sustainable energy debate 2008

in association with
North East Forum for Climate Change Research (NEFCC)
7.30pm, Tuesday, 7^th October 2008

Lecture Theatre CCE1-401 (TLT)
Newcastle Business School
University of Northumbria at Newcastle

Featuring:
Jim Skea, Research Director, UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC)
Dermot Roddy, Sir Joseph Swan Institute for Energy Research
Kate Theobald, Sustainable Cities Research Institute

Chair:
Prof Lynn Dobbs, Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Northumbria University

In the context of both mounting anxiety over climate change and predictions that the worldwide peak of hydrocarbon production will occur before 2021, the North East is striving to become a global leader in the shift to a low-carbon energy economy. Such transitions typically span decades - energy infrastructure takes years to develop and new energy technologies are likely to take time to mature. So, what are the prospects of seeing a widespread transition to a sustainable energy economy? What are the barriers? What will be the main drivers of change? How might the UK’s energy mix evolve over the next 40 years? And what of demand management? What obligations do we have as citizen-consumers?

Come along, hear the arguments and have your say

To reserve a place email:

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sustainable consumption debate

in association with
North East Forum for Climate Change Research (NEFCC)
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Date to be announced

with:
Tim Jackson, University of Surrey
Simin Davoudi, Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability

Since the 1970s, when environmentalism first emerged as a distinct school of thought, the environmental impacts of our daily consumption have become increasingly politicised. First, the politics of consumption, as propagated by expensive communication campaigns, were, according to Martens & Spaargaren (2005), largely driven by “moral appeals for critical and ‘correct’ consumption behaviour.” In the 1980s, the focus was primarily on limiting consumption levels as opposed to finding alternatives to inefficient systems of production and consumption, revealing a reluctance to intervene. Crucially, though, our understanding of consumption was, and in many ways continues to be, framed by notions of consumer sovereignty. The prevailing idea is that citizen-consumers are rational actors who should not be held responsible for issues arising from the ‘treadmill of production’. Citizen-consumers, as a result, are often considered beyond the reach of most policy instruments. According to Rifkin (2002), however, we as citizen-consumers are active agents in the reproduction of the basic institutions (e.g. industry, producers and retailers) that govern our daily lives, and therefore play a key role in sustaining harmful practices and processes. So, to what extent should government intervene in our daily lives? What of our own moral obligation? How should a new politics of consumption reconcile these forces?

Come along, hear the arguments and have your say

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The Great Debate: Developing World Challenges
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Newcastle University

Sponsored by
Economic and Social Research Council and Newcastle University

One day workshop organised by The Great Debate and WORLDwrite. Workshop focusing on two new documentaries made by Chew On It Productions: I'm A Subsistence Farmer... Get Me Out Of Here! explores the fact that whilst Westerners celebrate nature and complain about consumer lifestyles, many in the developing world yearn for the comforts of modernity. Keeping Africa Small examines Western NGO practices in Africa: However well meaning they may be, NGO programmes often annoy everyone from fishermen to shanty town inhabitants.

This challenging, exciting event examined the issues raised by the films and provided an opportunity to learn about documentary making. In session 1 the crew who made the documentaries shared tips on no to low budget broadcast quality production, discussing how and why they made the films. Sessions 2 and 3 opened with a showing of a half hour documentary followed by a debate. A panel including one of the film makers discussed issues raised by the film and the audience given plenty of opportunity to ask questions and make points from the floor.

Speakers
Ceri Dingle, Director of WORLDwrite and Chew on it Productions
Viv Regan, Producer, WORLDwrite and Chew on it Productions
Kim Tan, Campaigns Officer for Oxfam UK
Barry K.Gills, Professor of Global Politics, Newcastle University
John Gowing, Reader in Agricultural Water Management, Newcastle University
Bill Colwell, Atlantic Pictures
Hilaire Agnama, Development Education Worker

Click Here for full details of event
Click here for edited video of Keeping Africa Small debate
Click here for edited video of I'm a Subsistence Farmer ... Get Me Out of Here! debate

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