simpol-06-autumn

The Simultaneous Policy News • Autumn 2006

ISPO • PO Box 26547 • London • SE3 7YT www.simpol.org

It’s Simpol !

Top issue for UK Adopters is climate changeResults of voting in first national consultation with UK Adopters page 5

Applying the Simultaneous Policy - SP and Climate Change: a Global Tax on Aviation Fuel? Guest article from John Stewart, Chair of AirportWatch page 3Report on Simpol-UK’s “exciting and interesting” Summer Roving Campaign page 10

Contents Editorial p.3

Applying the Simultaneous Policy : SP and Climate Change: a Global Tax on Aviation Fuel? (John Stewart), p.3

Policy Committee report : Shaping the Simultaneous Policy, p.5

News-watch :SP in the news, and other encouraging items, p.9

Campaigning : News from Simpol-France -- Olivier Penant takes over as national coordinator, p.10News from Simpol-UK -- Barnaby Flynn writes about his successful Summer Roving Campaign, p.10-- Further pledges from MPs brings the total to 17, p.11-- Round-up of SPAG activities, p.11-- New Trustees elected during the 3rd AGM, p.8

News Briefs

German and UK national coordinators meet in Switzerland

Ursulina Telberg, recently appointed German National Coordinator, and ISPO founder, John Bunzl, took time out of their summer holiday schedules to meet in Sils, Switzerland, to discuss the latest developments in Simpol’s German campaign. Adoptions in Germany have been rising steadily, partly on the back of high-profile support from the popular singer and entertainer, Nina Hagen.

New contact address for Simpol-NZ Following up the announcement in the Summer 2006 issue of the formation of this second national SP organisation, Hugh Steadman confirms its email address is now [email protected].

The Simultaneous Policy

It’s Simpol !

ISPO • PO Box 26547 • London • SE3 7YT www.simpol.org

International Simultaneous Policy Organisation

Simpol promotes the Simultaneous Policy, which aims to deliver social justice around the world, resolve global problems like environmental destruction and regulate the economic power of international capital for the good of all. Simpol seeks solutions to problems that individual national governments cannot resolve by acting alone. This is because the problems transcend national boundaries, and because the global competitive system means that any government that acted alone to try and resolve such problems could effectively make its country uncompetitive.

Simpol aims to achieve these objectives by encouraging ordinary people around the world to oblige their political representatives and governments to move toward coordinated international resolution of global issues for the good of all. This is because it is only by countries all agreeing to implement changes at the same time that problems no individual government dares tackle alone can be resolved in a satisfactory way. Simultaneous implementation of such policies would ensure that no country became uncompetitive as a result of pursuing policies that were right for the planet and which embodied people’s higher aspirations.

All you need to do is sign up as a Simultaneous Policy Adopter which costs you nothing. By so doing you agree in principle to vote at elections for any candidate, within reason, who has signed a pledge to implement the Simultaneous Policy alongside other governments. Alternatively, if you have a party preference, your Adoption signifies you will encourage your preferred party to make this pledge. This is the simple mechanism Adopters use to advance their cause.

Simpol’s approach is peaceful, open, and democratic. If you Adopt you will have the opportunity to contribute to the formation of specific policies that answer global problems and join with others in using your vote in a new and effective way to drive the politicians of all parties to implement these policies.

How do you want the world to be?

An occasional newsletter published by Simpol-UK (www.simpol.org.uk) for the

INTERNATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS POLICY ORGANISATION (ISPO)[email protected]

Edited by: Brian Wills ([email protected]) Production: Mike Brady.

Cover photo: Bristol SPAG members at ICount climate change rally, London, 4 November 2006. Photo: Jonathan Ward.

Meeting up in Cyberspacewww.myspace.com/simpoluk; http://simpol.blogspot.com; Second Life: SP Adopters' hang out, Tangun.

