Globalisation:International Policy Network

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Dave Forbes Gavin Lindsay Fergus Jones Alexandra Hibbert


Globalisation: IPN IPN seeks to bring down barriers to enterprise and trade, in order to achieve a world of opportunity, peace and prosperity. [1] The organisation describes itself as a think-tank or independent charity, although critics have accused it of being more like a lobbying group [2]

History

IPN’s UK Charity (No. CC 262982) was founded by Globalisation: Antony Fisher in 1971. The mission of this body is to “Promote the advancement of learning by research into economic and political science and the publication of such research.” The charity’s original name was the International Institute for Economic Research, and it now operates under the name International Policy Network. IPN’s sister organization, International Policy Network US Inc., is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in 2001. The two organizations are separate legal and financial entities with independent boards, working together with a common vision.[3]

Origins

People

Directors

Board Members[4]

Staff[5]


Ideology and aims

Mission

IPN's mission is to 'share ideas that free people'. It believes in de-regulation but that 'where regulations are necessary... they should be based on sound science. IPN educates opinion formers around the world about market solutions to public policy problems, especially those of a global nature. IPN aims to empower individuals and promote respect for people and property in order to eliminate poverty, improve human health and protect the environment they promote public awareness of the importance of this vision for all people, both rich and poor. IPN seeks to achieve its vision by promoting the role of market institutions in certain key international policy debates: sustainable development, health, and globalisation and trade. IPN works with academics, think tanks, journalists and policymakers on every continent. '[6]

Aims

The IPN lists its areas of interest as:Health, Free Trade and Globalisation, Sustainable Development & the Environment, Technology, Economics


Funding

Views on development

The IPN use terms such as “pro-growth policies” and “streamlined system of investment” when discussing the benefits of free trade, particularly in developing countries. Being widely regarded as anti-climate change, the IPN promotes the idea of complete free trade, allowing maximum investment in order to fully promote development. Their website lists several of the benefits, although none of the problems, that large-scale investment could bring to certain countries, in this case Nigeria: “ The World Bank reports that it currently takes over a month to satisfy the eight procedures in order to start a business at a cost of three quarters of a year’s average wages. In the new free trade zone this procedure is expected to take less than a week.”[7] From their website, it can be seen that IPN’s future development projects are mainly focused on Africa’s developing nations. Nigeria and Zimbabwe are both mentioned, with trade plans being discussed. One article in particular calls for Britain to stop giving aid that it can “ill afford” and abolish trade policies, allowing Africa access to the European markets. Timothy Cox states that “A real offer from the British people to help our development would consist of the abolition of the Common Agricultural Policy, which keeps African agricultural exports out of the European marketplace.”[8]

Views on climate change

“Julian Morris, director of IPN in London, has argued for many years that climate change is a hoax.”[9] In a letter by Julian Morris to the Toronto Star, in response to their editorial titled “Time for the World to Unite on Climate Change” (7 December), Morris states that “Poverty largely results from government policies which hinder people from generating wealth and prosperity. Tragically, the leaders of poor countries invoke the climate change scapegoat to explain hunger, sickness and climate vulnerability.” This is a response to the Toronto Star’s statement that climate change will “ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security”. Morris implies in this letter that climate change is not the cause of poverty, it is merely a scapegoat used by governments. [10] Furthermore, IPN argues that “attempts to prevent (or mitigate) man-made climate change are a waste of money. It would be better to let it happen and adapt to its effects.” [11] Critics say that this response if fuelled by donations from companies such as Exxon, who would financially suffer from the actions taken to control climate change. IPN state that, with regards to climate change, “attempting to control it through global regulation of emissions would be counterproductive” [12] The Network published a book this year arguing that "humanity has until at least 2035 to determine whether or not mitigation will also be a necessary part of our strategy to address climate change". [13]

Before the Kyoto Protocol took force the IPN funded a poll from which they claimed that 57% of the UK’s population believe the UK should not implement Kyoto if it will harm Britain's economy and 70% believe that Britain should pursue alternative, less costly strategies. They claimed that “studies show that as Kyoto is implemented during 2008-2010, it is likely to harm Britain's economy by increasing the price of electricity, fuel and consumer goods, leading to slower economic growth and higher operating costs for employers, and causing job losses”[14] The IPN’s Julian Morris recently wrote an article regarding the drought in Russia and floods in China and Pakistan, all of which have been largely blamed on Climate Change. He disregards this however, by stating that these natural disasters can be traced to solar activity and “jet-streams” of wind in the atmosphere rather than any human emission of green house gasses. He further states that deaths by natural disasters are not rises, as many scientists claim, but in fact they have remained at a constant low since the 1970’s. A graph (Figure 1)

