Dutch success

Around eight years ago, I drew on an inspired wider Dutch scheme to argue for what I called an Organics Tax Credit – published by the New Economics Foundation. I got nowhere here, but I was really impressed to hear about the progress of the Dutch scheme – the Green Investment Scheme – from the cooperative bank Rabobank this afternoon.

Since it’s introduction in 1996, the scheme has encouraged 6.85 billion euros into green investment at a cost of only 175m euros in tax foregone. The leading investments have been in renewable heat and cool systems.

Rabobank, by the way, is the only bank in the world with triple A rating from both Standard & Poor and Moody’s.

Drawing, in part, on this the US Senate and House of Representatives are both promoting the idea of a Green Bank, or clean energy development administration in legilsative language, for renewable.

Green banking is on the rise worldwide and the Dutch help to show us the way.

Cooperative women

I am attending the global get-together of coops this week organised by the international cooperative alliance.

One international initiative is around cooperatives’ work in the current downturn to promote gender equality. Eva Majurin of Coop Africa gave a wonderful presentation, with the example of cooperative banks increasing rather than cutting credit to women farmers in countries like Tanzania, with wonderful results. Helping to give women farmers the same support as men increases crop yields by 22% – good for everyone.

The rain-swelled Thames

Two birthdays, two celebrations, Friday and Saturday, both at pubs along the rain-swelled Thames – though fifty miles apart. Thank you and happy birthday Paddy and Adrian.

The first was the the beautiful Trafalgar Tavern in Greenwich. It claims on a notice by the bar to feature in Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens – though I am on page 414 right at the moment and all his characters with the wonderful names of Boffin, Twemlow, Wilfur and the Veneerings have yet to find their way there.

The second was the Red Lion in Henley, snug alongside the riverbank, with the waters full but the stretch far more narrow then when the Thames closes towards Kent and the sea.

 

Among the poppies

11.11.11 is the name of the day of international solidarity in Belgium. 11.11 is also, of course, remembrance day and today I wandered through a meadow of poppies in Whitehall – one I read was dedicated to the messenger pigeons that died in world war one, others to the wounded and dead civilians and soldiers from today’s wars. My daughter was chosen from her school to be part of the service. I couldn’t see her as I was passing through to meet a succession of ministers to talk coop – Tessa Jowell, Sarah Mcarthy Fry (the minister for mutuals) and Ed Balls.

I did see a few white poppies, which I learn from the unsung Coop News was invented by the womens guild of the cooperative movement after the first world war, as a symbol of peace as well as a mark of respect.

Red or White poppy, I guess that, in a world that tells us that we are what matters, we are ‘worth it’, it is good to stop and say thank you for what others have done for us.

Big society, big conversation?

David Cameron’s Hugo Young speech is really well worth reading – rather than assume that the state gets in the way and needs to get out, he asks how the state can act in order to be able to get out of the way. It is not a speech about concrete action, which is a shame because actions are louder than words, but it is about ideas and core philosophy and very important for it – he cites for example the co-operative theorist and Nobel Prize winner Elinor Ostrom. I would say that if the thinking here spreads across the Conservative Party, there is a genuinely interesting set of conversations to come.

 

Break up big business?

The Independent has published an opinion piece by me today.

I contrast the process of big business getting bigger with the grass-roots energy and new solutions emerging from co-operative enterprises.

We have Kraft bidding (or not) for Cadbury today. Meanwhile, six companies in the energy market, five in mortgages, four in mobile phones, four in retail, two in payment systems, one in online advertising search … in each case, a handful of companies control around seventy per cent or more of UK sales.

More on a dog helps dogs world

 

On the same theme. I have been to see the new puppies that my mum has…

A dog helps dog world

I have given my first external talk for Co-operatives UK, contrasting what we are always told about this being a ‘dog eats dog’ world. In reality, neither dogs nor we are quite like that. We had a great session on the prospects for the co-operative economy, pulled together by the Co-operative Group, with an input too from Andrew Bibby and Diane Coyle – plus Phillip Blond, Neal Lawson, Ann Pettifor, Vicky Price, Steve Wyler and Cliff Mills among others.

I have pulled together some of the reading (thanks for suggestions) and conversations(you know who you are) into what I think is a really exciting agenda for co-operation in today’s world.

It is called A Dog Help Dog World.

Organic, Pluralistic, Pragmatic, Voluntary

These are the words that Gary Dorrien uses to describe a programme of ‘economic democracy’ for the USA. It is a great and provocative read (thanks Pat!).

First day

 

My first day with Co-operatives UK in Manchester! And when I arrive, there, high above, is a rainbow… a sign of hope for me.

My contact details are: Secretary General, Co-operatives UK, Holyoake House, Hanover Street, Manchester M60 0AS. Tel is 0161 246 2939.

Leave a comment and I will send you my email address if you want it!