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Editorial/Applying the Simultaneous Policy 3

The Simultaneous Policy www.simpol.org

An important event in SP’s campaigning history happened in the summer of 2006. This was the circulation to Adopters in the UK of a questionnaire seeking responses on the basis of which priorities among suggested policy measures could be measured.

As it was possible to analyse these data to show indicative trends, and thus provide feedback to Adopters and the UK Policy Committee with factual guidance for its future work, space has been provided in this issue to cover the Committee’s report in full.

Readers will recognise what a significant step this represents in SP’s policy development process. It’s another

first, in fact, that widens the organisational base on which growth of the Simpol movement can be built. They will also note that this issue’s lead article – about the implementation of a global tax on aviation fuel – provides an excellent example of the relevance of SP’s strategy to an NGO’s single-issue campaign.

There is good news, too, emerging from Simpol-UK’s Summer Roving Campaign. Not only has the number of pledged MPs increased, but the willingness of Britons to sign on as Adopters appears to confirm our Summer 2006 News-watch item: that there are many “socially engaged and environmentally conscious voters” out there on the streets. Making personal contact with such citizens in this way is evidently enough to convince them that SP adds something of value to their current political aspirations.

Editorial

“Aviation is crying out for the approach promoted by Simpol”, writes John Stewart, Chair of AiportWatch. “Governments across the world argue that they can’t take effective action to curb the growth in aviation because the traffic would simply go to other countries.”

Climate change was voted by Adopters as by the far the most important issue for SP to address. On this basis It’s Simpol! gives space to thinking on how to tackle it, for Adopters to take forward in the policy development prcess if they wish.

This existing campaign in favour of taxing aviation fuel and curbing airport expansion in the UK demonstrates the relevance of SP’s strategy when governments are unwilling or unable to address serious global problems cooperatively. The encouraging messages are that some “individual politicians want to take action” and that, across Europe, “pressure is growing on politicians” to “help break this frantic, ultimately destructive dash for growth.”

The impact of emissions and noise pollution

Worldwide, aviation is the fastest growing source of human-induced global-warming emissions. At present it accounts for only 3.5% of all emissions, but this could rise to 15% by 2050 if growth continues at the current rate. And it is a major source of noise pollution. Over a million people in the UK alone are disturbed by aircraft noise.

If aviation is not curbed, the poorest in the poor countries will be hit the hardest. These are the people who will be worst affected by climate change. These are the people who, if a flight path came their way, would have little

choice but to endure the noise. And, ironically, these are the people least likely of any on earth to fly. Only a tiny percentage of the world’s population will ever fly. Flying is a rich person’s game – played out at the expense of the poor.

In the UK, the Government is proposing the biggest single expansion of aviation that the country will have ever seen. It is predicting a trebling in the number of passengers using the country’s airports over the next 25 years. The growth in freight traffic is also expected to soar. To cater for all this, the Government expects to see up to six new runways built, plus “full use” made of existing runways.

The driver of this expansion is cheap flights to Europe. On present trends, most of the forecast growth will be accounted for by the richest 10% of the population taking several weekend breaks a year, often to second homes in Spain, Italy or France.

Obviously, the advent of cheap flights has allowed many lower-income people to fly more often, but it is a myth to argue, as the Government does, that higher fares would ‘price poor people off planes’. The average household income of people using Stansted – a low-cost airport – is £52,000 a year. If fares went up, some middle-income people would fly less, but the bigger losers could be the wealthiest 10% of people. For the poorest 10%, it would be largely irrelevant as they rarely, if ever, fly.

Tax breaks: the winners and losers

Across Europe there is pressure on governments to use fiscal measures to curb aviation. There is plenty of scope for doing so. There is no tax on aviation fuel. Aviation is zero-rated for value-added tax. It is estimated that, as a result of these two tax breaks alone, the Chancellor is losing £9 billion a year. Additionally, aviation does not pay the full costs of the environmental damage it causes. This, too, runs into billions.