Graph2.jpg

published by IPN shows the relationship between deaths caused by natural disasters and GDP per Capita. Morris uses this trend to back up IPN’s theory that Aid should be replaced by economic development so that the next time developing countries “are struck by a natural disaster, people will be better able to cope, and fewer will suffer and die.”[15]

Links to other organisations

The IPN has been linked to several other organisations and think-tanks including; Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Institute of Economic Affairs, Stockholm Network and Competitive Enterprise Institute. Anthony Fisher, who founded the IPN, went on to found the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in 1981 creating several ties between the organisations. Julian Morris, the current executive director of IPN was previously the director of the Institute of Economic Affairs’ Environment and Technology Programme. Morris is on the Policy Advisory Board for the International Climate Science Coalition and a regular speaker at the Heartland Institute.

Criticisms

IPN has been described by right-wing blogger Paul Staines as a “change denying propaganda machine funded by industry interests” who peddle “policy recommendations and propaganda on behalf of its sponsors so transparently that almost everyone ignores it”.[16] In regards to statements that the IPN receive funding from large companies to dismiss the effects of climate change, such as ExxonMobil, Julian Morris replied in a letter written to the Times in 2005, that “IPN has a programme on environment and sustainable development issues to which the ExxonMobil Foundation has contributed over a number of years”.[17] Oxfam has criticised the IPN for producing “irresponsible” criticism towards International Aid, which in turn, can put millions of lives at risk. The article, published by Oxfam, states that, while they realise that vast quantities of Aid is misspent and ends up in the hands of corrupt officials, the Aid which is accounted for helps to dramatically improve the lives of those who receive it. [18] The IPN respond to this article by stating that “challenging a system that so evidently doesn’t work is not irresponsible- it is prudent and rational” [19]

Suggestions for sub-pages

Just suggestions - feel free to change/add to this - although it is recommended that you create several main pages linked to from this main project page so group members can edit simultaneously.

Globalisation:International Policy Network: Ideology and aims

Globalisation:International Policy Network: Funding and connections

Globalisation:International Policy Network: Views on development

Globalisation:International Policy Network: Views on climate change

Notes

  1. ↑ IPN, "Homepage", accessed 05.10.10
  2. ↑ George Monbiot, “How corporations have hijacked the climate change debate”, The Age, 27th September 2006, accessed 2.11.10
  3. ↑ IPN, "History", accessed 12.10.10
  4. ↑ IPN, "Board Members", accessed 12.10.10
  5. ↑ IPN, "Staff", accessed 18.10.10
  6. ↑ IPN, "About IPN", accessed 02 November 2010
  7. ↑ Alec van Gelder & Timothy Cox, "Lessons for Nigeria’s free trade zone", IPN Blogs, 2nd September 2010, accessed 2.11.10
  8. ↑ Timothy Cox, “Africans do not want or need Britain’s development aid”, IPN Blogs, 31st August 2010, accessed 26.10.10
  9. ↑ David Cronin, “Who Pays To Deny Climate Change”, Truth Out, 3 October 2010, accessed 19.10.10
  10. ↑ Julian Morris, “Leaders must confront poverty as well as climate change in Copenhagen”, International Policy Network, 11 December 2009, accessed 19.10.10
  11. ↑ George Monbiot, “Pundits who contest climate change should tell us who is paying them”, The Guardian, 26th September 2006, accessed 26.10.10
  12. ↑ George Monbiot, “Pundits who contest climate change should tell us who is paying them”, The Guardian, 26th September 2006, accessed 26.10.10
  13. ↑ George Monbiot, “How corporations have hijacked the climate change debate”, The Age, 27th September 2006, accessed 2.11.10
  14. ↑ Kendra Okonski, “UK public sceptical of Kyoto Protocol”, Cambridge Conference Correspondence, 3rd December 2003, accessed 9.11.10
  15. ↑ Julian Morris, “Economic Freedom the Key to Surviving Catastrophe”, IPN Development, 27th August 2010, accessed 16.11.10
  16. ↑ Paul Staines, “Who will win wonk whores journalism prize?”, Guido Fawkes’ Blog, 12th October 2006, accessed 9.11.10
  17. ↑ Julian Morris, “IPN responds to defamatory claims made in The Times”, IPN Main, 21st December 2005, accessed 9.11.10
  18. ↑ Jon Slater, “Oxfam: Aid not perfect but “irresponsible” criticism hurts millions”, Oxfam Website, 20th May 2010, accessed 9.11.10
  19. ↑ Timothy Cox, “IPN’s criticism of foreign aid spending is not “irresponsible””, IPN Blogs, 20th May 2010, accessed 9.11.10
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