Environment
Economy, Environment
Emancipation In The Anthropocene
In 1958 Hannah Arendt published, The Human Condition.(1) At the beginning of this wide-ranging work, Arendt proposes “a reconsideration of the human condition from the vantage point of our newest experiences and our most recent fears.”(2) The major historical event which motivated this study was the launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union and the prospect this technological advance... Read More
Culture, Environment, Social Justice
Balginjirr “A Special Place On Our Home River Country”!
We are pleased to share with you this incredible poem by Dr. Anne Poelina, part of the Green Institute Report ‘Rebalancing Rights: Communities, Corporatations and Nature’. I came home to our river country, our place… our space… today. I stood at your grave site and recall the first night when I came back to my mother’s land, and now I... Read More
Democracy, Environment
Rights Of Nature, Earth Democracy And The Future Of Environmental Governance
This paper formed part of the Green Institute Report ‘Rebalancing Rights: Communities, Corporatations and Nature’. Around the world, people are working hard to protect their local communities and local ecosystems from the destructive impacts of excessive industrial developments. One strategy that is receiving growing attention is changing the legal status of nature from being human property or, at best, a... Read More
Environment
Signing Up For Extinction
“We’re worried that we’re going to see the extinction of [the Swift Parrot] within our careers—before the end of them” 1 Last November, Prime Minister Morrison signed up for extinction. He put his name to the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) through which the Commonwealth devolves environmental responsibility to the states and washes its hands of the outcome. Unless overturned by... Read More
Economy, Environment, Social Justice
Our Power: The Latrobe Valley, Hazelwood, And Our Energy Future
The Latrobe Valley is home to three brown coal mines and four power stations which have provided Victoria with over 80 per cent of its power, every day, for over 90 years. The documentary Our Power traces the footsteps of the Latrobe Valley’s history, starting from the coal community’s birth in the 1920s to the establishment of the State Electricity... Read More
Democracy, Economy, Environment, Social Justice
Green Anti-Immigration Arguments Are A Cover For Right Wing Populism
With the backdrop of dramatic decrease in migration to Australia in 2018 to a 10 year low, the population debate has reared its ugly head. In recent months Dick Smith has run an advertising blitz with the title ‘overpopulation will destroy Australia’ that compares population growth to cancer and recently took stage at Dark + Dangerous Thoughts at Mona arguing... Read More
Economy, Environment, Social Justice
What Would A Fair Energy Transition Look Like?
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten announced last week that a federal Labor government would create a Just Transition Authority to overseee Australia’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This echoes community calls for a “fast and fair” energy transition to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. But disruptive change is already here for Australia’s energy sector. 2018 has been... Read More
Economy, Environment, Social Justice
The Environmental Impacts Of UBI And A Shorter Working Week
Continuing our series on UBI: In this essay, republished from the Green Institute’s ‘Can Less Work Be More Fair?’ discussion paper on Universal Basic Income and a shorter working week, Professor Greg Marston argues that a UBI and shorter working week could play an important role in creating the conditions for a sustainable and equitable ‘good life’. [...]
Democracy, Economy, Environment, Social Justice
The Commons: What, Why And How?
The commons is one of the key ideas that we can make use of in our efforts at developing a postcapitalist politics. In his keynote address at the Green Institute’s Conference, Everything is Connected, in October 2017, Dr Stephen Healy, discusses the what, why and how of commoning. [...]
Read More... from The Commons: What, Why And How?
... Read MoreEnvironment, Social Justice
An Ecological Human Settlement Theory
Responding to Tim Hollo’s article Towards Ecological Democracy Steven Liaros suggests cities as a space in which we can achieve ecological democracy. But doing so will require significant changes to the way we live in urban settlements. Introduction In Towards Ecological Democracy, Tim Hollo calls for the re-framing of the Greens political project around the principle that ‘everything is connected’. He argues... Read More