These tax breaks are regressive because they mainly benefit the rich who fly the most at the expense of the poor who fly the least. A progressive government could

Applying the Simultaneous PolicySP and Climate Change: a Global Tax on Aviation Fuel?

4 Applying the Simultaneous Policy


use that money to pay for the things that would truly benefit poorer people – improved bus services, better sound insulation in social housing, more accessible facilities for disabled people.

Many governments across Europe – and, indeed, in many parts of the world – would like to remove the tax breaks enjoyed by the aviation industry. They would like to see measures such as a tax on aviation fuel, a charge on aviation emissions, value-added tax imposed on aviation transactions or a noise tax introduced. But no one government wants take any of these measures on its own. This is where SP could have an important role to play.

Campaigning for governments to exert more control

The signs are emerging that individual politicians want to take action. This summer the European Parliament voted, by a substantial majority, in favour of a report by the UK Green MEP Caroline Lucas which called for tough fiscal measures to tackle aviation. And in August, the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee at Westminster issued a report calling on the UK Government to introduce measures to remove the tax breaks.

Across Europe, pressure is growing on politicians to act. Green NGOs concerned about climate change are linking up with airport community action groups (which tend to focus on noise) to demand change. In the UK, AirportWatch was formed in 2000, bringing together national NGOs and airport community groups, to call for a new approach to aviation. This Autumn AirportWatch is promoting its Rethink! Campaign where it is calling on the Government to fundamentally rethink its 2003 expansionist Aviation White Paper in the light of the huge environmental and social damage aviation is threatening to cause. The campaign is encouraging individuals to email the Transport Secretary of State, Douglas Alexander, by clicking on www.airportwatch.org.uk

Many of the AirportWatch groups are also supporting the Airport Pledge which individuals are asked to sign, pledging themselves to take ‘personal action’ to stop airport expansion – www.airportpledge.org.uk

There is also growing concern among campaigners about the way cut-price aviation is enabling and encouraging firms to fly goods around the world, destabilising local markets and creating many unnecessary journeys.

AirportWatch has linked up with campaign groups across Europe. Campaigners are attending each other’s meetings, rallies and demonstrations. This summer saw the first-ever European Day of Action on Aviation where there were simultaneous actions at over 25 airports across Europe.

Links are also being forged with the development campaign groups and church organisations. During this year’s Labour Party Conference there was a speaker from Christian Aid at the AirportWatch fringe meeting, talking about their report on how climate change impacts on the poor world. AirportWatch is a keen supporter of Stop Climate Chaos and had a visible presence at its event in London on 4 Nov 2006.

Additional links are being made with the direct action movement. Earlier this year Dutch activists invaded the

taxiway at Schipol Airport and, in this country, aviation conferences have been disrupted and the headquarters of key companies occupied.

How citizens and parliamentarians can pressurise governments

As well as promoting SP and calling on politicians to sign the SP pledge, Adopters can support the Airport Watch campaign in the following ways:

• Email the Secretary of State for Transport calling on him to rethink the Aviation White Paper –

www.airportwatch.org.uk.• Ask your MP to support changes to the white paper.• Join AirportWatch which produces a regular bulletin

and can put people in touch with any local group in their area or with national campaigns on aviation – www.airportwatch.org.uk.

• Sign the airport pledge – pledging to take personal action to stop airport expansion –

www.airportpledge.org.uk.• Get involved with direct action – www.planestupid.com.

Airport Watch is calling for changes in policy. Adopters may wish to support these proposals within SP:

• There needs to be worldwide agreement to impose taxes on aviation fuel, on aircraft emissions and on noise.

• The ideal would be a policy developed – certainly at a European level – which saw the key airports in Europe as complementary to each other, rather than competitors with each other. This would help break this frantic, ultimately destructive, dash for growth.

The resulting range of benefits

Would all this mean an end to flying? That is not the intention nor would it be the result. Most people in the rich world would still fly, but many more would take more of their holidays in their own country (to the benefit of their native tourist industry) or spend their money on other things (thus assisting other areas of the economy).

