Big Society: What’s The Story?

When I read about the Big Society and its principles of fairness and responsibility it seems that this may be a government that will want to correct and indeed stop inequalities.

 But I still find myself waiting for the big story behind the notion of the big society. It seems I’m not the only one picking over the ideas to find out what it really means. The Prime Minister David Cameron has found it pretty difficult to find the narrative too. The problem is that the story of fairness and responsibility are set in the choppy and dramatic background of economic downturn and recession.

 But ultimately I’d like to encourage a story – at least a chapter – that is directly related to getting rid of unacceptable environmental conditions and having a democratic process that supports that. That’s why Capacity Global, the Foundation for Democracy and Sustainable Development, the Community Sector Coalition, IIED and other civil society groups, sent a letter this week to Nick Clegg and David Cameron – calling for a new political narrative.

We know that unequal societies are bad for everyone – the poor and the well off. The Government’s State of the Nation Report published this week notes that poor local environments as with homelessness, mental health and unemployment ”lead to entrenched, deep-seated disadvantage that can cut people off from opportunities to participate in the normal activities of society”. But beyond that little more is said about environmental equality.

Amartya Sen suggests in his book The Idea of Justice that ‘what moves people is not the realization that the world falls short of being completely just ..but that there are clearly remediable injustices around us which we want to eliminate’.

Poor local environments in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods are remediable injustices. They provide untold human stories that encapsulate social justice and inequalities. They shouldn’t be excluded from the story about a big society and a government focusing on fairness.

Coalition Government: Will it make the greenest bit of difference

The Conservatives and the Lib Democrats  are now in charge of the country. What does that mean for an  environmental justice agenda  traditionally  most comfortable with  red – green politics?  Truth is I don’t know and nor does anyone else – yet. But according to the new Prime Minster, David Cameron -  this government  will be green -  or at least he wants it to be  - ‘the greenest government yet’.  But  in practice will  ‘green’ be  sympathetice to  ‘red’.

Let’s face it we’ve all watched the shanigans of the election and the building of a hung parliament with the kind of fascination we’d reserve for the landing of aliens. What is this ‘hung parliament’ creature. Does it come in peace? Is it friendly?  Meanwhile  the political hacks continue to dissect the workings of  said parliament.

Most of the NGOs and Think Tanks can only check out the history of the relevant minsiters to see how they might be able to reel one of the them in to support their cause.  And it’ s no different for the environmental justice agenda.  There is a heartening narrative – so far – from the new government that it will be seeking to build a fair and responsible society.  One that helps the most vulnerable.  And as Nicholas Schoon suggests in  his political analysis  – there have been green words a plenty  in the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats manifestos.  Not a bad start?

This may mean a government sympathetic to  the basic foundation for action on environmental justice brought in by a Labour Government: the Aarhus Convention, the Equalities Bill,  the Climate Change Act, equalities impact assessments and the environmental equality indicator.

Can we go one step further and assume that it will be a government supportive of  initiatives  that ensure  the most vulnerable communities’  equal rights and (of course responsbilities to protect)  a clean and healthy environment are safeguarded? So the Hung might come in peace? After all the new Justice Minister Kenneth Clarke, has in the last two days dropped the misguided Conservative pledge to scrap the Human Rights Act.

Not a bad start? Yes.  Will a coatliton government make the greenest bit of  difference?  It’s early days. There’s still more to play for.

Race, Environment and the Election

Like most people working in a non governmental organisation  I’ve been trying to figure out how to raise political awareness and take action on environmental injustice.  One way I think has been to write a contribution for the environment chapter of   ‘The Price of Inequality – The Black Manifesto‘  launched this week.

Written by a collective of  organisations – amongst others: Capacity Global, Equanomics, Sikhs in England, Yorkshire Forward, the National Black Police Association, the 1990 Trust,  the Black Lawyers Association and Oxfam – the manifesto challenges the political parties  to  understand the price of inequality.

This isn’t a whinge about the  victimisation of BAMEs (Black, Asian  and Minority Ethnic groups) but rather a grounded political discussion on the  moral necessity of social, economic and environmental  justice. It  illustrates that inequality of any kind comes at a price.

‘Achieving economic justice, race equality and social inclusion is critical to forging the “new” inter-cultural, inter-racial Britain.’

There are over 100 marginal seats where the votes of BAME  could determine the election outcome.  So political parties need to take heed. The manifesto tackles jobs, health and social inclusion, and calls for environmental justice policy to ensure  BAMEs  don’t carry a disproportionate  burden of environmental risks and get a fair share of environmental benefits. This is a real issue. Evidence already shows that:

• Over 50% of ethnic minorities live in the most deprived areas of the country and are over-represented in deprived areas relative to the national average

• Ethnic minorities are more exposed to higher levels of air pollution. Most black and Asian people breathe worse air than white Britons. Air quality for urban south Asian groups is typically 8.9% to 18.2% worse than for urban whites. On average urban Chinese receive 13.2% more particulates than urban whites. (Environment Data Services 2009)

• A higher proportion of people in the most deprived areas in England live in areas with poor environmental conditions. Between 20% to 82% of the inhabitants of the most deprived areas are exposed to at least one environmental risk in comparison to 33% in the least deprived environments. (Defra  2009)

• People from minority ethnic groups tend to have less access to good quality green spaces. (Cabe Space 2009)

So what needs to happen? The simple answer is  increased policy visibility and investment in environmental equality.  Political parties  and the next government must commit  to improving environmental policy interventions that are inclusive and specific to BAME people  and ensure  that investment into green jobs and low carbon communities also benefit BAME individuals and neighbourhoods.

