GND Media

As wildfires ravage the U.S west coast it has never been more pertinent  to think about what rising global temperatures are doing to our natural environments. The wild fires in Australia at the beginning of this year  killed nearly 3 billion animals, our choices and the choices of our leaders and governments affect the world around us all. If we are to tackle the climate crisis how do we defend and reinvigorate the natural world? Are we putting too much emphasis on counting carbon instead of the costs on the natural world itself?This week we are joined by Joshua Styles (@joshual951), from the North West Rare Plants Initiative (NWRPI). We discuss the current state of  flora & fauna protections in the UK, how the slashing of planning regulation is endangering some of our rarest wild life and is planting trees the best solution to our carbon problem?**Links**North West Rare Planet Initiative http://nwrpi.weebly.com/plants before Pandas- the guardian documentary on Joshhttps://youtu.be/qW_XnT-MjtUNick Moles episode on pesticideshttps://www.buzzsprout.com/919177/4360112 **Shout Outs**Chester Zoo@chesterzooLancashire Wildlife trust@LancswildlifeCity of Trees@CityofTreesMcrCladiators @McrCladiatorsLabour for a green new deal Legend Jill Axford@JillAxfordIf you like the show tell your friends!Find us onTwitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

We are back, after a holiday break and with a new theme tune! climate breakdown unlike other political and socio-economic crises has a tight deadline. If we don't tackle it within the next 10-25 years we're going to be heading to the Mad Max hellscape without the steam punk aesthetic. With a problem that is going to effect every generation and the ones yet to come it's no surprise people of all ages are stepping up to demand leadership on the climate.This week on the show we are joined by Fridays for Futures' Emma Greenwood to discuss why the young are picking up this gauntlet, how education in the UK needs to be updated to deal with our climate realities and what's in store for the political future of youth movements. LinksFridays for Futureshttps://fridaysforfuture.org/Servern Cullis Suzuki's speech at the U.N in 1992https://youtu.be/JGdS8ts63Ckshout outsYouth strike MCR@YouthstrikemcrRed Co-op retrofitters@RedCooperativeIf you want to get involved in retrofit jobs, fill out this formhttps://forms.gle/xqykPojVCLwA4mqV7Extinction Rebellion Manchester@XR_MCRGlobal Law Action Network who have taken the youth activists case the EU@GLAN_LAWIf you like the show tell your friends!Find us on Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

Last summer Extinction Rebellion made headlines around the world for their civil disobedience actions. Occupying areas of major world cities and demanding that we change course now from this ecologically destructive and economically extractive  system to a regenerative and egalitarian model all based on a democratic citizens assembly. From that we've seen climate emergencies declared all around the global but the substantial work is still to be done. This week we are joined by Lizzy Haughton and Joel Stone from Extinction Rebellion Mcr to discuss XR's development from last summer, where the movement has fallen down and how it can  evolve to really attain its goals.Links to the local and UK rebellions this bank holiday weekendhttps://xrmcr.org/Find your local XR group herehttps://xrnorth.org/our-region/Shout outsCampaign against HS2@stophs2Acorn Tenants Union- for there resisting eviction traininng@AcornManchesterGround work GM@GroundworkGMKirkstall Valley Farm@KV_FarmClimate Emergency Manchester@ClimateEmergMcrIf you like the show tell your comrades!Find us on Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

