Dithering on the Edge of Europe

Rich and Carola have accepted the fact that the EU will probably implement their whole Green Deal before the Dithering Team finishes reviewing it. But undaunted by the extensiveness of the deal, they soldier through two policy areas which should be so much more at the heart of any green economy than the Green Deal makes them out to be: Building & Renovation, and Sustainable Mobility. However, Carola and Rich are not impressed by these two expressions of policy-oriented interventions. If the EU Green Deal is supposed to shift behaviour of member states to chose more green solutions for mobility (and area that represents 70% of green house gases), or initiate that lauded “renovation wave”, as discussed in the EU policies, these policy areas and their targets are so humble that Carola wonders if the EU really means business or if it’s caught in that ever enduring tension between sovereignty and unity. It poses the question of whether ‘politically doable’ is just not enough to save the planet. As Rich says, “We just got to get real!” The EU Green Deal covers 9 policy areas, and in the last 3 episodes, Carola and Rich covered the areas of  Clean Energy  Farm to Fork Biodiversity Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable Industry Eliminating pollution   And in this episode they cover Building and Renovation Sustainable mobility   Upcoming in the next episode is a big one: Climate action   Key Resources  European Green Deal, Wikipedia Entry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Deal  A European Green Deal. Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en    Infographics:    EC (Dec 2019), The European Green Deal - Building and Renovating -https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/attachment/859198/Building_and_Renovating_en.pdf  EC (Dec 2019), The European Green Deal - Sustainable Mobility -https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/attachment/860070/Sustainable_mobility_en.pdf  EC (2011), Charging of heavy good vehicles in the EU - https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/modes/road/road_charging/doc/hgv_charging.jpg  BBC / BEIS/DEFRA Greenhouse Gas Conversion Factors (2019), Emissions from different modes of transport - https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/16D76/production/_108485539_optimised-travel_carbon-nc.png Wikipedia, Diagram of functional airspace blocks diagram of functional airspace blocks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_airspace_block Further Links Emissions from different modes of transport from BEIS/DEFRA Greenhouse Gas Conversion Factors 2019 - https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/16D76/production/_108485539_optimised-travel_carbon-nc.png in a BBC reality check article “Climate change: Should you fly, drive or take the train?” (Aug 2019) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566  The European Single Sky, Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_European_Sky   EURACTIV (Sept 2020) Corona-crisis and Brexit boost EU air traffic reform hopes - https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/news/corona-crisis-and-brexit-boost-eu-air-traffic-reform-hopes/  

In this third of four episodes, Rich and  Carola explore sustainable industry, as part of the EU’s Green Deal? As Carola says,  faffing time is done.  They talk about digital agriculture, algae, sweat, bioenergy, the textile industry,   electronics and reusability, plastics, waste policy,   and yes, running naked and other green tips. (Wasn’t there a film with that title?). And is there a market advantage to be the market leader in green solutions? Also, a long discussion on how to make cement and steel sectors more sustainable.   In this episode we will cover  Sustainable Industry Eliminating pollution   This deal covers 9 policy areas, and in E32, Carola and Rich covered the areas of  Clean Energy  Farm to Fork Biodiversity Sustainable Agriculture   And in the next episodes we will cover Building and Renovation Sustainable mobility Climate action Key Resources  European Green Deal, Wikipedia Entry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Deal  A European Green Deal. Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en  Further Links Eutrophication https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication  Ecosia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosia  Paper bags need to be reused 3 times to be more environmentally friendly than plastic bags: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47027792  EU Packaging waste satistics https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Packaging_waste_statistics 

