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Mother Pelican
A Journal of Sustainable Human Development
Vol. 7, No. 8, August 2011 Luis T. Gutiérrez, Editor
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Tactics for the Transition to Clean Energy
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SUMMARY & OUTLINE
This new page is work in progress. The plan is to build a "one page synthesis" of tactics for the transition to clean energy.
1. Global Citizen Movements & The Widening Circle
2. Education for Sustainable Development
3. "Soft Means" to Advance Public Policy
4. Financial Transaction/Speculation Taxes
5. Shift to Land/Resource Value Taxes
6. Guaranteed Basic Personal Income
7. ISO Standards - 9001, 14001, 26000, 50001, and others
8. Transferring Subsidies from Fossil Fuels to Clean Energy
9. Fostering Clean Energy Technologies
ANALYSIS & SYNTHESIS OF SHORT-TERM TACTICAL INTERDEPENDENCIES
Methods for analysis of short-term tactical interdependencies include precedence diagrams, interdependency matrices, and optimization techniques such as linear programming. Software is readily available to do the number crunching. For example, the following is a block-triangular matrix derived from a square matrix of dependency relations for education and development projects:
The main sequencing of projects is shown down the diagonal. Blocks around the diagonal group projects that are tightly coupled and should be done simultaneously and managed concurrently to minimize costly iterations. Basically, the matrix provides visibility on how to plan and manage projects so as to minimize costly delays. It is critical to update the matrix frequently as requirements change over time.
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To track knowledge evolution, the links within each section are listed in chronological order. To improve the content of this page, please send comments and suggestions to the Editor.
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1. Global Citizen Movements & The Widening Circle
"The term Global Citizens Movement (GCM) refers to a profound shift in values among an aware and engaged citizenry. Transnational corporations, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) remain powerful actors, but all of these are deeply influenced by a coherent, worldwide association of millions of people who call for priority to be placed on new vales of quality of life, human solidarity, and environmental sustainability. It is important to note that the GCM is a socio-political process rather than a political organization or party structure." Global Citizens Movement (GCM), Encyclopedia of Earth, November 2007.
KEY LINKS:
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs>, Peter Willets, UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems, 2006.
- Global Citizens Movement (GCM), Encyclopedia of Earth, November 2007.
- Earth Charter Initiative, ECI, 2009.
- The Widening Circle, TWC, 2011.
- The Access Initiative, TAI, 2011.
- Advancing a Global Citizens Movement, Paul Raskin, Kosmos, Spring-Summer 2011.
A high priority of global citizenship is education, either informally through personal contacts and public means of communication such as the internet, or more formally via programs sponsored by educational institutions.
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2. Education for Sustainable Development
Worldwide education at all levels is crucial tactical requirement. UNESCO has a worldwide program, but universities and other educational institutions must contribute. Needless to say, the family is the best school of sustainable human development.
KEY LINKS:
- UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development. The program includes the following modules:
- Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit, Rosalyn McKeown, July 2002.
- Education for a Sustainable Future Webinar, Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS), 27 November 2007. Also available here.
- Education for Sustainability: K-12 and Teacher Education National Professional Organizations - Part 1, US Partnership, 6 October 2008.
- Education for Sustainability: K-12 and Teacher Education National Professional Organizations - Part 2, US Partnership, 6 October 2008.
- Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, SAGE, March 2007-March 2011.
- Sustainability Education & Economic Development, SEED, 2010-2011.
- Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Society, Second Nature, 2011.
- The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education for K-12 School Systems, Cloud Institute, web site as of 21 July 2011
- The U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development, US Partnership web site as of 25 July 2011.
- International Institute for Sustainable Development, IISD, retrieved 27 July 2011.
- Education for Sustainable Development, ESD, retrieved 27 July 2011.
- Consortium for Education in Renewable Energy Technology, NSF/CERT web site as of 29 July 2011.
ESD best practices should include practical (and operationally tested) means to advance public policy for sustainable development.
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3. "Soft Means" to Advance Public Policy
The so-called "soft means" to advance public policy adhere to the principle of nonviolence and are the methods of choice by "global citizen" organizations.
KEY LINKS:
- Framing of Issues
- How the media frames political issues, Scott London, 1993
- Framing the issues: George Lakoff tells how conservatives use language to dominate politics, Bonnie Azab Powell, UC Berkeley News, 27 October 2003.
