January 2018

  • Universities, Colleges and the SDGs – purpose and practice

    This is another word on the St George's House seminar, this time from regular guest contributor, Steve Martin. 24 hours at St George's House, Windsor, with a cadre of experts on sustainability would certainly not be everyone’s idea of fun!  But,...

  • Only half the Earth?

    Thanks to the NAEE weekly round-up for alerting me to EO Wilson's venture: Nature Needs Half. The idea here is that nature needs sufficient space if it is to function properly for the benefit of all life on Earth.  This means, they...

  • Last word from St George's

    This is the programme for the second morning of the 2nd St George's House consultation on the SDGs which ended with lunch last Friday. Lessons from elsewhere David Pencheon (NHS) Louise Scott (PWC) Emily Auckland (UK SSD) Group discussions How...

  • The 2nd St George's House consultation

    This is the programme for the first afternoon of the 2nd St George's House consultation on the SDGs. Introductions What are the purposes of tertiary education? Sector snapshots Student, Jodie Waite (University of Bournemouth) Academic, Stephen Sterling (University of Plymouth)...

  • Once more to Windsor and the SDGs

    I'm off to St George's House again today for another 24 hours thinking about the SDGs.  This event is focusing on HE and FE and is complementary to the event that Jamie Agombar and I ran before Christmas.  This time...

  • Little trust in the 25 year plan

    2010, the new coalition government, and Mr Gove's whirlwind arrival at the DfE and the loss of all the rainbows, came back to me as I read Jonathon Porrit's post about the 25 year non-plan.  I've been waiting for some substance around...

  • Misleadingly good news about the SDGs

    Question: When does 75% mean not only 'not a lot', but misrepresents what's happening? Answer: When it's part of an EAUC presentation of a sustainability survey. The other day, the third annual ‘Sustainability in Education’ report from the National Union...

  • The government, the SDGs and the missing link

    I see that the government now has a dedicated webpage to the SDGs.  This says: 'The UK is committed to the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. The most effective way to do this is by ensuring that the Goals...

  • Eternity is in love with the productions of time

    I’ve just read Revolution by Peter Ackroyd, which is a very engaging history of the 18th century.  Here's something to whet your appetite: "The Leicester Sisterhood of Female Handspinners was established by 18,500 women in 1788". In the book, Ackroyd says...

  • Taking the Long View: a 25 year environment plan for the UK?

    Today's post: Taking the Long View: a 25 year environment plan for the UK? is by the regular guest contributor, Steve Martin. Theresa May and Michael Gove took time out last week,  to visit the Wetlands Centre , in London to...