There would be a switch to rail – 45% of the flights made in Europe are 500 km or less in length, about the distance from London to the Scottish border. The evidence from such countries as France and Germany, where good rail systems have been developed, suggests that people prefer an affordable rail system to air when the journey is no more than about 500 km (around 3.5 hours in a fast train).

The rich world can curb the amount it flies without avoiding flying altogether. But curb it, it must. It is not defensible that the rich world can indulge itself at the expense of the rest of the planet and, indeed, of the planet itself. Policies must change. And individuals, organisations and politicians can play their different roles in facilitating this change.

Editor’s note: As well as signing up as SP Adopters and calling on politicians to sign the SP pledge, people can take action in support of parallel campaigns. Adopters who are interested in promoting policies to address this issue in SP’s Policy development process should see page 8 for guidance on methods of submitting policy suggestions.

Policy Committee report 5


Policy Committee report : Shaping the Simultaneous PolicyA questionnaire and year report were sent to 1,400 UK SP Adopters in September and all Adopters were invited to attend a consultation meeting in London on 14 October. Here Mike Brady reports on the consultation on behalf of the newly elected Policy Committee.

There were 72 responses to the questionnaire (5.1%). A full analysis of responses is available in the 'policy zone' of www.simpol.org.uk.

Policy Committee elected As a result an elected Policy Committee replaces the provisional one appointed by Simpol-UK last year. Members are: Shilpa Shah, Jill Phillips, John Bunzl and Mike Brady. The elections were uncontested (as there are 9 spaces on the Committee), but Adopters were asked to indicate their approval/disapproval. Approval was 88% or higher for each candidate. The term is for one year. Shilpa has sadly since indicated she is unable to take up the post.

It is the responsibility of the Committee to process policy suggestions from Adopters, publicise these to other Adopters and enable discussion and voting on suggestions. The Committee is also responsible for ensuring the policy development process keeps pace with the complexity of the task by consulting with Adopters and putting forward proposals for changes. Ranking of issues to be addressed by SP The questionnaire asked Adopters to rank different issues which SP could address. Four issues were given as prompts from the suggestions already submitted. Adopters were able to add issues of their own. By identifying common themes a list of top 10 issues emerges.

The list has no status in shaping policy content at this stage and will change as the campaign develops, particularly as more people respond to questionnaires in future rounds of voting. It serves as a guide for the Policy Committee and Simpol-UK, as described below.

Adopters gave their top issue a ranking of 1. Climate change was the top for most Adopters (made number 1 by 45 respondents). This also emerges as top when the average of the ranking is calculated as shown below. Issues given in bold are the four given as prompts.

Issue Average ranking Total votesClimate change 1.7 67Conflict resolution 3.0 5Environment 3.2 14International trade 3.4 64Transnational corporations 3.5 63Disarmament 3.5 13Finance 3.7 64Governance (global and national) 3.7 15Human rights 3.9 7Understanding between peoples 4.0 6

The role of experts in policy development

The questionnaire included a question about if and how the Policy Committee should involve outside experts in the policy development process. The position has been that experts could only be directly involved in the policy development process if they were themselves Adopters. This followed a consultation in 2005 when the policy development process was initiated. At that time it was decided that Adopters can put forward policies they like from any source. But it has not been the role of the Policy Committee to put forward proposals of its own or to commission experts to do so or to analyse suggestions from others. In the latest consultation the majority of respondents who commented on the matter were in favour of expert involvement: 8 suggested experts should be involved for certain tasks and/or with conditions attached, 5 supported the Policy Committee involving outside experts without specifying conditions, 2 objected to involvement of outside experts outright.

A further consultation meeting was held on 14 October 2006, run as an 'open space' using a methodology developed by the Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice (based at Nottingham University) which took part in a join seminar with ISPO at the European Social Forum. Though there was little time to discuss the role of experts, it is clear from the discussion that it is a subject that raises strong feelings as it touches on the fundamental nature of SP as a democratic space.