- Framing Public Issues, Frameworks Institute, 2004.
- Framing the issues, News Hounds, 23 July 2004.
- Simple Framing: An introduction to framing and its uses in politics, George Lakoff, Rockridge Institute, February 2006.
- Framing effect' influences decisions: Emotions play a role in decision-making when information is too complex, Charles Choi, LiveScience, August 2006.
- Framing of climate issues, IPCC, 2007.
- Framing issues for public deliberation, Kettering Foundation, 25 June 2009.
- Naming and framing difficult issues to make sound decisions, NCDD/Kettering Foundation, 19 August 2009.
- The art of framing, Gisela Dütting and David Sogge, The Broker Online, 1 July 2010.
- Framing of issues, Wikipedia, retrieved 27 July 2011.
- Frame Analysis, Thomas Konig, retrieved 27 July 2011.
- What is issue framing?, WiseGeek, web site as of 31 July 2011.
- Particular data collections and distribution
- Standardization of measurements and classification schemes
- Monitoring of opinion and behavior
- Supporting consciousness raising and opinion formation
- Mutual Learning
- The Analysis of Mutual Learning Processes in the European Employment Strategy, Peter Nedergaard, Copenhagen Business School, April 2005.
- Diffusion of "Best Practices"
- The Role of Professional Engineers in the Diffusion of 'Best Practice' Production Concepts, Chris Smith and Peter Meiksins, Economic & Industrial Democracy, August 1995.
- The practice gap: Barriers to the diffussion of best practices, Center for Organizational Development and Leadership, Rutgers, 1999.
- Diffusion of Innovation, Unite for Sight, 2000.
- Diffusion of Innovation and Best Practice, Plexus Institute, 2001.
- Best Practice: Development and diffusion of conservation agriculture in Ghana, FAO, 2007.
- The Diffusion of Brazil's Participatory Budgeting: Should "Best Practices" be Promoted?, Brian Wampler, International Budget Partnership, 2008.
- The diffusion of "best practices"? The consequences of the establishment of regulatory networks on national regulators, Martino Maggetti and Fabrizio Gilard, ECPR, September 2009.
- Diffusion of Innovations, Sera Weafer-Schiarizza, Harriet Nwachukwu, and Dawn Cressman, Health Promotion Strategies, February 2011.
- Minority Rules: Scientists Discover Tipping Point for the Spread of Ideas, SCNARC, RPI, 26 July 2011.
- Collecting and sharing standardized and comparable data among member states
- Making international comparisons and applying peer pressures (including "benchmarking") to align policy among member-states and other social agents.
It is often the case that "soft methods" are not persuasive, and more tangible incentives (positive or negative, but always nonviolent) are appropriate. The following section is about reforming tax codes so as to mitigate greedy (and irresponsible) human behavior in financial markets.
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4. Financial Transaction/Speculation Taxes
Financial transaction/speculation taxes are a disincentive to excessive greed in pursuing financial transactions of dubious social value, such as the so-called "financial derivatives."
KEY LINKS:
- The Benefits of a Financial
Transactions Tax, Dean Baker, Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), December 2008.
- Financial Speculation Tax, CEPR, 2009.
- Facts and Myths about a Financial Speculation Tax, CEPR, 2010.
- Time to Tax Financial Speculation, Sarah Anderson, Yes! Magazine, 9 February 2010.
- Taxing Global Public Bads, Stephany Griffith-Jones and Paul Bernd Spahn, The Broker Online, 6 October 2010.
- Financial Transaction Taxes - A Double Dividend, Paul Bernd Spahn, The Broker Online, 6 October 2010.
- Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) Factsheet, CIDSE, June 2011.
- Cut Wall Street Down to Size With a Financial Speculation Tax, Sarah Anderson, The Nation, 8 June 2011.
- Financial Transaction Tax Might Fix Host of Ills, Ralp Nader, Bloomberg Business Week, 15 July 2010.
- A General Financial Transaction Tax – Motives, Effects, Revenues and Feasibility, Stephan Schulmeister, European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), 13 January 2010.
- Frequently Asked Questions on the Financial Transaction Tax, Party of European Socialists, 24 April 2011.
- Liberals Continue to Push for Financial Transaction Tax, Ronald Orol, Common Dreams, 17 February 2010.
- Regulating Derivative Markets To Meet Real Needs, Angus Cunningham, Authentix Coaches, 2010.
