Globalisation:Green Alliance: Ideology and aims

Green Alliance's (GA) targets and ideas are divided in six themes.

I) Political Leadership

This theme is focusing on how Green Alliance influences and guides political action coping with climate change.

Climate Leadership Programme

The NGO has started a programme – the Climate Leadership Programme – in which it presents its ideology to future MPs and trains them how to manage environmental questions. The first phase took place between November 2009 and March 2010 and its aim was to educate and train the new MPs how to tackle climate change and other environmental questions. 3 different sessions were organised: one for the Labour, one for the Conservative candidates and one for the Liberal-Democrats candidates. The second phase began on June 30th with a special event where a report was released and it continues this autumn with other sessions for new MPs.

Last Parliament

This report is issued from the second phase of the Climate Leadership Programme. Inside, GA calls for action, as soon as possible. The newly elected Parliament is thought to be the last one before it is too late to act.

The New Commandments of the Climate Change Strategy

In this publication, Stephen Hale, the previous GA director, expressed his view on the climate change strategy. It is specified that this ideology belongs to him and might not be exactly the same for GA, but globally, the ideas are very similar.

Ask the Climate Question

In concert with seven other environment associations, GA organised a campaign where candidates at the general election from May 2010 answered questions about environmental issues. 3 videos are available on Youtube.

Green Standard Coalition

Gathering eight major environment groups, this project was built to guide and shape the political debate on climate change.

II) Sustainable Economy

This is the second theme of GA's ideology. It deals with economic levers that can accelerate the transition to a low carbon society. Four projects are presented.

The Green Investment Bank

Ernst and Young, together with GA, E3G and Transform UK released on October 13th a report where they demand the creation of a Green Investment Bank (GIB). According to their data, a GIB is necessary to cover a £400 billion gap until 2025 in the energy sector.

Green Taxes

GA edited a report about taxing airline companies. Their aim is to change the way state taxes: more “green taxes” and less taxation on jobs, incomes and profits.

Low Carbon Skills

In this subsection, the NGO presents its ideology about an alternative policy on unemployment and environmental problems.

EU Budget Reform

A broader aim is to change EU's policy on environmental questions. GA produced a report, Unlocking a Low Carbon Europe , in which it presents the way to reach this goal.

3. === III) Third Sector === The Green Alliance is a big supporter of the third sector which is comprised of voluntary organisations, charities, co-operatives and trade unions with a concern for environmental sustainability and the social wellbeing of communities. These organisations are politically and economically influential on UK governmental policy, and are essential in the push for climate change. In response to The Big Society idea proposed by David Cameron, the GA has released an issue of their quarterly magazine, Inside Track, dedicated to the discussion of this policy and the impact it will have on climate change policies. The Green Alliance could be said to act as the bridge between the third sector and the ‘political experts’, as demonstrated by Inside Track, with contributions from both parties. The organisation also hosts projects that are designed to facilitate the relationship between the government and the third sector, such as the joint ministerial and third sector task force on climate change and the Big Response project which aims to bring organisations under the umbrella of environmental sustainability awareness.

IV) Climate and Energy Futures

Green Alliance is currently working on ways to develop infrastructure of the country in order to maintain a low carbon future for the UK. The main areas of concern are electricity networks, provision of low carbon heat, transport appraisal, and market reform. The backbone of these current projects calls for policy considerations and reformation of the British economy and environmental security for the future. Various publications in 2010, such as Future Proof: an electricity network for the 21st century highlights the proposals that the organization has made in light of the concerned field. Carbon Capture and Storage is a recent programme that has been undertaken by the GA, whereby research into how pre- and post-combustion technologies can incorporate this technique by means of tweaking governmental policies concerning climate change.

Notes

Stephen Hale's pamphlet: http://www.green-alliance.org.uk/grea_p.aspx?id=4841

Ask the Climate Question videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/askaclimatequestion#p/c/F8BC387BAE0E75E3

Green Standard Coallition: http://www.thegreenstandard.org.uk/