
Common Wealth in Wales
Toward a free, equal, mutual and sustainable society
Dr. Steven Harris,
Science Shops Wales, University of Glamorgan
Common Wealth in Wales
The Earth is an Integrated System
Common Wealth in Wales
The Earth System is in Crisis
“Over the last two decades a new imperative has come to dominate
environmental concerns. With a rapidly increasing understanding of the nature
of Earth’s life support system, a growing awareness has emerged that human
activities are exerting an ever-accelerating influence on aspects of Earth
System functioning upon which the welfare and the future of human societies
depend.”
IGBP Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure (2004)
Common Wealth in Wales
The Global Picture - Recent Studies
• Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations:
– Reports on food and sustainability (2004-8)
• The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme:
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Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
(2004)
• The UNEP Millennium Ecosystems Assessment:
– Living Beyond our Means (2005)
– Ecosystems and Human Well-Being (2005)
• United Nations Environment Programme:
– Global Environment Outlook 4: environment for development
(2007)
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change:
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Synthesis Report of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (2007);
Common Wealth in Wales
Findings
• The global atmosphere is warming - as a result,
the global climate is changing. These changes
are happening more rapidly, and are likely to
be more extreme, than recently anticipated.
• One to two-thirds of all species of plants,
animals, and other organisms may die out over
the coming decades.
• Many of the natural resources and services upon
which humanity depends are severely depleted
or degraded
• Billions of people around the world lead lives
marred by thirst, hunger, poverty and conflict.
A Prosperous Way Down? Exploring Green Economic Futures for Wales
A Common Cause - Us
• All studies clearly identify human activity as a primary
cause of the Earth System Crisis
• The 20th Century has seen exponential growth in human
populations, made possible by the industrial-scale
exploitation of natural resources and services –
particularly fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas)
• The globalised industrial economy is committed to
continuing growth in production and consumption
• Growth demands ever-increasing energy and resource
inputs
• Growth results in increasing levels of pollution,
resource depletion, species loss and ecosystem
degradation
Common Wealth in Wales
Increasing rates of change in human activity since the
beginning of the Industrial Revolution (1)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (2004). Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
Common Wealth in Wales
Increasing rates of change in human activity since the
beginning of the Industrial Revolution (2)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (2004). Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
Common Wealth in Wales
Global-scale changes in the Earth System as a result of
the dramatic increase in human activity (1)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (2004). Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
Common Wealth in Wales
Global-scale changes in the Earth System as a result of
the dramatic increase in human activity (2)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (2004). Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure
Common Wealth in Wales
“…our economy is killing the Earth”
New Scientist, 16 October 2008
“This is the logic of free-market
capitalism: the economy must
grow continuously or face an
unpalatable collapse. With the
environmental situation reaching
crisis point, however, it is time to
stop pretending that mindlessly
chasing economic growth is
compatible with sustainability.
Figuring out an alternative to this
doomed model is now a priority..”
From Why politicians dare not
limit economic growth
by Tim Jackson, pp. 42-3.
Common Wealth in Wales
Growth Addiction
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Views humans as individualistic, tribal, competitive
Views nature as a resource: separate, infinitely exploitable
Celebrates benefits of technology, ignores costs
Values present (much) more highly than the future
Disproportionally benefits those with capital, increasing the concentration
of asset ownership and further widening gaps between rich and poor
• Has structural ‘lock-in’ to existing economic system:
– Money as Debt
– Return on Investment
– Employment
• Is utterly dependent on concentrated, high value energy
inputs
Common Wealth in Wales
A Local Example… 3 Planet Wales
• Wales’ 2003 ecological footprint was 5.16
global hectares per person (X 3 global
carrying capacity of 1.8 gha pp)
• The footprint of Wales has increased at an
average rate of 1.5% per year between 1990
and 2003.
• This closely mirrors the growth in Gross
Value Added (GVA) in Wales over the same
period
• Between 1990-2008 energy consumption
increased by 5.1% - there were decreases in
industrial energy consumption but large
increases in domestic (12%) and transport
(21%) energy consumption
• If the historic growth in footprint were to
continue at rate of 1.5% a year, this would
result in an ecological footprint 20% higher
than the 2003 figure (6.19gha/capita) in
2020
E. Dawkins, A. Paul, J. Barrett, J. Minx and K. Scott (2008). Wales’
Ecological Footprint - Scenarios to 2020. Stockholm: Stockholm
Environment Institute
Common Wealth in Wales
Growth Depends on Energy
There has also been a very close relationship between the rate of growth of
world output and the rate of growth of its consumption of oil.
Common Wealth in Wales
Growth Creates Pollution
The link between economic activity and global warming: The
rate of increase in world Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has
moved very closely in step with Carbon Dioxide emissions from
fossil fuel use.
Common Wealth in Wales
Benefits of Degrowth
• Longest recession in UK since records began –
economy shrank by 6% since 2008
• UK emissions of Co2 fell by 9.8% - from 533m
tonnes in 2008 to 481m tonnes in 2009
• Overall output of the six main greenhouse gases
fell by 8.6%.