The rating of policy suggestions does suggest ways forward. This will now be presented.

Adopters were asked to rate each suggestion as follows:

A - indicates you like this suggestion and it should be developed further.

B - indicates you think this issue is important, but the approach is wrong.

C - indicates you think this suggestion is not suitable for inclusion in SP.

D - indicates you need further information to understand the suggestion better before you can give your view.

Pie charts have been used to summarise the ratings given to each policy. Different patterns emerged in the voting, pointing to different ways forward. These include:

• Further information on the suggestion required

• Further explanation of the issue required

• Further discussion by Adopters required

ATTENTION: The proposals in the section “The way forward for the coming period” form the terms of reference for the Policy Committee for the coming year. Please comment if you have suggestions for changes. Send your comments to the postal address or [email protected]

6 Policy Committee report


Further information on the suggestion required

Where there is high support for a policy suggestion and low rejection, the Policy Committee proposes it should be given more space.

For example, the results for the suggestion on the ‘Oil Depletion Protocol’ showed a high level of support for it to be developed further (A = 81%), with few Adopters rejecting it outright (C = 4%). There was little indication of Adopters wanting alternative suggestions for the issue (B = 4%), but there was a demand for further information (D = 11%).

An appropriate response could be to give space in the newsletter to the oil depletion protocol, either an article from the Adopter who put forward the suggestion or someone expert on it. Adopters can, of course, put forward alternatives to be publicised to all Adopters in the ‘policy zone’ of the website, through the newsletter and in the next round of voting. Questions and opposition can be raised in the on-line discussion forum and through letters for publication in the newsletter. Support for suggestions may change in time.

A similar situation applies to the International Clearing Union.

The International Clearing Union proposal was submitted by an Adopter citing George Monbiot’s promotion of the original proposal from Keynes. George Monbiot or another expert could be asked to provide an article for the newsletter. The Policy Committee suggests the use of an outside expert should not be controversial because they would provide information on a proposal submitted and supported by Adopters.

Further explanation of the issue required Where there is high support for a particular issue to be addressed by SP, though not necessarily the particular policy suggestion, the Policy Committee proposes space is

given to exploring the issue.

For example, the results for the suggestion on ‘Monetary Reform’ show very few Adopters rejected it outright (C = 4%). While there was significant support for the suggestion put forward (A = 55%), some thought a different approach was required (B = 10%) and a third of Adopters who responded wanted further information (D = 31%).

It is perhaps necessary to give Adopters information on the problem being addressed rather than the specific suggestion. This can be done through the pages of the newsletter by asking Adopters who have been active in discussions about the suggestion to submit articles.

In this example, Adopters are in the process of putting together a package of information going under the working title of Simpoltons’ Guide to Monetary Reform. The Policy Committee proposes that the draft of this can be made available on the website and, if there is support from Adopters, it could be edited and published by Simpol-UK. Comments on the suggestion will be communicated to the Adopter who proposed it (as in all cases) who can provide additional explanation through the on-line forum and discussion group. If Adopters submit alternative suggestions (and 10% of respondents thought alternative approaches may be better) then these will be publicised in the usual way.

The rating of the suggestion for remodelling companies has a similar profile: low outright rejection, but relatively high support for alternative proposals and further information as well as high support for the original suggestion.

Again, further space could be given to explaining the issue. Also see the general points concerning policy fora below.

Further discussion by Adopters required

The rating of several policy suggestions indicates a difference of opinion amongst Adopters. Aside from

Policy Committee report 7


publicising the results to Adopters through the newsletter and posting the comments made to the on-line forum, the Policy Committee proposes leaving further discussion to Adopters. It is for the proposer to build support for their suggestion or for those rejecting it to argue why or to put forward alternatives.

