“ alliance... issue spring 04 7 “Pathetic. Truly Pathetic” “If we are to learn to “I want to make it clear live sustainably on the that if Bush is re-elected, single planet we share, people around the we each need to try world should expect harder to understand no environmental TRACK each other” leadership from the US” INSIDE 4 10 12 ALL IN THE SAME BOAT what the US/Europe relationship means for the environment John Ashton Prashant Vaze Dr Brent Blackwelder Chris Rose TRACK INSIDE The quarterly magazine of Green Alliance Edited by Sarah Flood Designed by Carruthers and Hobbs comment Printed by Seacourt Press Ltd  April 2004 Green Alliance All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Green Alliance. Within the UK, exceptions are allowed Ben Shaw in respect of any fair dealing for the purposes of private research or study, or criticism or review, head of strategy as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patent Act, 1988, or in the case of reprographic Britain, as the old saying goes, is just the same as America only ten years reproduction in accordance with the terms of the licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. behind. If there is any truth in this, it is a deeply worrying prospect for the future of the UK environment. The thought of a future UK government taking as destructive and self-interested a stance on international Produced with support from the Esmée Fairbairn environmental negotiations as the Bush administration has is alarming Foundation and Defra's Environmental Action Fund. to say the least.

If this is the nightmare vision there are positive alternatives that can be drawn upon at the state, city and company level, that go beyond the best of what is happening in the UK and Europe.

Whether the lessons are good and bad, one thing is sure, the US continues to exert influence over environmental outcomes in the UK, Europe, and globally. With this in mind, our aim must be how we can get the best from our relationship with the US.

In this edition of Inside Track we delve behind some of the knee-jerk reactions to the US. John Ashton convinces us that better understanding of the cultural differences between the US and Europe is essential to move the environmental debate forward. In the US election year, Dr Brent Blackwelder, tells us what to expect post-election. Fresh back from the US state department’s visitor programme, Prashant Vaze gives us his contents observations on the fragmented nature of US policy. And finally, Chris Rose reflects on political and social trends in the US and what these comment 2 could mean for NGO and political strategies on both sides of the Atlantic. green alliance news 3 Back at Green Alliance there is no shortage of activity. Recent highlights Europes Mars mission John Ashton 8 include a speech by the Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy; and new projects on the private finance initiative, and childrens’ environments. sustainable development and environment policy in the USA Parshant Vaze 10 a bushed environment Dr Brent Blackwelder 12 changing times, changing strategies Chris Rose 14

The views of contributors are not necessarily those of Green Alliance.

Cover: Illustration by Victoria Wainwright for Tall Stories Theatre Company’s production of The Owl and the Pussycat building sustainability the potential of the Private Finance Initiative

Green Alliance has begun new research, looking at how the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) could best address environmental and social issues.