• Bigger reductions in one year than all the other
years of Labour government put together
• According to DECC, main cause reductions in
energy consumption as economy contracted
• Globally, the International Energy Agency
estimated world CO2 emissions to have fallen by
around 3% in 2009 - only the fourth recorded fall in
the past 50 years – on average global emissions
have grown by 3% year on year.
Common Wealth in Wales
Efficiency is not the Answer
• Research has demonstrated that that technological progress that increases
the efficiency with which a resource is used, tends to increase (rather than
decrease) the rate of consumption of that resource
• This is the famous ‘Jevons Paradox’, first noted with regard to coal
consumption - an increase in the efficiency with which a resource (e.g.,
fuel) is used causes a decrease in the price of that resource when
measured in terms of what it can achieve (e.g., work). A decrease in the
price of a good or service increases the quantity demanded.
• This type of ‘Rebound Effect’ has three aspects:
Increased fuel efficiency lowers the cost of consumption, and hence increases
the consumption of that good because of the substitution effect.
2. Decreased cost of the good enables increased household consumption of other
goods and services, increasing the consumption of the resource embodied in
those goods and services.
3. New technology creates new production possibilities in and increases economic
growth
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Common Wealth in Wales
What’s to be Done?
• Macro-level reforms are possible, e.g.
– Design for ‘steady-state’ economy
– Decouple money creation from debt
– cap and trade carbon emissions
– Massive investment in renewables
– ‘green’ taxes’ on polluter pays principle
– tax land value
– provide statutory citizen’s income
• But politicians and policy-makers ‘locked into’ growth at all costs –
complete culture change required
• Power of corporations, direct and through advertising
• So… real change must begin at the grassroots and margins
Common Wealth in Wales
Reclaiming the Commons
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Ecosystems science has shown us that the great interlocking systems of nature are
our true common wealth, providing the conditions for all life on Earth
The Commons are resources required by all, without which human activities are
impossible such as woodlands, atmosphere, fresh water, fisheries and grazing land
The commons can also be understood to include the products of collective human
culture: art, science, religion; ‘public goods’ such as public space, education,
healthcare; and essential infrastructure, such as roads, power transmission and
telecommunications networks.
There is also a genetic commonwealth –seeds and crop strains, the human genome.
In theory, all should have equal rights of access to the commons
Enclosure or ‘accumulation by dispossession is the process by which the commons
are transformed into private property is termed enclosure
Privatization and commodification of public assets is a process of transferring
property such as buildings, land, and water from public to private ownership,
providing new means of making private profits and driving economic growth.
The enclosure of the commons has been called “the revolution of the rich against
the poor.”
Common Wealth in Wales
The Real Common Wealth of Wales
• Cultivated & grazing land – for food, fuel and dwellings
• Uncultivated land – for biodiversity & ecosystems
services
• Woodlands for timber and fuel
• Wind, Wave and Solar power for energy
• Fresh Water
• Roads, railways, power and telecomms networks
• Our healthcare system and infrastructure
• People – Skills, History & Culture
Common Wealth in Wales
Solutions - Frameworks
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Cooperatives
Social Enterprises
Community Finance Initiatives
Credit Unions & Microfinance
Community Currencies
Timebanks and Barter schemes
Community Land Trusts
Common Wealth in Wales
Solutions - Actions
• Community Renewable
Energy/microgeneration Projects
• Community/localised Food Production
• Community-supported agriculture
• Community-supported Schools
• Communiversities
• Low-impact development
Common Wealth in Wales
Wales – People & Economy
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2009 population 2,993,000
1,316,000 or 69.4% of those of working age were employed (UK average 72.5%) average full-time earnings in 2008 £498 per week
8.1% unemployed, up from 5.6% in 2008.
GVA (Gross Value Added) of the Welsh economy in 2007 was £44.3 billion, around
£14,880 per head, 25% lower than the overall figure for the UK
Gross disposable household income (GDHI) in 2007 for Wales was £37.5 billion or
£12,574 per head of population. This represented 87.8 per cent of the UK figure,
down from 88.0 in 2006
Poverty in Wales affects all age groups (Kenway & Palmer, 2007). There were more
working-age adults in poverty than children and pensioners in poverty combined,
with poverty among disabled working-age adults higher than a decade previously
10% of 16- to 18-year-olds not in employment, education or training.
Child poverty in Wales 28%. Around 1% of children in situations likely to lead to
serious disadvantage
Wales is among the poorest and slowest growing of the 10 regional economies of
the UK
Common Wealth in Wales
Wales – Renewable Energy
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Sustainable
renewable energy
potential to
2020/2025
Current
Electricity
consumption 23
TWhr pa
Potential total
capacity 48 TWhr
pa
Wales has
potential to
become net
electricity
exporter
Source: WAG. (2010).
A Low Carbon
Revolution
Common Wealth in Wales
Wales - Land & People
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The total land area of Wales is around 2.1 million hectares
1.5 million hectares are used for agriculture, 85% grassland and rough grazing.
