For the past few years, I’ve written a post on my personal blog summing up the year, and now that I have the Thursday Briefing, I thought I’d start a new habit by doing the same here.
So what have been my political highlights of last year? I think I’d have to put following the Climate and Energy Package up there pretty highly, though in terms of what people visit this blog for, the Torpedo Amendments of the Telecoms Package are a close contender. I’m still at the top position on Google in the UK for the search on them. In domestic politics, the change at the helm of the Scottish Greens was obviously significant, and I don’t think I’ll ever see such an impressive and heartfelt farewell as was given to Robin at the party conference in September.
Personally, this year has been dominated by my discovery of European politics. Surprisingly, the first time I got involved in the Federation of Young European Greens was only February! Since then I’ve certainly experienced quite a lot, including learning how to deal with vehemently pro-European Belgians (though I’m certainly still learning that).
On last year’s end of year post, I wrote about what I wanted to see in the coming year. Proving that, despite feeling recent, the ‘credit-crunch’ has been with us for plenty of time now, I looked forward to “subdued consumerism” and the ensuing environmental benefits. Well thanks to the extensive media coverage of it all – not to mention the year to mull things over – I’ve realised that it’d be nice to have a decent economy which works for people and planet, rather than the short-term gain from the current troubles. Fortunately the Green New Deal came along with a perfect Green rescue plan, and was even picked up by the UN, albeit in a slightly watered down form. Hopefully 2009 will see the first steps of the “carbon army”.
On a different level, I’d like to see greens in the UK realise that there’s a whole continent out there, and so many opportunities to work with fellow greens, to really get our message across, and make sure that we get as many people into office as possible, giving us a chance to prove that it is possible to repair the damage to the environment, prevent future degradation, and reconnect people with both their planet, and their fellow people.
Grand words, I know, and I’m sure I’ll face accusations of forgetting the grassroots and local basis of the green movement.
2005 really was the year when green was trendy. We still had plenty of borrowed money floating around, so it was fine to conspicuously consume the Fairtrade coffee, Duchy Originals biscuits, and People Tree clothes. New Consumer magazine was in its heyday, and even scored an interview with Leonardo di’Caprio.
However, while the economic downturn has moved people from Waitrose to Lidl, and from Duchy to digestives, I’ve noticed something else start to happen. Something very heartening indeed, so long as you don’t manufacture organic hemp jeans. Green policies are slowly being picked up in the significant levels of government. The people who make the decisions are finally starting — and I emphasise ‘starting’ — to make the right decisions, not just those which look good. The Green proposed plans for universal free insulation in Scotland are a great example of this.
So, let 2009 bring copious insulation, more elected Greens, and a rejigged Green economy.