The UK government is investing billions of pounds in public services with new hospitals, schools and other public buildings springing up all around the country. With much of this investment being carried out through long- putting children in term PFI contracts with private developers, there is the opportunity to require the highest standards of design for environmental sustainability. the picture Where this means more natural light, ventilation and comfort, this can also With child poverty rising up the political make for a better education or healthcare experience. However, despite this agenda and the tabloids full of scare potential, there are few examples of sustainability best practice in PFI. stories on child obesity, concern about the well-being of children has never Green Alliance is exploring the reasons for the current lack of sustainability been higher. In response to the Lord considerations in PFI. We are interviewing key players involved in the PFI Laming inquiry into the death of Victoria process, from central government to public sector clients and developers, Climbié, the Government has introduced to understand the barriers to sustainability in PFI, and the ways forward, a Children’s Bill to Parliament, which to ensure that future PFI projects maximise their sustainability potential. amongst other things will establish a Children’s Commissioner to put the We hope to publish our findings in May 2003. In the meantime, please views and interests at the heart of contact Joanna Collins for more information. [email protected] policy-making and national debate. We are very grateful to AWG for their support of this project. As powerful symbols of the future, children remind us of our obligation to protect the environment to meet the needs of future generations, a concept show us the money that is weaved into the most widely- used definition of sustainable As departments gear up to submit their draft bids for the Spending Round development. Or, as John Gummer more to the Treasury, Green Alliance is making the case for green spending. memorably put it, “Not cheating on our In contrast to previous Spending Rounds the government has little room children”. Despite this, policy on for manoeuvre meaning that smaller departments, like Defra, are having children remains only loosely connected to fight every inch of the way to hold onto their budgets. Green Alliance to thinking on sustainable has an important role in strengthening the environmental aspects of development. departments’ spending bids and working closely with the Treasury to ensure that the green voice is heard. The irony is that many of the issues which affect the life opportunities of Concentrating on influencing the detailed composition of departmental children - for example, road safety, spending bids, we launched a report in November showing the cost of health, food safety, access to safe delivering existing government targets on five key areas: energy, waste, outdoor environments for play and agriculture, and marine. This work has been well received by exercise - would benefit from a more officials, advisers and Ministers in both the spending departments and explicit link between environmental the Treasury. and children’s policy. That is why Green Alliance and DEMOS are running a From the end of April, the process moves to the high level negotiation project to look at what the environment between Ministers and the Treasury that will ultimately determine the final means to children from their decisions in July. Together with the other green groups, Green Alliance will perspective. We are holding a series focus on the key priority issues for the environment. For example, we will of interviews with 9-11 year olds and push for the Department for Transport to be brought into the Public Service their parents and will produce a short Agreement target on , currently shared by Defra and the DTI, film, as a way of including children’s and for the extra money needed to deliver the step-changes in energy and voices directly in the dissemination waste policy sought by the government. of the project. The findings, including the film and final report, will be For more information on this work please contact Guy Thompson launched at the end of May 2004. [email protected] “3 new report from Green Alliance delivering resource what price productivity: the service solution our planet? Green Alliance has been looking Charles Kennedy, addressing a Green Alliance audience, at business models that have less environmental impact. Over the past boldly attacked the government’s environmental record year, we have focused on how and set out the Liberal Democrat’s alternative vision companies can move away from selling increasing volumes of product to make during his second major environment speech in March. profits. We have been examining how “Pathetic. Truly Pathetic.” was Charles Kennedy’s assessment of the the service model – for example selling government’s progress on renewable energy, at an event hosted by Green a painting service instead of pots of Alliance, WWF, and RSPB. paint – can achieve a more efficient use of resources and less environmental Press coverage of the event focused on his proposal to replace passenger impact. airport departure taxes with a duty on flights to promote more efficient aeroplane use, as part of what he called a new ‘environment incentive The findings from this work are mechanism’ across all areas of policy. This published in a new report, Delivering would be “not about taxing more, but taxing Resource Productivity: The service differently, and intelligently”. solution. It focuses on two sectors where the service model is already Green Alliance Director Guy Thompson cited being used by companies, chemicals variable charging for household waste as and energy. And one sector, agriculture, another policy that the Liberal Democrats where there is potential to successfully should champion. This would entail taking the waste charge out of council employ the service model approach. tax, and replacing it with a