Union’s Green Deal was announced by Ursula von der Leyen back in 2019 and voted in by the European Parliament in January of this year. In this second of three (or will it be four?) episodes, Rich and  Carola explore EU's Sustainable Agriculture, they explore policies in this area and what exactly is digital agriculture? This was a very long episodes, so we cut it in two. This one covering only Sustainable Agriculture, leaving Sustainable Industry, and another long discussion on cement and steel, for the next episode.    This deal covers 9 policy areas, and in E32, Carola and Rich covered the areas of  ·       Clean Energy  ·       Farm to Fork ·       Biodiversity   In this episode we will cover  ·       Sustainable Agriculture And in the next episodes we will cover ·       Sustainable Industry ·       Eliminating Pollution ·       Building and Renovation ·       Sustainable mobility ·       Climate action   Key Resources  European Green Deal, Wikipedia Entry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Deal  A European Green Deal. Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en      Further Links Digital revolution in Agriculture https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/publications/eip-agri-brochure-shaping-digital-revolution Eurostats (2018), Organic farming statistics  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=File:Organic_farming_area_2018data-01.jpg  Greening our Energy Supply  - https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/sustainability_and_natural_resources/documents/leaflet-greening-our-energy-supply_en.pdf  EU-funded CLAIM (Cleaning litter by developing and applying innovative methods in European Seas)  https://www.claim-h2020project.eu/  Images referred to  DG AGRI network of food and farming journalists and professional communicators from across Europe and beyond Almost 1,000 registered members  https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/key_policies/documents/grants-kick-off-2020-ag-press-access-food-farming-media_en.pdf  Farmers and the agricultural labour force – statistics  https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Farmers_and_the_agricultural_labour_force_-_statistics  Digital Agriculture - Digital revolution in Agriculture  https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/publications/eip-agri-brochure-shaping-digital-revolution 

(now correct upload) Union’s Green Deal was announced by Ursula von der Leyen back in 2019 and voted in by the European Parliament in January of this year. In this first of three episodes, Rich and  Carola touch on the politics of getting to this point and explore three policy areas of the deal: Clean Energy; Farm to Fork; and Biodiversity. Time to get foxy. Who is the pain-in-the-butt nation that the EU is glad to see the back off? And will there be a time again where we can fly without guilt?  This deal covers 9 policy areas, and in this episode we will cover  Clean Energy  Farm to Fork Biodiversity   And in the next episodes we will cover Eliminating Pollution Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable Industry Building and Renovation Sustainable mobility Climate action Key Resources  European Green Deal, Wikipedia Entry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Deal  A European Green Deal. Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en  Further Links Kate Connolly (2020), Plagues of field mice decimating crops, say German farmers, The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/13/plagues-of-field-mice-decimating-crops-say-german-farmers  Eurostats (2018), Organic farming statistics  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=File:Organic_farming_area_2018data-01.jpg  World Economic Forum (2016), Nature Risk Rising:Why the Crisis Engulfing Nature Matters for Business and the Economy - http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Nature_Economy_Report_2020.pdf     

This is the third part of their exploration of the UK Labour Party’s “Green Industrial Revolution”, which was part of their 2019 Manifesto. Rich and Carola give their thumbs up and thumbs down for various policy sections. Bringing back essential services into public ownership and going big on renewables get a big thumbs up, but funding seems to be the missing link.  This manifesto sections covers (Green Industrial Revolution): Economy and Energy Transport Environment Animal Welfare  This episode, concluding our look at Labour’s GND document, contains Environment and Animal Welfare.  Key Links and Resources A green Industrial Revolution (part of the Labour Manifesto, October 2019) https://labour.org.uk/manifesto-2019/a-green-industrial-revolution/ Labour for a Green New Deal Website https://www.labourgnd.uk/gnd-explained Thirty by 2030 Report: 30 recommendations by 2030. Expert Briefing for the Labour party. October 2019. https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThirtyBy2030report.pdf A Just , Green Recovery https://www.labourgnd.uk/green-recovery/    Mentioned Resources Regional Manifestos https://labour.org.uk/page/regional-manifestos/ UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org Labour’s Covid19 post-pandemic strategy of how to move into a green recovery  https://www.labourgnd.uk/green-recovery/  Find out your own CO2 footprint https://www.myclimate.org/information/faq/faq-detail/detail/News/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean/ 

This is the second part to their exploration of the UK Labour Party’s “Green Industrial Revolution”, which was part of their 2019 Manifesto. Rich and Carola give their thumbs up and thumbs down for various policy sections. Bringing back essential services into public ownership and going big on renewables get a big thumbs up, but funding seems to be the missing link.  This manifesto sections covers (Green Industrial Revolution)   -          Economy and Energy -          Transport -          Environment -          Animal Welfare    Because the section on economy and energy took up a whole episode, this episode only contains transport. The next episode will cover the last two sections. Key Links and Resources A green Industrial Revolution (part of the Labour Manifesto, October 2019) https://labour.org.uk/manifesto-2019/a-green-industrial-revolution/  Labour for a Green New Deal Website https://www.labourgnd.uk/gnd-explained  Thirty by 2030 Report: 30 recommendations by 2030. Expert Briefing for the Labour party. October 2019. https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThirtyBy2030report.pdf  A Just , Green Recovery https://www.labourgnd.uk/green-recovery/  Mentioned Resources Regional Manifestos https://labour.org.uk/page/regional-manifestos/  UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org Labour’s Covid19 post-pandemic strategy of how to move into a green recovery  https://www.labourgnd.uk/green-recovery/  Find out your own CO2 footprint https://www.myclimate.org/information/faq/faq-detail/detail/News/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean/ 