When people think of a Green New Deal their head immediately runs towards industrial policy; building solar powered cities, dumping fossil fuels, having sustainable public transport and good Green manual jobs. That's what we need to save the world from itself and we all need to get involved to do so. If that's the case then why are the majority of those industries dominated by Men? When the traditional "breadwinner" heads out to build the Solar farm who's looking after his family? His children, his elderly parents? Are these roles not vital too? Women make up the majority of the work force in care, education, health, unpaid domestic work, where is their GND? Why are men not seen as being the child rearers and carers of the frail?  Why are we only fixating on one part of the economy if we are attempting to save the planet? Joining us this week to discuss The Feminist Green New Deal is Maeve Cohen. Maeve is the co-author of "Towards a Feminist GND for the UK". Maeve is currently a researcher at The Sustainable Consumption Institute and former director of Rethink Economics. We unpick what a real social justice orientated GND would look like, what is intersectionality and why we should shape the post Covid economy around care. LinksFeminist GND Paperhttps://wbg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Feminist-Green-New-Deal.pdfWomen's environmental Networkhttps://www.wen.org.uk/Womens budget grouphttps://wbg.org.uk/Maeve's piece in Open Democracy about a feminist GNDhttps://www.opendemocracy.net/en/oureconomy/its-time-to-talk-about-a-feminist-green-new-deal/Siliva Federici- Caliban and the Witchhttps://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9781570270598?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvb75BRD1ARIsAP6LcqtoXf9WTXeqWMtIkLDW2AcZv1VmkV9l33Hoy9HE2TqBuG389YrAkvcaArzAEALw_wcBAdrienne Roberts @DrAdrienneRobTowards a Feminist Global Trade Politics https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/towards-a-feminist-global-trade-politics(1ef21053-eb60-4df5-9d5f-9359447907b8).htmlShout outsJudith Emanuel of Steady State ManchesterHarrie Larrington -Spencer@harrielspencerRest in PowerSheila AbdullahSupport the show

Public transport is a complex beast in the UK. local transport can be run by a myriad of private firms, public private partnerships, municipally owned businesses, charities, publicly controlled private firms and other quangos. No doubt that public transport is a key pillar when it comes to tackling the climate crisis but which organisation is the most effective at tackling it and how should British democracy interact with it? With smaller vital, yet seemingly unprofitable routes being cut across Manchester we ask; is there a better way? This week we are joined by Pascale Robinson (@PascaleRobinson) from Better Buses Greater Manchester (@BetterBusesGM) to discuss what publicly controlled transport is, how it differs from publicly owned transport and how our local democracies should interact with transport providers. get in contact with the better buses campaign atpascale@betterbusesgm.org.ukShout OutsFriends of the earth Manchester@foemcrAcorn tenants union@ACORN_tweetsGuy Standing and his book "plunder of the commons"https://www.guystanding.com/booksSave Ryebank Fields @ryebankfieldsLeo murrays "away with all the cars'https://www.common-wealth.co.uk/reports/away-with-all-cars-reduxIf you like the show tell your comrades!Find us on Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

Ironically, there has been a lot of hot air when it comes to institutions and leaders taking on climate change. Promises of carbon neutrality in far off distant dates just kick the can down the road. How can we hold people and places of power to greater account? Are local governments able to take on the climate emergency they themselves declared? Or has the Covid pandemic turning governments back to "business as usual"?This week on the podcast we are joined By Marion Smith and Calum Mcfarlane from Manchester Climate Monthly (@ClimateEmergMcr) to discuss their recent reports on progress from GMCA since the Climate Emergency declaration, what is getting in the way of substantive change in the city and there vision for a greener Greater Manchester.  CEM J10 reporthttps://climateemergencymanchester.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/J10-Report.pdfCEMs' petition for a climate scrutiny committeehttps://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=36&RPID=1929741&HPID=1929741Core cities reporthttps://climateemergencymanchester.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Core-Cities-JULY-2020-v1.0.pdfShout outsMary Heglar Climate justice activist@MaryHeglarJason Hickel @jasonhickelGreater manchester housing action.@gmhousingactionCircular city Manchester @circularcitymcrU.K student climate network@UKSCN1Peter Kalmus@climatehumanProfessor Julia Steinberger@JKSteinbergeris deep adaption flawed science?https://theecologist.org/2020/jul/15/deep-adaptation-flawed-scienceIf you like the show tell your mum!Find us at Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