variable charge as an incentive for , Case studies illustrate how the service making householders a far more active part of the solution. model is being used in the UK, for Chemical Management Services and ‘Demand’ and ‘management’ were two words that Kennedy did not appear Energy Services. afraid to bring together. This is crucial as consumers will often plump for the cheapest thing going but, as citizens, they expect government to ensure The report outlines the major economic that consumption choices do not jeopardise the planet or their own health. and environmental benefits of the It is up to government to make prices reflect the true social costs of model, and the barriers to its wider environmental damage, in the way that, for instance, energy and water uptake. We recommend how the markets are regulated. government can support further development of the service model in Charles Kennedy proposed bringing environment back to the heart of policy- the UK, through regulatory and fiscal making with a new Department of the Environment, Energy and Transport. mechanisms and broader policy But it is actually on another key portfolio, planning, that the Liberal initiatives. Democrats are in the strongest position to act, using their leverage at local level. As Kennedy said, much of the environmental agenda “is about local Delivering Resource Productivity: planning decisions, taken by local people, in local town halls”. Before his The service solution is available speech, Kennedy had fitted in a trip to the inspirational zero energy BedZed to download free of charge from development in Sutton. But BedZed has stood alone too long. The Liberal www.green-alliance.org.uk Democrats need to be supporting zero energy developments in all their constituencies, especially the proposed HarrowZED where they have the casting vote. As Kennedy himself said, governments at all levels need to be “willing to take tough decisions at home”.

Green Alliance will be working closely with the Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet as they develop their environmental policies in the lead up to the General Election next year.

“4 The speech is available to download from www.green-alliance.org.uk get a grip a get to time to take forward commitments it made simplify and misrepresent the reasons at the World Summit on Sustainable people consume. Sociological and Development. In the broader public psychological analyses provide a very debate hardly a week goes by without different picture of consumer a new report in the media highlighting motivations. People base their that we may be richer than we have consumption decisions on a wide range ever been but we are not any happier. of factors, not just price. These include To continue the pub metaphor are we meeting basic needs, consuming out of suffering a hangover from too much habit, to demonstrate status, and to consumption? give construct meaning in their lives amongst others. While consumption may be being talked about more publicly it is far from Policy-makers need to respond to this clear what we can actually do about the more complex picture of consumption problems it creates. Green Alliance’s and systems of consumption. It is not seminar series Getting to grips with enough to alter prices through taxes, consumption, has been wrestling with setting standards through regulation these issues. and providing better information to consumers although these are Why focus on consumption? was the important. Our final seminar in the question posed at the first seminar series will discuss the nature of these in December. There is the obvious responses and how the sustainable problem of environmental impacts and consumption agenda can be taken the fact that in many cases technology forward. The outcome of these seminar isn’t keeping up with increasing discussions will be published as a demand, but there is a broader range of short report in May. issues. First, increasing consumption doesn’t seem to be making us any For more information on this work happier. Second, there is an increasing please contact Ben Shaw For better or worse we live in a society gulf between the have and the have- [email protected] dominated by consumption. The nots, both within the UK and environmental movement has always internationally, which is socially This project is supported by the ESRC had a hard time with the concept of divisive and drives a pressure to Sustainable Technologies Programme consumption. Telling people to consume. Third, the consumer mindset and Defra. consume less when you live in a undermines people acting as public- consumer society is akin to going into a spirited citizens and governments’ pub on a busy Friday evening and ability to act in the public interest. exhorting everyone to drink less, it doesn’t meet with much success. Consumption isn’t just a problem for Politicians realise this and have been the environment movement. Similar reticent to do anything about issues arise in debates on food and consumption. Indeed for most political obesity, alcohol abuse and pension parties increasing consumption is one provision, for example. These hinge of their main objectives. This tension on the issue of what is an appropriate between environmentalists’ focus on level of state intervention in decisions the environmental impact of which are typically considered to be consumption and politicians’ focus on private, but ones in which the state the benefits it provides has led to a often picks up the bill in terms of ill policy debate focused on getting more health or welfare benefits. from less, not having less. Talk of reducing consumption has generally These issues were discussed at a been considered beyond the pale. second seminar, Getting under the skin of the consumer, in March. Policy Yet dealing with consumption is moving responses to consumption are based up the agenda. The government on simple models of the consumer as produced a Framework for Sustainable being rational, welfare maximising, Consumption and Production last year well-informed and so on. These

