Comments on: Three massive challenges facing the UK http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/three-massive-challenges-facing-the-uk/ Politics, brains, social action and the day to day life of the RSA’s chief executive Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: Philip Allsopp http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/three-massive-challenges-facing-the-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-2185 Philip Allsopp Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:51:45 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=1281#comment-2185 I live in the Phoenix metro area (Scottsdale), in Arizona. I've lived in the US for the past 30 years having grown up in Brighton. The huge environmental, social and economic issues our increasingly global society is facing are now so complex that it is highly likely that short-sighted public spending cuts on both sides of the Atlantic will result in consequences whose systemic and aggregate impacts could be far worse than was ever anticipated. Thinking through these budgetary issues and public spending topics to map out the networks of social, economic and environmental consequences - both good and not so good - would be a very productive activity to bring to policy makers locally, regionally and nationally. As Hugh suggests quite rightly, the time to act is now because it is likely that the magnitude of the problems we will have to deal with in the future will have grown beyond our capacity to deal with them effectively. I've been doing some work along these lines (in the field of System Dynamics) for a while and in particular applying it to the urban and environmental mess we have on our hands here in Phoenix - now the 4th largest metro area in the US and a poster child in many ways of how not to grow a city. I live in the Phoenix metro area (Scottsdale), in Arizona. I’ve lived in the US for the past 30 years having grown up in Brighton. The huge environmental, social and economic issues our increasingly global society is facing are now so complex that it is highly likely that short-sighted public spending cuts on both sides of the Atlantic will result in consequences whose systemic and aggregate impacts could be far worse than was ever anticipated. Thinking through these budgetary issues and public spending topics to map out the networks of social, economic and environmental consequences – both good and not so good – would be a very productive activity to bring to policy makers locally, regionally and nationally.

As Hugh suggests quite rightly, the time to act is now because it is likely that the magnitude of the problems we will have to deal with in the future will have grown beyond our capacity to deal with them effectively.

I’ve been doing some work along these lines (in the field of System Dynamics) for a while and in particular applying it to the urban and environmental mess we have on our hands here in Phoenix – now the 4th largest metro area in the US and a poster child in many ways of how not to grow a city.

]]> By: Hugh Knowles http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/three-massive-challenges-facing-the-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-1000 Hugh Knowles Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:59:49 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=1281#comment-1000 With regards to the third challenge, I think the first thing we should do is stop talking about 80% reductions by 2050. 2050 is just too far away and does not give people a realistic idea of what has to be achieved now. Kevin Anderson from the Tyndall Centre has a great presentation that talks about reframing from long term targets to emission pathways and he demonstrates that we need 6-9% reductions in emissions per annum starting asap. 2050 just perpetuates the 'no need to act today mindset'. transitionculture.org/wp-content/uploads/kevin-anderson-2.ppt With regards to the third challenge, I think the first thing we should do is stop talking about 80% reductions by 2050. 2050 is just too far away and does not give people a realistic idea of what has to be achieved now. Kevin Anderson from the Tyndall Centre has a great presentation that talks about reframing from long term targets to emission pathways and he demonstrates that we need 6-9% reductions in emissions per annum starting asap. 2050 just perpetuates the ‘no need to act today mindset’.

transitionculture.org/wp-content/uploads/kevin-anderson-2.ppt

]]> By: David Wilcox http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/three-massive-challenges-facing-the-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-990 David Wilcox Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:32:46 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=1281#comment-990 Just caught up on your <a href="http://is.gd/jR7B" rel="nofollow">video interview</a> and "RSA as the RAC for civic activism" idea from last year, which maybe answers my convening query. Does that still hold? Just caught up on your video interview and “RSA as the RAC for civic activism” idea from last year, which maybe answers my convening query. Does that still hold?

]]> By: David Wilcox http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/three-massive-challenges-facing-the-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-980 David Wilcox Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:45:53 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=1281#comment-980 I think many Fellows would like to work together and rise to the challenges you highlight: the question is how best to collaborate among ourselves, and with staff. A group of Fellows and RSA staff are meeting on Thursday to discuss just that, with a strong focus on the scope for working online. In researching background for the workshop I've been struck by how far RSA has come over the past year in developing great public-facing content. I've pulled it together on a <a href="http://www.pageflakes.com/admin4fa96d3e-d06c-49a7-931e-08ddf2ee8a07/" rel="nofollow">dashboard here</a>, and also blogged about the potential <a href="http://openrsa.blogspot.com/2009/02/rsa-dashboard-shows-wealth-of-online.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. What would help in the collaborative effort, in my view, is some initial help from RSA staff in convening around the challenges or other projects. Should we look to project or Fellowship departments? It's quite difficult for Fellows to self-organise ... though it may get easier once the new RSA network site is fully launched. At present we can't find who might be interested, and space is tight in JAS.<a href="http://socialreporter.com/?p=516" rel="nofollow">Clay Shirky has highlighted</a> this new convening role for nonprofits - where self-organising meets organisation. Could you help us in the next round of innovation? I think many Fellows would like to work together and rise to the challenges you highlight: the question is how best to collaborate among ourselves, and with staff.

A group of Fellows and RSA staff are meeting on Thursday to discuss just that, with a strong focus on the scope for working online. In researching background for the workshop I’ve been struck by how far RSA has come over the past year in developing great public-facing content. I’ve pulled it together on a dashboard here, and also blogged about the potential here.

What would help in the collaborative effort, in my view, is some initial help from RSA staff in convening around the challenges or other projects. Should we look to project or Fellowship departments? It’s quite difficult for Fellows to self-organise … though it may get easier once the new RSA network site is fully launched. At present we can’t find who might be interested, and space is tight in JAS.Clay Shirky has highlighted this new convening role for nonprofits – where self-organising meets organisation. Could you help us in the next round of innovation?

]]>