In 2004, land use in Wales consisted of 62% permanent grass (1010000 ha), 23%
rough grazing (383000 ha), only 11% arable land (177000 ha) and 4% woodland and
other lands including set-aside (64000 ha)
Currently around 3 million people live in Wales
Overall population density 140 people per Km2
UK average 246/Km2.
Population is unevenly distributed in Wales e.g.
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Torfaen has 717/Km2 and Blaenau Gwent 631/ Km2
Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire 74/ Km2
Powys 45 Km2.
We have a lot of space!
Used effectively, grassland and marginal, rough grazing could be among our
greatest assets
Common Wealth in Wales
The Green Valleys Project
Brecon Beacons National Park
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Community Interest Company - Low Risk - High Return seed
projects
Support, advice and finance packages for local groups
5 local groups: Talybont, Crucorney, Dyffryn Crawnon, Cwmdu
and Llangattock
Community Microhydro projects: Dyffryn Crawnon 16kW; Talgarth 3.5
kW; Cwmdu 7.5kW; Llangattock – 3 kW, 6.9kW, 15kW and 16kW; Crucorney
– 8kW; Llandeussant – 11 in development phase
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By 2012 community hydros will be generating over £100k per
annum for reinvestment in low carbon projects
155 homes reduced carbon emissions by 20%
Community owned electric cars
2 community woodland groups established
Setting up community & commercial lending facilities
Establishing Upland Restoration Fund to safeguard ecosystem
services
Long-term aim to make National Park a carbon-negative region
Common Wealth in Wales
Cwmdeithas Cwm Arian
Hermon, Glogue and Llanfyrnach, Pembrokeshire
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200 houses and farms around 3 villages
Local Community Forum –all voluntary
Pub closed – bought Marquee and reopened!
In 2003 formed CLT – raised £137,000 for affordable housing
Opposed closure of local primary school - failed
Developed and agreed Community Action Plan 2004
Formed Community Cooperative – raised £65,000 in share issue
Formed Credit Union and made small loans to buy shares – now
£0.5m in savings
Celtic Blue Rock Community Festival – non-profit, all proceeds
to charity/community funds - 10,000 attend each year
School buildings purchased, now Community Resource &
Conference Centre hosting IT facilities and 3 business startups
Plans to build small industrial units
2009 gained funding to install 2 community wind turbines (1.4
MW) to generate income for community investment fund
Now planning to reopen school, employ own teachers
Common Wealth in Wales
Cwm Harry Land Trust
Newtown, Powys
• Social Enterprise - charity & company limited by guarantee - employs 10
• Aims to demonstrate a sustainable, ‘closed loop’ system of food
production and food-waste management
• Collects food waste from 10,000 local households and businesses
• Processes waste – produces compost & energy through anaerobic digestion
• Produces food locally – on own land and through network of local suppliers
• Distributes local, seasonal and organic food through Veggie-bag service
Common Wealth in Wales
Bro Dyfi Community Renewables
Machynlleth, Powys
• Est. 2001 - community energy co-operative registered
under Industrial and Provident Societies Acts –one vote
per shareholder
• 59 shareholders, shares £100, max holding £1000
• Only institutional shareholder the Energy Savings Trust
• Dividends from EST's shares are put into a Community
Energy Saving Fund, for reinvestment locally
• Installed 75 kilowatt Vestas wind turbine at Cilgwyn,
2003 - Produces c 163 megawatt-hours (163,000 units)
pa
• First dividend to shareholders, 2004
• Now installing new 500kW wind turbine on Mynydd
Glandulas – c 1,000 megawatt-hours pa
• Power purchase agreement (PPA) with Good Energy –
will yield more than £100 per MW hr generated
Common Wealth in Wales
Lammas Eco-village
Glandwr, Pembrokeshire (1)
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76 acres of pasture and woodland
Developing 9 eco-smallholdings, a community
hub building and a seasonal campsite
Completely independent of mains services microhydro, biomass, rainwater harvesting and
a spring) from the land. Designs for the houses
include a 4-unit terrace, an earth sheltered
house, straw bale houses, a cob house, and
more.
All houses being self-built with materials
sourced from the site, and will blend into the
landscape
Surrounding smallholdings will produce food
and support land-based enterprises: basketry,
smoked hams, hazelnuts, woodland
products, wool crafts and medicinal herbal
preparations.
Common Wealth in Wales
Lammas Eco-village
Glandwr, Pembrokeshire (2)
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Transformation of land use through Permaculture
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intensive horticulture, heavily reliant on human skilled
input, which sets out to create artificial, self-sustaining
ecosystems which produce food and energy yeilds for
humans
Has the potential to revolutionise perceptions of
the Welsh countryside
76 acres that Lammas has purchased was
supporting approximately 195 ewes, bringing in a
yearly income of approximately £2,500 - a small
percentage of one farming family’s income
Lammas year cash flow forecasts and productivity
accounts suggest that after a 5
year establishment period, the land will produce
the equivalent of approximately £108,000 landbased produce per annum - a living for nine
families