“5 generating opportunities

Micro-generation technologies have the potential to developers, planners and micro-generation experts on the transform patterns of energy use and help meet climate latest government thinking. There was long-awaited, clear change targets legal guidance from ODPM that local authorities may follow in the footsteps of Merton Borough Council and require on- Climate change concern is alive and kicking but it isn’t being site energy generation in large new developments without related to home energy use. fear of a legal challenge from developers.

One answer is to get the buildings we live in clad in Encouragingly, leading developers at the seminar were micro-generation technologies. There is nothing like urban positive about the rising tide of interest in micro-generation. renewables to help close the gap in people’s minds between Countryside Properties and Taylor Woodrow, having the origins and impacts of energy and the way they use pioneered some of the best practice schemes around today, energy themselves. The incentive to try to only use free such as Greenwich Millennium Village, and the Earth Centre energy generated on-site is not to be sniffed at. Planning in Doncaster, could be well placed to gain market advantage and regulating for new homes capable of generating their from a raised regulatory floor on sustainable construction. own sustainable energy could be a key part of the government’s climate change leadership agenda, beating The government’s Sustainable Communities Plan will see traditional public education campaigns for relevance and 90,000 new homes built in the Thames Gateway region immediacy in people’s lives. alone. This is a unique opportunity to build in micro- generation on a huge scale, and Green Alliance is working To clarify what role planning and building regulations could to ensure that this is not overlooked. play in promoting micro-generation Green Alliance convened a high-level seminar earlier this year. From the Office of the For more information on this work please contact Deputy Prime Minister, the leads on planning policy and Joanna Collins building regulations updated the assembled architects, [email protected]

what price clean water?

Water bills pay for a lot more than safe, clean drinking water. This time around, there are some real challenges to grapple It is also the responsibility of water companies to make sure with. It’s widely accepted that prices need to rise, in part to that rivers, lakes, seas and wetlands are protected and their pay for a huge backlog in maintenance of the water supply environments are improved. But how much should we pay? network. But significant environmental improvements must There’s much that needs to be done, but as pockets are not be made, too, looking ahead to the implementation of the bottomless, protracted negotiations take place every five EU’s Water Framework Directive. This requires a much more years, known as the ‘periodic review of water pricing’ to set holistic approach to water resources, based on ‘catchment the level. management’, looking at water management in a whole ecosystem, rather than relying on end-of-pipe mitigation. The Periodic Review is a long, complex dance of negotiation between water companies, the environment minister, Ofwat It is encouraging that companies like United Utilities and – the water regulator – and interest groups representing Northumbrian Water have included, in their plans for this consumers and the environment. Its aim is a tricky balancing Review, trial catchment management schemes which act to allow companies to invest in essential maintenance anticipate the EU legislation. But, like other companies, and environmental improvement, whilst ensuring a fair deal they can only invest in the environment if they have the for customers. This January, just before the environment resources to do so. As the Review process ploughs on minister issued guidance on the process, Green Alliance through 2004, it will become clearer whether the held a high-level seminar, with representatives from all government will bite the bullet and agree. these groups. With thanks to United Utilities, sponsors of this work. “6 a chilling tale turned heart warming story How a home health visit can turn an unhealthy cold home into a beacon of energy efficiency

Anybody working in the front line of the NHS, and the energy efficiency Newcastle, New Forest, and four health and social care could give a first charity National Energy Action (NEA). London boroughs. To date, over 6,200 hand account of the link between poor key health professionals have been housing and ill health. The scheme operates by training NHS trained to spot the signs of poorly or community based staff to actively heated and insulated, and damp Fortunately, partnerships between identify unhealthy cold houses whilst homes, and almost 6,100 referrals those connected to housing and health on home visits. Those homes are then have been made to improve the living are providing a sustainable solution. referred back to HTW who facilitate conditions of their clients. urgent heating and insulation measures, and help to access grant aid Phil Kear, npower’s Head of Energy to finance it. For those not eligible for Services and Social Action concludes financial aid or Warm Front grants, an “Health Through Warmth is about npower crisis fund exists to catch them. delivering real action, quickly, and where it is really needed...this is Started as a pilot scheme in the West possible only by our great Midlands in 2000, HTW has expanded partnerships. No one organisation has to health authorities across the UK all the skills and expertise required One such partnership that has helped including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, to deliver all that is needed.” to deliver real benefits to around 3,500 Staffordshire, Dudley, Herefordshire, homes, so far, is called npower Health Kent, Glamorgan, Wrexham, East Riding npower, part of RWE Innogy, are Through Warmth (HTW), an innovative of Yorkshire, Middlesbrough, Leicester, members of Green Alliance’s corporate scheme from energy supplier npower, Wiltshire, Merseyside, Portsmouth, support scheme

