DMS Agency ’s Post

The Lib Dems have released a fantastic and progressive manifesto, acknowledging the climate and nature crises intertwined with societal inequalities. Friends of the Earth's head of policy, Mike Childs, praised it for its ambitious solutions saying it "appears to be an impressive document recognising the interconnection of the climate and nature crises with existing societal inequalities, and attempts to match both with solutions that speak to the level of ambition required" Their promises include free insulation and heat pumps for low-income households, cheaper utility bills, an environmental rights act, holding businesses accountable for environmental harm, and aiming to reduce emissions by over two-thirds by 2030. #LibDems #ManifestoAnalysis #ClimateAction #NatureProtection https://lnkd.in/eBAfphdj

To all my UK network and UK landscape professionals. Today is General Election Day. If you are eligible, on the electoral roll and have your polling card to hand. Please remember to vote, and don’t forget your photo ID. It only takes 5 min at your local polling station. You maybe asking- Why does it matter? I don’t do politics. It doesn’t change anything. Well actually it does. Politics affects the businesses, lives and every aspect of society, the environment, climate change agenda, housing and living costs. We all lead busy lives, and some of us no doubt are struggling too given the last few years. But your democratic right to vote should not be taken for granted. So please regardless of your beliefs and political values go out there today and make a choice on the ballot box. #landscapeinstitute #theRSA #climatechange #landscapearchitecture

If you are a government practitioner, read this. The section on incivility highlights a challenge many of us deal with... I have posted the link to the podcast below.

Some interesting issues raised here by Daniel Fletcher GAICD, particularly (and apologies for the long post): (i) Local government - like all tiers of government needs to be aware and wary of authoritarian leadership. I would go as far to say especially so in South Australia and Western Australia. The failure in both these states to make voting in local government elections compulsory effectively means a small cabal, if well organised, can effectively organise and manage an election. With compulsory voting, and a much bigger electorate, this becomes much harder. (ii) Incivility is a huge issue. We need to celebrate the civil society we live in - and all the the benefits and privilege's this bestows upon us. Education has a key role here - and local government, especially mayors or presidents and councillors have a central role to play by being visible and accessible to all sections of the community. We need to remember, reinforce and celebrate (are you listening Canberra?) that we live in just 1 of 25 nations classed as a full democracy. For perspective, there are 160 countries which are not full democracies. This dovetails with social cohesion too. Certainly the male, pale and stale perception of local government does nothing to enhance or encourage social cohesion! (iii) CEO turnover ought to be tackled by a combination of a better quality of elected representative who know and appreciate both the role of local government and their role within the system. Alongside this we need CEOs who too understand the foundations of local government and do not see a council as just another corporate entity where they can demonstrate their business 'acumen'. Where you have competent elected representatives and CEOs who understand the importance, scope and scale of local government - then amazing things can happen. We need to identify these beacons of excellence and learn from them! The Institute for Public Policy and Governance can help with each of these points - if you are interested - give them a call!

Howdy 🤠 folks, this is brief dive into the guts of local government, where the work isn’t sexy, but damn, it’s crucial. This an attempt at a short and sweet no-BS article that strips down the layers to show you why local government matters and the real challenges faced. From paving streets to shaping futures, it’s the unglamorous engine of our daily lives. Get ready to expand your mind or possibly you'll want to pull your eyes out, either way local government will continue behind-the-scenes keeping our world and communities running. Local government is undoubtedly highly unsexy, underappreciated, but undeniably important. #local_government #Climate_change #Authoritarian_leadership_ekk still to come: #incivility #financial_sustainability #CEO_turnover #Social_cohesion #artificial_intelligence #high_performing_culture Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Born amidst the echoes of the Good Friday Agreement, Tommy Greene interviewed Ciarán Ferrin, Heidi McIlvenny, Caitlin Ball, Matthew Taylor and myself, to shed light on the fractured lives, environmental neglect, and political vacuum haunting Northern Ireland even 25 years post-peace agreement. Some of the stats revealed:  🚨 12% of all species on this island threatened with extinction 💤 NI Gov not working for over 40% of time since 1998 🏚️ Deprivation levels worse now than 25 years ago 🔺 Race hate crimes doubled in past five years 💔 Across the 20 years from 1998, the number of suicides outstripped the number of lives lost during the 30 years of the Troubles by nearly 1,000  💊 Expenditure on antidepressants rose by more than 50% in 2020. 🚱 Lough Neagh provides almost half of the drinking water for Northern Ireland, polluted by toxic, blue-green algae blooms, threatening human wellbeing and wildlife We see so much frustration here, from the felt reality of these statistics through to cultural divides and misdirected anger at each other rather than the leaders failing us. We might have less violence on the streets, but there’s a chronic reality that threatens current and future generations. 🕊 “Peace is not merely the absence of conflict; it is the presence of justice.” ⚖ Justice in environmental and climate action, mental & physical health services, quality education, regeneration investment, support for vulnerable people and groups, the list goes on.  There is much to celebrate about NI, from the pioneering young people to the deep community and family bonds, stunning nature and creative heart that beats below a dysfunctional surface. We’re in an incredibly fortunate place when you look at the struggles faced by others around the world. But it would be a disservice to say that what we’ve achieved is as good as we’ll get. We can, and should, be doing so much better, starting with a functional government that can’t be held ransom by one party. One that addresses the very real, and critical issues faced by daily people, rather than being dictated by ideological divides. We live in a “democracy”. We should have a government 100% of the time, not less than 60%. Stormont - get back to work. #northernireland #goodfridayagreement #peacebuilding

New Discussion Paper!📝 IIPP Director Mariana Mazzucato & Dan Hill make the case for housing as a fundamental right and a way to achieve social and environmental justice. Read how we can tackle financialisation, extraction and inequality in housing here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eCkdNDxf

This Thursday 2nd May! We can have real change in British politics. Vote and #BeTheChange The Green Party is a party of social and environmental justice, which supports a radical transformation of society for the benefit of all, and for the planet as a whole. We understand that the threats to economic, social and environmental wellbeing are part of the same problem, and recognise that solving one of these crises cannot be achieved without solving the others. https://lnkd.in/gfecTgpM

There is an undeniable racialized disparity deeply ingrained within land ownership and the execution of federal buyouts. Communities of color bear the brunt of historical and systemic barriers to land ownership, which are further exacerbated by the manner in which federal buyouts are conducted. The following article delves into the profound implications of this racialized landscape, examining statistics, exploring the factors perpetuating inequality, and outlining the ethical challenges that demand immediate attention and rectification. Read more here: https://hubs.li/Q01ZZljq0

Many people are lamenting today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to do away with the #ChevronDoctrine, which gave deference to federal agencies on policy decisions affecting nature and climate action.    In the United States, the fight for these issues will begin to shift to states and localities. It’s not the decision that many in the environmental community had hoped for, but as civil society leaders, we must reaffirm our commitment to progress wherever we can shape it.   We are witnessing a year in which half the world is holding elections—those elections have very real consequences for nature and people who depend on it worldwide. We must keep finding and promoting inclusive ways to safeguard our planet and the ecosystems upon which human life is dependent.    At Conservation International, we look forward to continuing our work with the U.S. federal government and embracing work with state governments—from California to Louisiana— to continue to protect nature for people.