The global economy is in recession. How can local economies regain their sovereignty and rebuild themselves using local resources and ideas? How can sustainable and localised agriculture, energy supplies, services and jobs be enhanced to meet local needs?

EARTH EMERGENCY
in association with Schumacher Society, Positive News, LSE ATTAC, Grimshaw International Relations Club & Le Monde Diplomatique

presents

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY

REBUILDING LOCAL ECONOMIES:
From theory to practice

Report by Leonie Humphreys

London School of Economics
3rd March 2003

Patrick Holden, Director, Soil Association
Pat Conaty, New Economics Foundation
Naomi Kingsley, Chief Executive, London Rebuilding Society
Chris Dunham, Sustainable Energy Action
Chair: Herbie Girardet, Chairman, Schumacher Society

Herbie Girardet introduced the meeting explaining that globalisation is leading to the destruction of local economies. Companies relocating to areas where wages are cheap, such as Dyson’s move from Somerset to Malaysia. However many organisations such as Soil Association, Schumacher Society, ISEC, NEF and London Rebuilding Society are working to strengthen local economies.

Patrick Holden explained that re-localisation should not be a ‘fringe’ activity, but central to a new economics. The state of farming has reached rock bottom. The whole process of strengthening local economies requires a spiritual and cultural dimension. Food is a fundamental and crucial indicator of the whole process of the breakdown of local economies. For example trace elements and minerals essential to proper growth have declined by 50-70% over the last few decades and children today are far more likely to suffer from diseases due to the reduction in quality of our food, through use of pesticides etc, and now genetically engineered products. Even the organic market is now being globalised and the quality is suffering. Suggestions for improvement include Fair Trade/Organic food schemes to provide both a social and environmental dimension and city food programmes where people produce their own food within cities is also being promoted by the Soil Association, amongst other programmes.

Pat Conaty described the process of taking the theory of ‘human scale economics’ into practice. The NEF have recently published a report ‘Ghost Town Britain’ which outlines the problems of the destruction of local economies. Since the BSE and ‘foot and mouth’ crises the average income of farmers in the UK has been severely reduced from around £8,000 after BSE to around £4,000 after ‘foot and mouth’ and 11 farms are going bankrupt per day in the UK. Reform is required at many levels and sectors, for example: corporations, banking, land, energy and money. The NEF works with people to provide credit where banks will not help and to set up Community Land Trusts which allow the land value to be taken out of the cost of living.

Naomi Kingsley explained that the London Rebuilding Society provide Community Development Finance which is relatively new in the UK. They tackle exclusion, sustainability and renewal in a proactive way. They operate in such a way as to develop relationships and trust in local communities, offering advice, support and training.

Chris Dunham described the activities of Sustainable Energy Action which is a ‘not for profit’ organisation which advises on reducing CO2 emissions. In London for example there is very little use of photo-voltaics as an energy source. The planning system needs to be reformed to encourage rather than discourage use of renewable energy supplies. They are working to install solar energy in schools in London whilst combining this with the school curriculum to educate at the same time as provide a practical shift in energy use. Useful websites are: www.london21.org and www.lsx.org.

"Creating a Sustainable Society" is a series of events that takes place monthly in London. The aim of the initiative is to create a synergy among people and organisations working towards a better society but in different fields.

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