For example, the proposal for ‘Equitable Sharing of the World’s Resources’ has the following rating profile. A good level of support (A = 42%), but relatively high outright rejection (C = 13%) and desire for alternatives (B = 31%). Those wanting additional information is relatively low (D = 14%) so perhaps the Policy Committee should not give this a priority, other than providing means for Adopters to communicate with each other.

The proposal on the ‘Solidar’, an alternative currency, had relatively low overall support (A = 31%). A high proportion of Adopters wanted further information on this or alternative proposals (D = 51% and B = 10%). This indicates the proposer needs to provide explanation to those interested in knowing more. The Policy Committee can remind Adopters of the various ways they can communicate with the proposer.

The profile for ‘The One Per-cent Solution (TOPS)’ is similar.

As with the other suggestions in this section, if Adopters decide to keep discussion live, and possibly revise the suggestion as a result of feedback, it will continue into the next round of voting and may gain more support. However, proposers may decide not to pursue their suggestions or future rounds of voting may knock it further down the list.

The Policy Committee will consider if and how policies should be resubmitted for the next round.

The ‘Esperanto’ suggestion for a world language, received high levels of rejection (C = 71%) and low levels of support (A = 13%). Again it is for the proposer to convince other Adopters, should they wish to continue with the suggestion.

Voting on the suggestion judged to be outside the scope of SP

It is a point of principle that it is for Adopters to decide whether a policy is outside the scope of SP. While the Policy Committee can give its views, it cannot veto a suggestion (unless it is discriminatory or otherwise against the values of SP as set out in the Founding Declaration).

The provisional Policy Committee believed the suggestion for a ‘Fair and Sustainable Trade Institute’ to be outside the scope of SP, as it could be introduced by a nation, or group or nations, acting unilaterally. SP is focused on policies that cannot be introduced because governments realistically fear taking action will put their country at a competitive disadvantage. While accepting this, the proposer wished it to be put forward to other Adopters in accordance with present procedures.

A significant proportion of Adopters supported the proposal (A = 39%), though many did reject it (C = 31%). The proposer can perhaps look to this feedback as encouraging further development towards the next round of voting. It will be treated as a proposal requiring further discussion by Adopters.

8 Policy Committee report/Policy suggestions


If a policy suggestion is discriminatory and its dissemination would violate SP values (and possibly race relations or incitement legislation) then the Adopter will be asked to withdraw it. If the Adopter refuses, it will be held on file and the Adopter may appeal to the membership of Simpol-UK at the next Annual General Meeting.

Policy fora and guest articles

Local SP Adopters’ Groups (SPAGs) and Simpol-UK have held policy fora to discuss issues of interest. Outside experts have been guest speakers to provide information on global problems and sometimes possible solutions. For example, It’s Simpol ! Spring 2006 contained a report on a policy forum on corporate accountability organised for Simpol-UK by Cambridge SP Adopters’ Group (CAMSPAG). The policies discussed have no status within SP unless formally submitted by an Adopter – in this example no policies were submitted.

The way forward for the coming period

The principle that only Adopters can submit policy proposals remains at present. In the proposals above it is generally Adopters or those identified by Adopters as a source of the proposal who will be invited to provide additional information. If outside experts are involved to speak in policy fora or to provide guest articles, it will be on the understanding that this is to meet the requests for information from Adopters on existing suggestions or priority issues.

Policies from outside experts will only have status in SP if submitted by Adopters (if experts wish to become Adopters to submit their proposals, so much the better). If the Policy Committee does decide it is relevant to consult experts or expert bodies on policy content in the future it will first draw up appropriate terms of reference to be approved by Adopters through the democratic

structures that are steadily evolving.

The Policy Committee noted that those who attended the Consultation meeting were concerned that there was insufficient time for discussion of policy process issues and the Policy Committee will ensure this is taken into account when future Consultation meetings are arranged.

Policy suggestions : Adopters Put Forward their ProposalsEvery Adopter has the right to submit proposals for consideration by other Adopters for inclusion by SP. You don’t have to be an expert yourself. If you have come across a good idea, or an organisation with proposals you like, you can submit those too. Visit the ‘policy zone’ at www.simpol.org.uk to give your views on other suggestions and to vote on them.