case study – warmer home, cheaper bills the chilling facts In June 2003, 83 year old, Mr Wetton was referred • In a cold winter over 46,000 to npower HTW by a health visitor. He was finding people die from cold and damp his solid fuel central heating system expensive to related illnesses run, and due to his arthritis extremely hard work, • 750,000 older people in the UK bringing in the coal. With a lack of insulation his are estimated to be at risk from home still felt cold despite the expensive bills. hypothermia each winter • The NHS spends £1 billion per Thanks to the Health through Warmth partnership he has now had a hot annum treating cold and damp water tank jacket, draught proofing, loft insulation, low energy light bulbs related illnesses and a replacement gas central heating system installed. • Many people cannot afford to heat their homes to “What a great christmas present we had. It was costing us over £90 a recommended temperatures month in coal, and we weren’t warm then. We didn’t know there was such during colder months help available. You don’t like to ask, we were bought up that unless you • Housing which is not energy can afford it you don’t have it, whatever that means to your life/health.” efficient costs more to heat Mr Wetton

“7 Europe’s Mars mission Get used to it: Europeans and Americans are both from Earth

involved in deciding them. From these In the US, policy proceeds by roots, the letter of the law is everything. legislation. Every detail must be elaborated in law. This is driven not by In Europe - whether in common law or political parties but by individual Napoleonic jurisdictions - the law has politicians, who pull together evolved organically, woven out of a constantly shifting coalitions according richer tapestry of custom and practice. to the latest wind direction on Capitol It is a matter of interpretation as well Hill or its local counterparts. Political as code. Discretion to interpret the law parties are loose associations, only John Ashton signals comes with the job for courts and coming together fully to secure the administrators. A stronger sense of the election of preferred candidates to how to open constructive underlying purpose of laws guides their public office. dialogue with the US application. In Europe, the spirit of the law can matter more than its letter. The budgets required to carry out on environment policy are themselves subject to The EU is thus happy to subject its separate legislation. Policies already The current dysfunctional state choices on biosafety or hazardous legislated for are often reopened in of transatlantic dealings on the chemicals to the legally indeterminate subsequent line by line budgetary environment has deep cultural roots. precautionary principle. When US warfare. No one should imagine that Europe negotiators object, that is not and America will stop talking past each necessarily because they are in the In Europe, political parties are policy- other on issues from climate change grip of corporations with a disregard forming engines. Coalitions are to GMOs and the role of international for those at environmental risk. Rather, assembled not around individual lines institutions simply because of a change it is culturally more difficult for in a piece of legislation but around in US Administration. Americans to accept binding policies and programmes. Only the commitments without precise rules goals and broad budgetary framework The rule of law is fundamental on both covering every circumstance in which of policy have to be enshrined in law. sides of the Atlantic. But it operates in they might be applied. Implementation is part of the different ways. In the US, law is administrative process, including explicit. It must include provision for There are other differences between detailed spending allocations. every circumstance. There is little the cultural baggage we carry into discretion to interpret the law, even if international conversations. Public trust is also allocated differently its rigid application leads to absurdity. across the Atlantic. NGOs are less US political culture is adversarial. There trusted in the US than in Europe. The The law is embedded in the founding has been no shared vision of US public is more likely in the US than in experience of modern America: as society since Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Europe to believe what it is told by settlers streamed westward, departing middle ground is less crowded than in government or corporations. In Europe, wagon trains would agree their own Europe. Where the EU consults NGOs have more credibility than either, constitutions to govern their affairs stakeholders to the clink of coffee and are correspondingly more on the journey. There were no rules cups, the US holds hearings under the important in building legitimacy for any already in place, so everyone got gavel. course of action. “8 It is hard to agree on what to do innovate. It needs to span six climate action or the value of a stable without some common understanding dimensions: not only technological but climate: the goal is the same in either of what science says about the nature also legal, social, financial, case, but the latter is likely to be more of the problem. In Europe the science institutional, and cultural. What we productive with the US, where the EU underlying policy choices remains less have learned over the last generation is is too easily criticised for its moralising politicised than in the US, where that it is not enough to drive change tone. That is not a comment on whether debate over the substance is more separately in each sphere. We need an or not the US is less moral than the likely to degenerate into attacks on the integrated approach, recognising that EU. The point is simply that we need personal integrity of individual the outcomes we seek, like the a language of engagement that will scientists. problems we are trying to address, get us closer to the outcomes we want. themselves reflect the combined effect In the US, the environment is on the of what happens in each dimension. Second, much of the environmental political front line. It is part of the debate can be expressed in terms of contest between conflicting views of the need to channel investment in new national identity, inseparable from “We will not break out directions. If international treaties do arguments about states’ rights, not provide a stimulus for this, there is sovereignty, and wilderness. In Europe, of the crisis unless we little point in wasting time arguing there is a broad consensus on the can turn sustainable about them. Climate policy can environment, and debate is conducted certainly be couched as an investment at a less iconic level. development into a proposition. A transatlantic dialogue of that kind is more likely than the current Why worry about these differences? common purpose...” one to shift US investment in the right direction. The effort to build an international framework for sustainable development Innovation of this ambition is beyond Third, we need to connect better with is in crisis. The agenda has been clear the scope of any single country – even the anxieties that drive policy in the for a generation. But on all the big a global hegemon – or region. It is US. Currently the most powerful driver issues of the global commons - climate, in Europe and North America that is security. That is what persuaded ecosystems, freshwater, soil, oceans, the necessary capacity is currently Congress to approve expenditure in fisheries - we are no closer to the concentrated. But it will not be 2003-04 of $160 billion for Iraq and outcomes we need. released unless the EU and the US Afghanistan alone. The basic condition can stop defining themselves by how for security in the 21st century will be We will not break out of the crisis different they are from each other. sustainable development,but the EU unless we can turn sustainable needs to make that case more development into a common purpose Here are five things the EU can do for eloquently. Senator Lugar, the powerful powerful enough to harness the a start. Republican Chair of the Senate Foreign combined resources available on each Relations Committee is now calling for side of the Atlantic. First, we should redirect the thrust a new commitment of US civilian of our environmental politics, from resources for nation-building in failed The key requirement for sustainable sacrifice to benefit, from “gives” to states. Europe should tap into that development is the capacity to “gets”. We can debate the cost of impulse. “9 Fourth, we should remember that the US commentator Robert Kagan US is not the same as its characterised Europeans and Administration. There is no more Americans as “two peoples living multifaceted society on the planet. on separate strategic and ideological There are many forces that can be planets” with Americans on Mars and mobilised beyond the Administration, Europeans on Venus. In terms of from powerful States like California, to politics, culture and values that is multinational companies and a grotesque and misleading caricature. professional associations. Europe must For the environment, the notion is a learn to engage them. luxury we cannot afford. But if we are to learn to live sustainably on the Fifth, we need Europe’s strengths single planet we share, we each need to be better understood in the US. to try harder to understand each other. Many there have never got beyond Kissinger’s question: who do I call if John Ashton is Cofounder and CEO of I want to speak to Europe? But that is E3G: Third Generation the point. The EU is the world’s most Environmentalism. advanced experiment in sharing sovereignty while maintaining diversity. That achievement, and its significance for dealing with the stresses of a globalising world, would resonate much more strongly in the US if we explained it better.