In their journey to find the perfect Green New Deal, and having put the bar high with the Green Party’s GND covered in the last two episodes, they move on to the Labour Party’s vision for a Green New Deal. The UK’s Labour Party integrated their “Green Industrial Revolution” into the 2019 Manifesto pledges,  and Rich and Carola give their thumbs up and thumbs down for various policy sections. Airport expansion and HS2 get a firm thumbs down, but the commitment to various public ownerships get a thumbs up. There is also that thing about football pitches…. This manifesto sections covers (Green Industrial Revolution)   -          Economy and Energy -          Transport -          Environment -          Animal Welfare    Economy and Energy is covered in this episode. Key Links and Resources A green Industrial Revolution (part of the Labour Manifesto, October 2019) https://labour.org.uk/manifesto-2019/a-green-industrial-revolution/ Labour for a Green New Deal Website https://www.labourgnd.uk/gnd-explained Thirty by 2030 Report: 30 recommendations by 2030. Expert Briefing for the Labour party. October 2019. https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThirtyBy2030report.pdf   Mentioned Resources Regional Manifestos https://labour.org.uk/page/regional-manifestos/ UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org Labour’s Covid19 post-pandemic strategy of how to move into a green recovery  https://www.labourgnd.uk/green-recovery/  BBC News Reality Check: Climate change: Should you fly, drive or take the train? (24 August 2019) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566  Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2015/2/contents/enacted  Find out your own CO2 footprint https://www.myclimate.org/information/faq/faq-detail/detail/News/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean/ 

Recording this on Super Saturday, and not going to the pub, Carola and Rich are exploring the second half of the GND of England and Wales, and although they cannot agree on whether the six headings represent ‘pillars’ or ‘categories’, they agree on what is their favourite aspect of this GND. This deal covers ·       ENERGY ·       HOUSING ·       TRANSPORT ·       INDUSTRY ·       FORESTRY AND FARMING ·       INCOME   The last three are covered in this episode. Links Green Party of England and Wales, Manifesto 2019 https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/Green%20Party%20Manifesto%202019.pdf UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org The Green New Deal Group, The Green New Deal : A Bill to make it happen https://greennewdealgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/GND_A_Bill_To_Make_It_Happen.pdf     

Carola and Rich are exploring the GND of the Green Party of England and Wales.  It is so comprehensive that they had to  discuss this over two episodes.  This deal covers ENERGY HOUSING TRANSPORT INDUSTRY FORESTRY AND FARMING INCOME   The first three are covered in this episode.  Links Green Party of England and Wales, Manifesto 2019 https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/Green%20Party%20Manifesto%202019.pdf UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org The Green New Deal Group, The Green New Deal : A Bill to make it happen https://greennewdealgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/GND_A_Bill_To_Make_It_Happen.pdf 

In this episode: Could Britain move from a Furlough in lockdown to a Universal Basic Income (UBI) ending up in a green economy? It seems to solve so many weaknesses of the current schemes, especially considering our climate catastrophe just around the next corner. Sources Universal Basic Income, Wikipedia Article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income  Examples of UBI like systems – Alsaka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund  Finland Pilot  – Guardian Article from 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/23/finland-to-end-basic-income-trial-after-two-years 

