Jeremy Leggett

Appropriate Civilization versus New Despotism, Month 2: Tech-for-good and truth take a pounding

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…a Microsoft researcher warned openly this month that AI, even in its current state, is ripe for abuse by aspiring despots: perfectly suited to the centralizing of power, tracking of populations down to the last individual, the demonizing of outsiders, all while radiating authority via a faux neutrality. “This is a fascist’s dream,” said Microsoft’s Kate Crawford, pulling no punches. “Power without accountability.”

Gandhi’s Strategy for Success — Use More than One Strategy

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In serving as a figure who was able to bridge different organizing traditions, Gandhi provided a model of a complex social movement ecosystem. This model illuminates a critical idea: that transformation is most likely to come about not through any one single approach to creating social change — but through the integration of many.

Green Jobs in a Sustainable Farming Economy post-Brexit

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Many sustainable farming practices offer an alternative, bringing increased opportunities for knowledge sharing, co-working and often a greater level of appreciation from consumers, local communities and the public.

Trump’s Proposed Budget Would Spell Disaster for Low-income Communities

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While the Trump administration says it wants to help low-income Americans, it just put forth a budget that puts wealthy Americans first, Chuck Collins told Rising Up with Sonali. “They’ve been trampled by the traditional Republican shrink government agenda: deregulate corporations, transfer wealth to the wealthy,” he said.

Dramatic Shift in UK Government Outlook for Gas and Clean Energy

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The future UK electricity mix will have more renewables, batteries and interconnectors than expected, according to long-awaited new government projections. The shift in Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) modelling, which includes a marked reduction in new gas capacity, parallels similar changes made by National Grid.

Trump Proposal to Fix U.S. Water Infrastructure Invites Large Role for Private Investors

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But P3s are not a cure all. Revenue expectations ought to be moderated by keeping an eye on the persistent decline in urban water demand. Writing a fair contract that ensures the right investments are made is not easy and borrowing costs are higher if using private capital…

Tom Henfrey Unveils ‘Resilience, Community Action and Societal Transformation’

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I think that is essentially what Transition has been saying all along; the combination with resilience science allows the message to be put across with much more force and rigour, and hopefully inform how practical efforts can better negotiate and transform political barriers.

Brushes with the Mainstream

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But if we really want to change these things and not just feel righteous about being on the right side, then we have to address the ground from which they spring. To do that, we have to let go of war thinking with its accompanying dehumanization, and enter the question that defines compassion: What is it like to be you?