sustainable development and environment policy in the USA

Environmental policy-making in the There is fragmentation vertically US is much more fragmented than too, where swathes of environmental in the UK. Legislation is proposed and issues are totally outside the federal drafted by Congress, rather than the government’s mandate. Federal administration. Congress also decides government’s main powers arise from: how much money should be directly owning land (national parks, appropriated for each programme. forests and wilderness); from issues To become law, drafted legislation that effect interstate commerce like has to be agreed by both houses acid rain; and through providing Just back from a visit of Congress and approved by the matching funds for state spending, President. The system is set up, as for instance on interstate roads. with the US government, far as possible, to avoid making new State governments set up and enforce Prashant Vaze gives laws. It gives rise to ‘pork barrel’ (federally agreed) standards, compromises; where arms have to be energy policy and transport. County us an insight into the twisted and sweeteners introduced to and city governments decide battlegrounds for US ensure smooth passage of legislation. ordinances on planning, waste disposal The controversial Clean Air Act took and provide infrastructure like local environment policy 13 years to clear all these hurdles. roads and sewage lines, with very little control or guidance from above. “10 This has the positive effect that policy- business than Europeans, and less millions to create a high quality habitat making is closer to the people, and trustful of government. US citizens’ for birds to ‘compensate nature’ for its more experimental. A toxic emissions support for GM seems to reflect their own activities. In many cases these inventory, that publishes the amount affront at the notion companies would individual initiatives are world class. of pollution emitted by each regulated wilfully release damaging foods into plant, has played an important role the marketplace. On the flip side, It will be interesting to see how much in ensuring that water and air quality citizens’ impatience with bureaucracy will be made of environment issues in standards have improved. Set up in has resulted in local government being the Presidential election later this year. New Jersey it was later copied by the cautious in proposing any new spend. In January’s State of the Union speech federal Environment Protection Agency In some matters government seemed the President made no mention of the (EPA), and then by the UK’s own overly defensive, afraid of judicial environment, his aides no doubt Environment Agency. In California, challenge by environmentalists and assessing that this was an issue his the proposed, tougher than federally business. In Atlanta the road authority campaign should stay clear of. mandated, exhaust pipe emissions has spent $7.5 million on defensive The democrat candidate John Kerry standards have spurred on innovations transport studies to avoid legal action is positioning himself as a staunch like improved catalysts and from environmentalists. defender of the environment, willing reformulations of fuel which have been for instance to “re-engage in the copied the world over. One cannot avoid being staggered development of an international by the size and resources of the US climate change strategy”. But the The fragmentation can cause Government. Despite the rhetoric about big picture is that the substantial difficulties for public sector services low taxes and low public spending, the environmental challenges facing the that need to be joined-up, like public sector is a mighty 35 per cent US, on transport, waste, energy transport and development. Greater of the economy compared to our own infrastructure, are going to be fought Atlanta, with a population of over four 42 per cent, all the more remarkable at the local and state level and will million, has a two line subway system considering the limited public arise from the still muted local and several un- involvement demands. coordinated bus in the two services, because “Many businesses, big spenders: Prashant Vaze is an economist working the 28 counties health and in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. were unable to NGOs and, to a lesser social security. In January he participated in the US agree the routing extent, governments The EPA has a State Department's International and financing of staff of 18,000 Visitor (IV) Programme. The IV a more integrated have a ‘can-do’ and a budget programme has run for over thirty system. In the US, approach to of $7 billion, years and gives staff in Government, most development compared to business, journalism and pressure occurs on environmental our Environment groups an opportunity to visit to the greenfield sites challenges.” Agency’s budget US as part of an international group as counties and of £780 million. of professionals to meet with and learn municipalities are This understates about US policy making. Participants keen to cultivate high-end office the disparity in resources, since much are nominated by the US Embassy. and affluent residential development. water management is undertaken by The concept of brownfield reuse the US Army Corps of Engineers, and (in the US called “smart growth”) states have their own, sometimes is still controversial. Oregon is at substantial, environmental agencies the vanguard of smart growth but (Southern California employs 800 staff manages to direct a measly ten in air quality management) which do per cent of new developments on the grunt work of inspecting brownfield sites. Sprawl in the US is individual sites. a major environmental issue, giving rise to unsustainable transport modes, Many businesses, NGOs and, to a congestion and air quality problems lesser extent, governments have a and there is little prospect that the ‘can-do’ approach to environmental settlement between county and challenges. Local water districts in state administration is capable California are investing hundreds of of addressing it. millions in inventing and developing water conservation and water It’s perhaps an over generalisation, but treatment technologies. A port Americans appear more trustful of big authority in Florida had invested “11 a bushed environment?