Much has been said about the centralisation of wealth and power in major cities. London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff. these behemoths sucking up the economic activity of their regions as the cities expand and draw in more people and more business in from the now dubbed "Satalite Towns". Is having all the business and production of Greater Manchester concentrated in the city centre the right economic plan for a region? Are we leaving communities to crumble as we build shiny new tower blocks in Spinningfields and Deansgate? Is there another way? This week we are joined by Jonty Leibowitz (@JontyLeibowitz) from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (@CLESthinkdo). Jonty talks us through Community Wealth Building, how local governments can use the powers they already have to keep wealth in there localities and how democracy in the workplace interlinks with climate change. LinksJontys' new report with CLEShttps://cles.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Green-Recovery-FINAL2.pdfShout outs UCU campaign to save University workershttps://twitter.com/manmetucu/status/1284049513653719045?s=20Trees not Cars@TreesNotCarsDiversifying and Decolonising Economics@DivDecEconCommon Wealth @CmmonwealthIf you like the show tell your comrades!Find us at Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

A year ago last week the Manchester Council and the surround councils declared a climate emergency. This was seen by many as the first step forward in Manchester becoming the green city it needs to be to tackle climate breakdown. Little did many of us know how deeply intrenched the city is with industries that are hurtling the planet towards a Mad Max future (sans the cool bikes). The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) is the largest fund in the local government pension scheme and the 11th biggest benefit pension fund in the U.K. at a staggering 23.8 Billion pounds. Is all of that capital supporting the climate emergency? On this weeks show we are joined by Maggie Walker & Ali Abbas from Fossil Free Greater Manchester (@FossilFreeGM) to discuss the ongoing campaign to make the GMPF divest from fossil fuels. LinksFossil Free Greater Manchesterhttp://fossilfreegm.org.uk/Green Investments providing 178% returns- Forbeshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2020/05/28/just-how-good-an-investment-is-renewable-energy-new-study-reveals-all/#3aeff104d278Latest Greater Manchester Pension Fund reporthttps://www.gmpf.org.uk/getmedia/b3f609a9-b078-4808-a3e5-5cc61d74e669/Annual_report_and_accounts_2019.pdfShout OutsUniversity of Manchester Fossil Fuel Divestment campaign@PeopleUomBetter Buses GM@BetterBusesGMTop fan Lucas Clay!@LTMClayIf you like the show tell your comrades!Find us on all the socials Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODSupport the show

Climate Breakdown transcends borders. The carbon output of Galicia while have an affect on the environment of Gateshead, Nairobi and Singapore. It's a global crisis that requires a global cooperative solution. Plans to protect the earth must link between the local, national, continental and international.This week we are joined by Pawel Wargan (@pawelwargan) from Diem25 to explore "The Green New Deal for Europe". We discuss why democracy must be at the heart of any plan to save the planet, how the European Union institutions hold back a truly cooperative union and how the E.U can be saved from itself for the sake of the planet. If you like the show tell your comrades!Find us at Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPOD"Links"The Green New Deal for Europehttps://www.gndforeurope.com/The EU "Green Deal"https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_enDiem25https://diem25.org/#Diem25MCR@Diem25MCR"Shout Outs"Mathare Social Justice Centre https://www.matharesocialjustice.org/Whalley ranger environmental group@WhalleyRanger1Prague DSC1https://www.facebook.com/Diem25PrahaSupport the show

If you like the show tell your comrades!Find us at Twitter:@MCRGND_PODInsta: ManchestergndpodFB:MCRGNDPODThere are many schisms embedded into the modern world. A foggy distance between our actions and the fallout from those actions. The carbon output of your job, the manufacture of the clothes you wear and the final destination of the waste we create. The separation between what we eat and how it is grown is one of the largest chasms we face. To feed 9 billion people do we have to turn a blind eye to poisoning the land and destroying biodiversity? Is there a better way? To discuss the lay of the land when it comes to pesticides, agriculture and industrial farming we joined this week by Nick Mole policy officer for Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK). Nick sheds light on what current farming practice constitutes, how Brexit will affect British farmers and where we are changing for the better. Linkshttps://www.pan-uk.org/Toxic tradehttps://www.pan-uk.org/toxic-trade/Shout outs Levenshulme Bee network@LevyBeelinesNick presscott Meteor @nickjwprescottHis piece on the Manchester council planing committee https://www.themeteor.org/2020/06/26/proposed-changes-to-controversial-shudehill-shard-pushed-through-under-emergency-powers/Pesticide free Stirling@PFreeStirlingDaniel Jerrome- green Councillor Trafford@DJerromeSupport the show