Lessons from the Crisis: Money, Taxes and Saving in a Changing World – May 9th 2011

A day-long conference organised by the Smart Taxes Network and TASC, which will showcase an alternative set of economic policies that aims to recover economic control, staunch the loss of jobs and emigration and create a secure future for young and old in Ireland. Featuring international and national speakers from the cutting edge of progressive and sustainable economic fields.

High oil prices kill growth prospects

by Richard Douthwaite. The price of Brent oil reached $122 per barrel last week (April 6th) and JP Morgan have forecast that it will hit €130 in the next few months. Energy prices at these levels mean that Ireland can say goodbye to any hope that it can grow its way out of its debt crisis. Because government spending cuts mean that domestic demand is almost certain to fall the country's only hope of increasing its national income is to earn more from overseas. That wiil be hard if the global economy is depressed but if the global economy grows, the world...

The Climate Crisis: What Next? – April 30th

The international negotiations on a global climate treaty seem to be making very little progress. After a review of the current situation and the reasons for it, this meeting will explore alternative proposals for dealing with the situation which do not simply involve restricting fossil fuel use.

Low External Input Agriculture: the only road to a sustainable food supply – April 28th

Two public lectures hosted by the Carbon Cycles and Sinks Network and Gorta. The first lecture, "Organic farming's role in improving food security and combatting climate change", features Gundala Azeez as the speaker. The second, "Biochar's role in increasing fertility and reducing fertiliser use", will be presented by Dr. Witold Kwapinski and David Friese-Greene.