Meeting these challenges makes for fairer environmentally policy.

Justertainment in Bristol

Rumour has it (according to my brother) that I’ve lost my giggle.   I think he may have been right. So after the usual domestic negotiations  that would make the United Nations feel ashamed I wangled a weekend in Bristol with my best friend.  We’d heard Bristol was pretty up there for  an alternative scene and justentertainment (socially consious entertainment).

So the weekend started with a walk round St Nicholas market sampling local food and products, as looking through the racks of vintage clothing stalls. Next was a walk through Stokes Croft (the ‘culture quarter’) and checked out the Zeitgiest movement (international campaign for peace, environmental and social justice) at the community interest company Coexist.  

I really enjoyed Stokey’s independent shops, cafes and bars.  Though not sure how long that might last with the Stokes Croft’s Republic recently losing its battle to stop  Tesco’s moving in to town.

On Saturday the highlight was a trip down to the to The Croft. Great sound system  playing world music and reggae.  But best bit was a diamond band find  – Undercover Hippy. ’ Why Do We Fight’ and ‘Prisoners of conscious’ you’ve got to hear (though you might not get to as I can’t find either on their MySpace page but still worth checking out).

‘The Art of Democracy’  exhibition exploring …guess what ..democracy at  the Bristol Gallery on Millenium Promenade showcasing paintings, documentaries and sculpture was a pretty good way to spend time.

On Sunday a visit to Clifton Village to check out  Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s first major commission  – the  Clifton suspension bridge.  The village is beautiful. With large stone houses reflecting old and new wealth you almost expect Jane Austen to ride past in a carriage or Jordan in a Porsche.

Walking over the bridge I pondered on the wealth of the area and remembered  Bristol had made much of its wealth – through the slave trade.  Not to something to be forgotten.

I think I’ll stop there …before I lose my giggle again.

No excuses for not taking action on climate change

So the science was wrong .  Apparently. Climate change may not exist the sceptics tell us.  Climate change data has taken a bashing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  has announced the establishment of an independent panel to review its procedures and investigations continues on other data from the University of East Anglia.   It’s understandable that questions are being asked  but lets face it – climate change hasn’t stopped. In the New York Times, Al Gore mentioned that in a way it would be great if climate change wasn’t happening. If we could all heave a sigh of relief and get on with what ever it is we usually do. But we can’t.  There is still a responsibility to take action on climate change.  I see it like this.

I tell my young daughter not to go too close to the pond in the park . The concern is that she might fall in. Then again she might not fall in.   But I don’t know how it’s going to turn out and I’m not going to  watch as her feet edge perilously near the water (even though she’s taking swimming lessons  she’s not quite there yet ). The point is taking action to stop something from happening  is precautionary and its wise.

Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that climate change is already having an impact on the poorest and most vulnerable people around the world, many of whom are women and children.  Global warming caused by humans is continuing at an alarming pace. The UK Met Office, amongst others, have found evidence that the rise in temperature  caused by human activity has increased.

Which is why this week’s announcement of the refreshed  Third Sector Climate Change Declaration and supporting website ‘Just Act’ along with the launch of  the ‘Shaping Our Future‘ report creates a platform for charities, non governmental organisations and community groups  to act on climate change and social justice regardless.

The  ‘new’ Declaration has been called ‘punchy’ and it’s definitely a shorter read than the last version (though I still didn’t manage to make the title any shorter).  It continues to provide a point for collective and individual action. What’s really exciting is that the Declaration is evolving. It isn’t  a dry paper commitment.  With its new supporting website ‘Just Act’ it will provide resources and materials that help organisations and voluntary groups signing up to it.  Just Act is  soon to be  on a computer screen near you  - it goes live in early April.

As a member of the joint ministerial and third sector  Task Force that put the ‘Shaping the Future’ report together I know it’s not going to set the world alight.  But chairing the Task Force’s working group on communities and climate change made it only too clear that the community and third sector has a key role in supporting community climate change action that meets people’s social, economic and environmental concerns. That’s why Capacity Global along with ACRE and bassac have made a public commitment to challenge national third sector networks to  promote joined up action with the communities and members they work with. These type of commitments along with the hundreds of diverse organisations plus  four government departments that already support the Declaration get the ball rolling .

Critical evaluation of data and transparency is part and parcel of good science.  But doing nothing about climate change mustn’t be part and parcel of the Sector’s historical and progressive role in supporting people and planet. There are no excuses for doing nothing.