- Here's Why The Financial Transaction Tax Won't Work, John Carney, Business Insider, 9 November 2009.
- Financial Speculation Tax: Serious Tool for Long-Term Deficit Reduction, CEPR, January 2011.
- Financial speculation tax could cut deficit, Ben Rooney, CNN, 24 January 2011.
- Financial Speculation Tax Introduced, FOE, February 2011.
- The Financial Transaction Tax for People and the Planet: Financing Climate Justice, CIDSE, June 2011.
- Financial Speculation Tax Could Help Heal America, James Parks, 22 July 2011.
- Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), Wikipedia as of 24 July 2011.
- Cut Wall Street Down to Size With a Financial Speculation Tax, Sarah Anderson, Common Dreams, 27 July 2011.
The following section is about reforming tax codes so as to protect the integrity of the human habitat.
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5. Shift to Land/Resource Value Taxes
There are taxes that focus on depletion of natural resources ("depleter pays principle") and/or the deterioration of natural resources ("polluter pays principle"). One key tax reform proposal that deserves further consideration is the "Land Value Tax" (LVT), originally proposed by American economist Henry George in 1879. The underlying concept is to shift tax burdens from earned incomes to unearned incomes.
KEY LINKS:
- Hartzok, Alanna. The Earth Belongs to Everyone, Earth Rights Institute - Institute for Economic Democracy Press, 2008. See pp. 190-192 for data on global maldistribution of wealth.
- Gaffney, Mason. George's Economics of Abundance, GroundSwell, March-April 2009.
- Gaffney, Mason. Sleeping With the Enemy: Economists Who Side With Polluters, GroundSwell, January/February 2011.
- Land Value Tax (LVT), Wikipedia as of 25 June 2011.
- Modernizing Henry George, Herman Daly, CASSE, 19 July 2010.
- Resource Value Tax (RVT), Herman Daly, CASSE, 6 June 2011.
- Classical LVT in the works of Henry George:
- Some interesting recent news:
Assuming that land/resource value taxes are set high enough that they yield a surplus of public revenue, how is this surplus to be distributed back to all citizens?
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6. Guaranteed Basic Personal Income
Proposals to replace state welfare systems by universally guaranteed basic income:
KEY LINKS:
- Common Ground-USA. Common Ground USA, Since 1997. Web site as of 30 May 2011.
- George, Robley E. Socioeconomic Democracy, Center for the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS), 2002.
- de Wispelaere, Jurgen and Lindsay Stirton. The Many Faces of Universal Basic Income, The Political Quarterly, 2004.
- George, Robley E. Different Possibilities for the Magnitudes of the Two Democratically Set Bounds of Universally Guaranteed Personal Income (UGI) and Maximum Allowable Personal Wealth (MAW) in the practice of Socioeconomic Democracy, Center for the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS), 2008.
- George, Robley E. Introduction to a Democratic Socioeconomic Platform, Center for the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS), 2009.
- George, Robley E. Ramifications of Socioeconomic Democracy, Center for the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS), 2009.
- Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN). Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), Note: The Basic Income Earth Network was founded in 1986 as the Basic Income European Network. It expanded its scope from Europe to the Earth in 2004. Web site as of 30 May 2011.
- Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) Network - USA. The U.S. Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) Network, Note: Started 1999. Web Site as of 30 May 2011.
Work dignifies the working person, and quality work even more so. This applies to all kinds of work, from the most humble to the most exalted. The objective of guaranteed basic income is not to induce laziness but to liberate people from a salary system that incentivizes conformance rather than creativity. To ensure that this is the case, quality standards are needed.
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7. ISO Standards - 9001, 14001, 26000, 50001, and others
All humans have a propensity to cut corners. Regardless of how income is taxed (Section 5) and returned (Section 6) to tax payers, there is a continuing need for quality standards in all kinds of human work.
KEY LINKS:
- International Standards Organization (ISO)
- List of ISO Standards, Wikipedia as of 26 July 2011.
- ISO 9001 - Quality Management System, ISO, 2005.
- ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System, ISO, 2004.
- ISO 26000 - Social Responsibility Guidelines, ISO, 2010.
- ISO 50001 - Energy Management System, ISO, 2011.
- ISO International Classification for Standards (ICS), ISO, 2011.
- Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, NIST, 2011.
- Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, NIST, 2011-2012.
- Baldrige Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence, NIST, 2011-2012.
- Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence, NIST, 2011.
What about quality standards for financial institutions? ISO 9000 could be used, but it would seem that the financial services industry should have a dedicated five digit standard (such as the 50001 for energy).
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8. Transferring Subsidies from Fossil Fuels to Clean Energy
The transferring of subsidies from the fossil fuels industry to the clean energy industry is understandably a sensitive political issue. The fossil fuel industry is enormously powerful. The age of fossil fuels has practically run its course. However, the temptation to keep producing and using "cheap energy" is very strong regardless of environmental consequences. The United States of America has yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because "it is bad for business." The "easy profits" derived from the exploding manipulation of worthless financial assets is also bad for business, but not yet recognized as such by the general public. Subsidies are tricky business, and there seems to be a paucity of expertise about the societal cost of subsidizing pollution-intensive industries.
KEY LINKS:
- Federal Energy Subsidies: Energy, Environmental and Fiscal Impacts, Doug Koplow, Alliance to Save Energy, 1993.
- Federal Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Case Study of Increasing Transparency for Fiscal Policy, Doug Koplow and John Dernbach, Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 26:361-389, 2001.
- Analysis of the scope of energy subsidies and suggestions for the G-20 initiative, IEA, OPEC, OECD, and WB, 16 June 2010.
- Increasing the Momentum of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: A roadmap for international cooperation, Global Subsidies Initiative, 21 July 2010.
- Measuring Energy Subsidies Using the Price-Gap Approach, Doug Koplow, Earth Track, August 2010.
- Phase-out Fossil Fuel Subsidies,
Mark Halle, The Broker Online, 6 October 2010
- Fossil Fuel Subsidies, Bali to Copenhagen Project, IISD, 2011.
- EIA Energy Subsidy Estimates: A Review of Assumptions and Omissions, Doug Koplow, Earth Track, March 2010.
- Scoping Suggestions for NAS Review of Effects of the Tax Code on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Doug Koplow, Earth Track, April 2011.
- Sher, David. Fossil Fuel Subsidies: A Closer Look at Tax Breaks, Special Accounting, and Societal Costs, David Sher, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 23 June 2011.
Beyond taxes and subsidies, what are other ways to incentivize the development and commercialization of clean energy?
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9. Fostering Clean Energy Technologies
There are many ways to skin a cat, and there are many ways to foster clean energy technologies:
KEY LINKS:
- Financing Clean Energy
- Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
- Towards the Sustainable Corporation: Win-Win-Win Business Strategies for Sustainable Development, John Elkington, California Management Review 36, no. 2 (1994): 90–100.
- Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business, John Elkington, New Society Publishers, 1998.
- Triple Bottom Line (TBL), The Economist, 17 November 2009.
- The Paradox of Power in CSR – Organizational Conflict, Krista Bondy, TBL Magazine, 29 November 2010.
- Triple Bottom Line, Wikipedia as of 27 July 2011.
- The Triple Bottom Line: What Is It and How Does It Work?, Timothy F. Slaper and Tanya J. Hall, Indiana Business Review, Spring 2011.
- Energy System Optimization
- Energy Systems Optimization, Slide presentation by Aristotelis Giannopoulos, 2009.
- Optimization in the Energy Industry, Josef Kallrath et. al., Springer, 2009.
- On-Line Economic Optimization of Energy Systems Using Weather Forecast Information, Victor M. Zavala et. al., ANL (USA), 2009.
- Industrial Energy System Optimization, UNIDO (UN) web site as of 28 July 2011.
- Industrial Energy Analysis & System Optimization, LBL (USA) web site as of 28 July 2011.
- Industrial energy efficiency and systems optimization, REEEP-UNIDO, Module 17 as of 28 July 2011. For links to all the modules, click here.
- Energy Optimization in Process Systems, Stanislaw Sieniutycz and Jacek Jezowski, Elsevier, 2011.
- Investing in Clean Energy Technologies and Commercialization
Click to view a lager image
Source: Clean Energy Finance and Innovation Program, Third Way, 2011.
- Education for the Transition to Clean Energy
Clean Energy Trends and Challenges
Clean Energy Trends by Puget Sound Energy President Kimberly Harris from Foster School of Business on Vimeo.
Source: University of Washington - Foster School of Business, 15 February 2011
"The law of conservation of energy tells us that we can't get something for nothing,
but we refuse to believe it." Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)
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