Background on US environmental November 2004: policy from Earth Day 1970 A dramatic fork in the road

The future of environmental policy in I want to make it clear that if Bush the US will be dramatically different, is re-elected, people around the world depending upon whether President should expect no environmental Bush is re-elected. A quick review of leadership from the US on crucial the presidencies since 1970 shows global problems like climate change, that environmental progress was made loss of biological diversity, sustainable Having worked under all under two Republican administrations: agriculture, protection of oceans, etc. the US administrations Nixon’s and Bush senior’s and also The Bush administration is mostly under the Carter and Clinton comprised of people who do not since Earth Day, 1970, administrations. The Nixon believe in multilateral treaties like Dr Brent Blackwelder administration, for example, put in those governing endangered species, place major environmental laws like protection of the earth’s ozone layer, tells us what to expect the Clean Air Act, the Endangered or ocean pollution. They believe post-election for Species Act, the Clean Water Act, in unilateral military action and in and the National Environmental safeguarding oil supplies because environmental policy in Policy Act with its requirement for they are intimately and personally the US at a national environmental impact assessments tied to the oil industry. of all governmental actions that have and international level significant ecological effects. We who live in the US will face the prospect of no environmental progress With the Reagan and Bush junior legislatively or through the federal administrations, however, we have agencies. Furthermore, we will likely lost significant ground. As one who see judicial appointments that will has worked with every Administration more and more foreclose the in the US on a non-partisan basis since opportunity of seeking redress in the Earth Day 1970, I can say unequivocally courts. What is likely to occur then, that the Bush administration has been with the three branches of the federal the most opposed to environmental government being essentially closed progress of any since that year. One to public input, is a shift in strategy on figure is particularly telling: Bush has the part of environmental organisations weakened on to consumer and corporate strategies, 500 million acres of public land which as well as greater activity in those is more than the three leading land individual states with receptive conservation Presidents: Teddy governors and legislators. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton, together were able to set aside On the other hand, if Senator Kerry for protection. of Massachusetts is elected president, “12 there is the strong possibility that on the Iraq war, the Bush policies have industries such as timber, mining, the US will play a much more helpful caused an evaporation of the surpluses coal, and oil. The number two person role on international environmental achieved at the end of the Clinton at the Interior Department (Steven problems. Senator Kerry has the administration. What this means for Griles) came straight from representing highest environmental voting record environmental programmes is a drastic the energy companies doing business of any presidential candidate (96 per reduction in the amount of money on the public lands and has violated his cent League of Conservation Voters). available for the Environment recusal agreement and met with former Furthermore, people who care and Protection Agency (EPA), which has clients who now have billions of dollars have proper credentials will be to enforce pollution laws. The proposed at stake in decisions on leasing oil and appointed to agencies with Bush budget for EPA, for the fiscal gas. To date Griles and other environmental responsibilities. year 2005, would give it the second administration officials appear beyond The Bush fox-guarding-the-hen-house biggest reduction of any agency, more the point of embarrassment over approach of placing officials from the than a seven per cent reduction over conflicts of interest. biggest polluting industries in key last year. positions will no longer be the rule Again, the situation is similar in the of the day. Why is Bush destroying area of agriculture and food safety. environmental protections? The beef industry is running the Where the US is headed under Department of Agriculture. Secretary Bush on environmental policy The Bush administration is more Anne Veneman’s chief of staff is the responsive to campaign contributors former lobbyist for the National To understand the Bush administration than any administration I have Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Friends agenda it is helpful to view it in the witnessed over the past 34 years. of the Earth pointed out last October overall context of where Bush intends In the case of energy policy, the Bush that the number of US companies to take the nation. Although he administration convened secret violating our mad cow rules had promised to govern in a moderate meetings of the biggest polluters and almost tripled since April 2002. But bipartisan way, in light of the closeness took their recommendations to craft this administration does not focus of the election in 2000, the reality an energy plan calling for massive new on enforcement of food safety and is that he has advanced an extreme government handouts to oil, coal, and pollution regulations. right-wing agenda in almost every nuclear companies, all of whom had area, except in terms of balancing the handsomely contributed to the Bush When the first mad cow was discovered budget which he conveniently lost presidential campaign. in the US in December, Secretary sight of. In the case of environment, Veneman deceived the public and the ideas of deregulation and Similarly, in the case of public lands assured consumers that beef was safe volunteerism have dominated his such as national forests, parks, wildlife to eat. The incident is reminiscent of approach to pollution, public health, refuges and the like, which amount the scene a decade ago in England and . to about one-third of the total acreage when the agriculture minister appeared in the lower 48 states, Bush has on TV with the assertion that mad Regulations on business are seen to be appointed to the land management cow disease will never jump to people. an evil. When combined with large tax agencies people who have been the The fact that the Bush administration cuts for the very wealthy and spending chief lobbyists for the extractive has tried to cover up this incident will “13 ultimately undermine its credibility As we have attempted over the past in. Bush has accelerated the role of the with the public. three years to discuss with US in polluting the planet and has administration officials their plans systematically attempted through his Evidence free zone to weaken protections for wetlands, Cabinet officers to undo virtually every for safe drinking water, for mercury meaningful environmental standard. The Bush administration has taken levels, etc., they don’t say: “we are a cue on the use of language from not concerned about wetlands or that There will be no need for people to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Recall requirements for mercury or arsenic visit outer space since the Bush that the top pig informs the horse that are too strict and we will just go with administration is creating a veritable all animals are equal but some are the industry recommendation”. Rather Martian landscape in West Virginia via more equal than others. Thus when they vigorously assert: “our plan will its mountain-top-removal coal mining. Bush moves to weaken the Clean Air save more wetlands and get rid of more In contrast, a Kerry administration Act he calls the program ‘clear skies’. mercury than yours.” They operate in would offer hope for re-engagement When he moves to open up more an evidence free zone and then they with the global community on urgent National Forests to logging, he labels employ words to disguise the real environmental matters as well as the plan ‘healthy forests’. The host intent and effect. leading the way for a reduction in US of the Tonight Show Jay Leno was air, water, and toxic emissions. prompted to joke that Bush’s healthy No need to visit outer space forests initiative was actually part of Dr. Brent Blackwelder, is President the clear skies plan: “If you cut down If Bush is re-elected president, the life of Friends of the Earth in the US. all the trees, you get a better view of and vitality of our planet is in serious www.foe.org the skies,” he wryly observed. peril far beyond the jeopardy it is now changing times, changing strategies

