Articles by Ric Lander
Ministerial Optimism sees Fracking Stumble Ahead onto Uncharted Paths
Posted on January 23, 2012 | 1 Comment
In a letter regarding the controversial drilling process Sarah Boyack MSP says regarding the Scottish Government’s position “I am sure that you share my hope that the Minister’s optimism is well-placed” [1]. I do share Sarah’s hope, but optimism is a frivolous commodity when dealing with the regulation of heavy industry. Gas extraction by hydraulic [...]
Durban could yet be a chapter in the story of how we stopped climate change
Posted on December 16, 2011 | 3 Comments
photo courtesy of UNFCCC If a successful campaign needs a story, then since 2009 the global climate movement has been in deep trouble. We certainly started off with a great story. I love to tell it to people all the time. Gather round kids, I say to fresh-faced activists and strangers in pubs, listen up [...]
Machiavelli: power, transition and institutional change
Posted on September 17, 2011 | No Comments
In 1513 Machiavelli provided a seminal analysis of the flow of power in Europe. The ideas defined in “The Prince” have inspired political thinkers ever since. At the time his acute, perhaps cynical, understanding of power, made him notorious, and his works were added to the Vatican’s list of banned literature. Today his name has [...]
What the environment needs is sustainability – our current governments seem incapable of delivering it
Posted on April 3, 2011 | No Comments
This week, some talented researchers and policy professionals packed up their desks, and left Osborne House in Edinburgh, marking the end of the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland. No more assessments on the Government’s progress on sustainability. No more independent policy recommendations. No more scrutiny. An automated email message told me if I had a [...]
From Facebook to the Streets: The Humble Spray Can Still Holds its Charm
Posted on May 5, 2010 | No Comments
The internet is a wonderful place to share ideas. It’s an even better place for sharing inane crap. Sometimes the two crash together to create something quite brilliant, like wikipedia and last month’s hilarious tory-advert meddling at Mydavidcameron.com. The net’s utterly anarchic structure, having something of Somalia’s law and order and the rest of Singapore’s [...]