As we all prepare to move into a new socially distanced world, Carola and Rich debate how exactly the economy should be rebooted. Introducing the theme of the season, they are already dithering when deciding on the name of the theme, or is it about concepts? They cover a short history of the term “Green New Deal” and explore some of the existing tensions between different political views on what a Green New Deal should include and what it shouldn’t. In preparation for a season  of dissecting various contemporary Green New Deals, they set themselves up to be the contemporary connoisseurs of the diverse flavours of GND’s. Like fine wine, some are delightful, and some just cheap and cheerful.  So stay subscribed to experience the GND cellar of fine dealing. Links Joel Pett’s 2012 Cartoon Climate Summit https://www.climateactionreserve.org/blog/2012/08/31/environmental-cartoons-by-joel-pett/  Thomas Friedman’s 2007 Article, suggested to have coined the term Green New Deal https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/opinion/19friedman.html (paywall) And his retrospective article in 2019 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/opinion/green-new-deal.html  2008 - UK Green New Deal Group https://www.greennewdealgroup.org  2008 Global Green New Deal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Environment_Programme   2018 IPPC 1.5Degree Report https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/  History of the Green Parties in the globally https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_politics  European Green Deal https://ec.europa.eu/info/files/communication-european-green-deal_en 

The UK general election has come and gone. We are still here but have a bit of a post-election blues. We also will Brexit by the end of the month (gulp). But we also have some plans for the next phase of our podcast and thus we will take a short break as we prepare for the next season. As we head into carving out a new relationship with our European Union neighbours, the dithering will likely continue, and so will our Dithering podcast. Stay with us, stay subscribed and we’ll soon kick off the new season. 

Carola and Rich imagine four different outcomes of the General Election. With this, they prepare themselves for the worst, the best, the ‘meh’ and the ditheringly ‘ughhhh’. Last minute manifesto checks? Here are some links: Sky News - General Election 2019: Compare policies with our interactive manifesto checker - https://news.sky.com/story/general-election-2019-compare-policies-in-our-interactive-manifesto-checker-11864909    Institute of Government - General Election 2019: manifesto tracker - https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/manifesto-tracker    A site with links to all manifestos - https://www.brevity.marketing/politics-and-election-marketing/   

Rich and Carola continue to explore all sorts of mobile apps that help people get to grips with what the EU is all about.  They test their ability (in a game) to tax a country in order to ensure its citizens' happiness. It does not go too well, and they have to build a dam and face an environmental catastrophe. But the game allows them to get to grips with the benefit of taxes. They also test an app that lists innovation projects, and another one that lists jobs in Europe. They marvel at European TV and explore an app that might help refugees have relevant contact points all in one place.  IPHONE Apps on the Apple Store (all free) Taxlandia by European Union Apps  Innovation Radar by European Union Apps TV of Europe by Television live EURES EU jobs by European Employment Agency EU Advocacy by the European Beekeeper Group  The EU Relocation Programme by European Union Apps

One of our short 'ditherings'. Nothing important, nothing timely. We just captured the moment we discussed our own coffee and tea habits, and how this small part of our culture has something to say about the more significant aspects of UK vs German wealth distribution. How do you have your coffee and tea? Tell us at Twitter @DitheringE

DitheringE is going digital(er). Rich and Carola are exploring all sorts of mobile apps that help you get to grips with what the EU is all about.  Whether you want to test your knowledge of European capitals, recite the articles of the charter, investigate case law, hear stories from across Europe or watch the newest guides about how the EU goes about its EU things, these apps have you covered.  IPHONE Apps on the Apple Store (all free) EU Charter App by European Union Apps European Countries Maps Quiz by Andrey Solovyev EP Research Service by European Union Apps European Citizen’s App by Agile Partner S.A. My Region by European Union Apps  