Since the ‘9/11’ watershed it’s been Bush shares the instincts of those easy to forget that, until the twin Americans who are psychologically towers were struck, the defining security-driven, conservative, event of the Bush Presidency was xenophobic, and happiest with the rejection of the Kyoto Protocol. continuation of the past, including the use of fossil fuels. We now know that the Bush move didn’t kill Kyoto. In fact it fanned, rather Key Bush strategists are very different: than dampened, international efforts people of vision, neo-conservative Chris Rose explains how to save the climate. Yet, his decision global crusaders, externally focused NGOs need to rethink their could be a sign of political climate on protecting American interests. Terror change and NGOs need to adapt their and oil-dependence are the logical pins approach if they are to strategies accordingly. connecting Bush’s domestic mandate to hegemonic foreign policy. capitalise on the political Two significant political currents came changes seen under the together in America in 2001 and When Bush was elected, this joined a prompted Bush to try and sink Kyoto. second current: the professionalisation Bush Presidency. First, political psychology: a new and corporatisation of politics. While American unilateralism, also expressed this is as important as the move in in US conduct of war. political psychology it is far less discussed by existing political players. “14 Professionalisation means the political the Bush line. These were Dow Corning, Chris Rose is a campaign and dialogue becomes politician-with- Shell Oil, BP Amoco, Colgate-Palmolive, communications consultant, formerly media rather than politician-with- Cartier of New York and Bank of with NGOs such as Greenpeace, Friends people, and in first past the post America. of the Earth and WWF as a campaigner. systems, political offers shrink to the He has just completed a ‘how to’ few deciding issues for a handful of FAB worked to expose fault-lines campaigns book for Earthscan and is swing voters. Other groups and issues between corporations, to help drive working on one about campaigns and just get lip-service, hence NGO issue- politics. FAB was for shoppers, of politics. He has a free campaign based politics flourishes, while trust in whom there will always be millions, planning website aimed at NGOs at politicians spirals down. not protestors or activists. FAB www.campaignstrategy.org and can exploited the global brand market be contacted by email at: Corporatisation means politics to influence politics irrespective of [email protected] connects to business rather than the borders. 9/11 ended FAB’s shopping public or ideas. Governments retreat days. Details of FAB are available at to facilitating commerce and cede www.fabclimate.org delivery to markets. Their role becomes Since then, the Enron collapse and as competing managers of business- growing actions on climate by parks. individual US States, have moderated the Bush Administration’s stance on Politicians rising to government find climate but the fundamentals remain. reward not for public service, now seen The window for another FAB-type as quaint, but through the revolving operation has re-opened. More widely, door of corporate appointment. The if NGOs want to work the new politics rejection of Kyoto revealed the control effectively, they too need to change of US climate policy by Exxon, right with the times. down to the removal of Bob Watson as Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel Key to this is to have transparent on Climate Change. dialogue with companies and consumers, forcing them out as public To fight global warming, NGOs staked players in a political arena where almost everything on the Climate politicians claim the public interest Convention. NGOs relied on is good for business. government action in an era of dwindling government leadership. Campaigners need mechanisms to tip Strategically they have failed to the rewards of markets towards change capitalise on the fact that NGOs, not in the public interest e.g. to speed the professionalised politicians, are now market to switch from fossil fuels to the trusted guardians of the public renewables. interest. Once, this was a practical impossibility Families Against Bush or FAB Climate - products changed too quickly, was set up to use brand war in the communication costs were too high - climate war. FAB Climate created a but the internet has changed that. guided-shopping mechanism to help Business really is running the world, consumers ‘vote’ for or against a brand, and it sets the pace that politicians depending on corporate attitudes to follow. Campaigners should make the Bush stance on Kyoto. Its selective business work for the world. boycott call was designed to unpick the supposed solid business support for Bush. After months of persistent faxing and phoning to companies, and publicity for its red (no buy) and green (buy) shopping baskets in the Wall Street Journal, and on the BBC, FAB, with very limited resources, managed to get six companies with a significant US profile to oppose or dissociate from

“15 Green Alliance is an independent charity. Its mission is to promote sustainable development who’s who by ensuring that the environment is at the heart We are very pleased to announce that Guy Thompson has of decision-making. It works been appointed as Green Alliance’s new director. Guy joins us from Forum for the Future where he was the Principal with senior people in government, Policy Advisor. Prior to that Guy worked as Head of business and the environmental Government Affairs at RSPB. movement to encourage new ideas, Jennie Oldham left Green Alliance in February after three years with us. dialogue and constructive solutions. She has now joined ERM as a consultant in their corporate advisory services. staff We welcome Caroline Read as our new policy officer, and Nasser Yassin director Guy Thompson as Green Globe Network assistant convenor. Caroline has worked over the associate director Rebecca Willis past two years as a policy officer in the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage. Nasser is a PhD student at UCL with experience head of strategy Ben Shaw working in the planning and implementation of development projects in head of policy Joanna Collins Lebanon with both the Lebanese government, UNDP and UNICEF policy officer Caroline Read development co-ordinator Karen Crane After five years, Tony Hams has stood down as Green Alliance chair. Tony has been an invaluable support to Green Alliance through a period of rapid environment and website manager Rachel Butterworth development. He remains as a trustee. membership officer Catherine Pamplin Tony’s successor as chair is Dorothy MacKenzie. Dorothy office manager/ has been a trustee of Green Alliance since 1998. She is PA to the director Paula Hollings Director of Dragon Brands and is a member of business and publications & finance government advisory groups, she also sits on the board of officer Sarah Flood the Design Council. GGN convenor Kate Hampton Professor Adrian Phillips and Andrew Gifford have retired as Trustees of GGN assistant convenor Nasser Yassin Green Alliance. We are very grateful for their help and guidance over the years. Newly appointed trustees are Philip Parker, our new Treasurer, who Contact each staff member at: is Director of Resources at Breakthrough Breast Cancer; Deborah Mattinson, [email protected] joint CEO of Opinion Leader Research; and Alistair Keddie, formerly at the DTI in charge of its sustainable development policy and latterly overseeing programmes adviser the innovation review. to Green Alliance Julie Hill office A big thanks also goes to the following individuals who have given their time volunteering for Green Alliance over the last quarter: Qamer Anwar Rose Baker Daniella Hawkins Errol Walter Green Alliance, 40 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0RE t: 020 7233 7433 f: 020 7233 9033 e: [email protected] members w: www.green-alliance.org.uk Green Alliance welcomes the following individual members: Ms Coralie Abbott Victor Anderson Anna Collar Green Alliance is a registered charity number Stephen Crisp Katie Elliot Lord Norman Foster OM 1045395, company limited by guarantee, registered number 3037633. Philip Merricks Julia Thrift Jane Vaus Errol Walter Nick Wood-Dow

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