Newsnight to Green Keynesianism

Newsnight: Gavin Esler proclaiming a split in the Green movement over nuclear power. Brian Wilson (ex-energy Minister) insulting George Monbiot as a "slow learner." Jonathon Porritt and George Monbiot detailing the problems with nuclear power. Esler reiterates his belief that nuclear power is in some way a "scientific" question rather than one of political and economic judgment. (So that he can imply that the anti-nuclear camp is unscientific, which is a gross misrepresentation of the case).

I have put the anti-nuclear power case up here. It is in essence a huge diversion of funding away from the immediate pressing problem of energy conservation. It is incredible that the Government is prattling of spending billions (yes I know the cost of nuclear is supposed to be privatised, but it is the people's money that will have to underwrite the costs of decommissioning and a Maximum Credible Accident. For MCA read Chernobyl) on Nuclear power, while at the same time 10% of Britain's housing stock is without insulation of any kind. Yes more incredible that Gavin Esler does not put this question to Brian Wilson.

Private money for nuclear power? They will invest in the buildings, and recoup their money, with profit, in the future when we buy the damned nuclear electricity from them. Our money will also have to be poured into the breach if/when the nuclear construction corporations go tits up during the construction phase, just as we have had £103,000,000,000 put at risk to save Northern Rock. It's the same the whole world over...

The most tendentious of the various points that Esler made was that people do not care about the environment now that the financial crash is upon us. Unfortunately neither Jonathon not George picked him upon this. The fact is that the impending economic crisis is both a danger and also a magnificent opportunity to enable a Green Phoenix economy to arise out of the ashes of the failing free market (dys)economy, the present system where the financial tail is wagging the economic dog, the divergent system where the rich get richer and the poor get ever poorer.

Every sentient human being who has an interest in society, economics, and the integrity of our planetary environment must read "A Green New Deal", the July 2008 report by the Green New Deal Group. The Newsnight researchers should read it. It is a map of the way out of the present economic morass, by transforming the economy from carbon addiction to solar nourishment.

Unemployment is the great danger of the coming recession, an unacceptable social evil, but full unemployment is not impossible in a the Green Phoenix economy.

Green Keynesianism is the way to go.