Ursula von der Leyen’s agenda for the European Commission. This is a big chapter and - we fear - a long episode. The last chapter (and last of our episodes on v.d.Leyen’s political guidelines) is all about democracy; about securing our democracy and safeguarding our European democratic electoral processes, which of course is very fitting as the UK’s political parties have gone all out for their own general election campaigns with various stories already emerging about referendum validity, foreign interference and manipulation of the electorate.  Rich and Carola try desperately to not get hung up too much on UK’s election news, which with all the gaffs coming out from all sides is admittedly rather tempting. But they cover the proposed Conference of Europe, attempt to fill out a questionnaire about the European Union (link to online questionnaire below), discuss the value of the civil service and then Rich has a rant about Carola calling the Westminster parliament the mother of all parliaments and finds a more fitting likening in a doddering great-great grandmother with hearing aids and challenged with mobility.  Moving away from Brexitland’s inability to move in any direction, they have a bit of fun quoting from an article that discussed what happened with the Spitzenkandidaten-system, but written in the form of a murder mystery. Be prepared for many suspects and many culprits as the reasons why the Spitzenkandidatsystem failed this time around has quite complex contexts. This will hopefully be resolved during v.d.Leyen’s tenure, as laid out in the last paragraphs of the guidelines of v.d.Leyen, who has promised to resolve and pin down ways the European Union will select its leaders in the future.  Main Source Ursula Von Der Leyen: Political guidelines for the next Commission (2019-2024) - "A Union that strives for more: My agenda for Europe" 16 July 2019  (pdf English Version) Coverage about expense scandals related to Nigel Farage BBC (04/06/2019): Nigel Farage refuses to attend EU hearing into Arron Banks cash (www)   Guardian (21/05/2019): EU to investigates Nigel Farage over expenses funded by Arron Banks (www)     Conference of Europe Consultation on the Future of Europe (www), including    online consultation (www)  white paper (www)  and how to get involved in citizen dialogue initiatives (www)    Other ways for citizens to have a voice and understand more about the EU European Citizen Initiatives: “Get a greater say in the policies that affect your lives. The European Citizens' Initiative is a unique and innovative way for citizens to shape Europe by calling on the European Commission to make a legislative proposal. Once an initiative gathers 1 million signatures, the Commission decides on what follow-up action to take.” (www)   What Europe does for me (www)   Spitzenkandidatensystem Andrew Gray, Jacopo Barigazzi and Maïa de La Baume in Politico (07/05/19): Who killed the spiztenkandidat. No shortage of suspects in drama over how EU should be governed. (www)   Electoral Interference and EUvsDisino EUvsDisinfo (www) is the flagship project of the European External Action Service’s East StratCom Task Force. It was established in 2015 to better forecast, address, and respond to the Russian Federation’s ongoing disinformation campaigns affecting the European Union, its Member States, and countries in the shared neighbourhood. EUvsDisinfo’s core objective is to increase public awareness and understanding of the Kremlin’s disinformation operations, and to help citizens in Europe and beyond develop resistance to digital information and media manipulation. (www)  Electoral Interference (www)

Carola is still working from sunny but cold Turku in Finland, and Richard joins from rainy UK. They cover the fifth chapter of the guidelines, starting by making sense of the controversy around the commissioner titles, especially the commissioner for “Protecting our European Way of Life”, which of course was the subject of the last podcast episode. Getting entangled in the definitions of multilateralism, they managed to extract themselves simply to ensnare themselves back into a discussion around free trade. And what exactly should fair trade be in an era of green new deals, and can one use trade agreements to afford third countries to become more globally environmentally sustainable. Mercosur comes up, just as supply chains, WTO, chlorinated chicken, asbestos and GMO food labelling. And with UK rapidly moving towards the next Brexit deadline, Rich likens our relationship to the EU to being like a teacher and their most annoying kid at school. But the political guidelines feature the UK specifically and thus demonstrate the foreign policy and international relationship skills for which the EU is fast becoming famous.  Main Source Ursula Von Der Leyen: Political guidelines for the next Commission (2019-2024) - "A Union that strives for more: My agenda for Europe" 16 July 2019  (English Version)

Carola and Rich join across two seas, Carola connects from Turku in Finland, and Rich is still in dizzyingly chaotic Brexitland. But they don’t let the current stunts by Boris Johnson, a parliament prorogation and (non-)constitutional battles phase them and they keep focussing on EU Commission President Von Der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, including chatting about how open and closed borders should be, border and internal security, and whilst ranting about supermarkets and Amazon, they make a case on how trade should always refrain to be an end in itself, as Von Der Leyen suggests, and aim to support a shared wealth.  Main Source Ursula Von Der Leyen: Political guidelines for the next Commission (2019-2024) - "A Union that strives for more: My agenda for Europe" 16 July 2019  (English Version)

Having just come off recording the third take of this episode (yes, finally this has also happened to us), Rich provides a silly start to the show. They both explore Von Der Leyen’s agenda for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, including 5G Standards, Internet of Things, Digital Service Act, Cyber security and the European Education Area, including Erasmus.  Main Source Ursula Von Der Leyen: Political guidelines for the next Commission (2019-2024) - "A Union that strives for more: My agenda for Europe" 16 July 2019  (English Version) Digital Europe and 5G Standards  European Commission, Digitising the European Industry (www)  The European Education Area Consilium: Policy timeline of the European Education Area (www)