We did the following thought experiment: we replaced the word growth or economic growth with peace in excerpts from statutes and statements from some main global organisations. Take a look. Is it in improvement? Maybe you agree with us that Peace is the thing we need to focus on! Continue reading
Fiscal Reform
Looking back on 2017 – A Peace Economics perspective
2017 saw the publication of Doughnut Economics- a model for keeping within planetary boundaries AND meeting social needs. Keeping within boundaries requires practices to go from extractive to regenerative. We share links on doughnut economics, reflect that it is 150 years since the publication of Capital volume 1 by Karl Marx, and offer our observation that signals we are detecting show that peace wanted to make a come-back, going hand in hand with regenerative economic approaches. Popping up in different places, the awareness seemed to be growing of the good sense in designing economic policies that incentivize taking care of Earth and putting peace first. Indeed, Doughnut economics, by insisting economics must remove suffering, and other signals on the importance of restoring land to support livelihoods not industrial practices all point towards peace economics. Continue reading
A Business Plan for Peace
Scilla Elworthy has written a book for all those who want to step out of helplessness and apply their own personal skills to do something about the challenges now facing us. Scilla Elworthy has written the first ever business plan for peace, based on 40 years of pioneering initiatives in the transformation of conflict. Detailing 25 viable methods on international, national and local levels, the book demonstrates that war can be prevented worldwide over a period of 10 years for less than 2 billion dollars. The final chapters present the kind of actions that anyone can take: 10 that can be undertaken locally, 14 nationally and 7 actions to take internationally.
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Environmental Fiscal Reform urgent if we are to build solid platform for peace
The topic of OECD policy discussions since the early 2000s, EFR, Environmental Fiscal Reform – a shift in economic policies to incentivize businesses to stay within ecological boundaries – is even more valid today in 2017.
Recent events point to the urgent need for reform: carbon emissions are on the rise; pollution is the biggest killer, the Paris Agreement is far from within reach and the nitrogen cycle is so badly broken that accumulated nitrates in rock threaten water supplies and aquatic environments. A societal system that exposes its citizens to these threats undermines the security that is a foundation stone of a culture of peace. Continue reading