On Thursday 27th March 2008, we had a meeting on the theme of Contraction & Convergence.

Our speaker Tom Barker, an ecologist from the University of Liverpool, gave an introduction to this approach to lowering carbon emissions on a global scale. We watched a short film on the topic before an energetic discussion in which the issue was explored from various angles.

Some people were concerned about the possibility of corruption undermining the process. Another person speculated that it may push countries to raise their populations, as higher populations would result in higher emissions allowances. Some expressed the view that C&C encourages “development” that may have the result of increasing emissions levels. However, there was also a feeling that the C&C framework would give hope for the future. One especially liked feature was the possibility it holds for achieving greater equality between nations than is evident at present.

If you missed this event but you’d like to watch the film, click here

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