Provide the following information via the on-line form, in an email to [email protected] or in writing to Simpol, UK, PO Box 26547, London, SE3 7YT (Simpol-UK has offered to accept policy suggestions from Adopters in other countries for passing to ISPO).

• Contact details: Name (to be made public). Email address and other contact details (to be made public at the request of the proposer).

• Title of your suggested policy.

• Summarise your policy suggestion. This is a concise summary to be publicised to Adopters. Include a primary link or reference if relevant.

• Additional details: Give a longer explanation and sources of supporting information if relevant.

Simpol-UK election: New Trustees elected during the 3rd Annual General MeetingThere were 18 participants for this event in London on 14 Oct 2006. Here are the key points from the minutes:

In the Election of Trustees we learned that Isabelle Dodds had stood down and that two candidates had put their names forward for election: Adam Jacobs and Gerard O’Donovan. Their details had been circulated to members and they were duly elected on a no-objection basis. (Note: since the AGM Mike Brady has stood down as a Trustee and member of the Management Board in order to concentrate on his role as elected member of the Policy Committee).

The company secretary, Patrick Andrews, presented the Accounts for the year ending 4 Apr 2006. These were adopted by participants with a unanimous vote. John Bunzl reported on strategy, and Mike Brady presented an outline of the company’s steady progress against the strategic plan. He then reported on the policy consultation that had been undertaken (as reported above). There was some discussion about the use of experts in formulating of policy: a matter that the Policy Committee will need to explore further.

Lastly, there was a presentation by Barnaby Flynn who has been touring the UK holding stalls, helping Adopters set up SP Adopters’ Groups and raising public awareness of the Simultaneous Policy. He gave an extremely lively and interesting presentation (see this issue) that was much appreciated by all.

REMINDER: Send your comments to the postal address or [email protected]

NOTE: Until such time as their own national organisations are ready to process policy suggestions, Adopters in other countries may submit their suggestions to the Simpol-UK Policy Committee.

Policy suggestions/News-watch 9


News-watch : SP in the news and other encouraging itemsSynchronised thinking

Following demonstrations calling for action on climate change, the Guardian Unlimited website (the most popular UK newspaper site) ran an article by Mark Braund, author of The Possibility of Progress arguing that : "Plenty of people are calling for a global effort to reduce carbon emissions, but only one group has offered a viable way of doing it." That group being the International Simultaneous Policy Organisation.

Editorial note: Many readers will find this article is a useful tool for persuading friends and colleagues. See http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/mark_braund/2006/11/post_574.html

A view from Schnews

From Weekly SchNEWS no.562 of 29 Sep 2006 (www.schnews.org.uk) Simpol minds (from a column without by-line)

“Risking ridicule from all sides, neo-cons, liberals, lefties and cynical radicals alike, some people are nonetheless trying to come up with genuine alternatives designed to correct some of the worst perversities of the global governance game. And not just imagining, but sticking their necks out and publishing - attempting to engage and inspire others to co-operate in developing and pushing the ideas forward. .. ISPO .. is open source politics: policies continually evolve and can be shaped by equitable consensus of the public membership. .. What ISPO offers is a model of how ordinary people could co-operate to exert their power politically.”

Encouragement for SP campaigners to stay the course …

From Yes! Magazine, Summer 2006 issueThe Great Turning: from Empire to Earth Community by David Korten

“In these turbulent and often frightening times, it is important to remind ourselves that we are privileged to live at the most exciting moment in the whole of the human experience. We have the opportunity to turn away from Empire and to embrace Earth Community as a conscious collective choice. We are the ones we have been waiting for.”

Making Globalisation Work: the next steps to global justice by Joseph Stiglitz

From The Guardian, 16 Sep 2006Shoulder to shoulder with the Asian tiger: book review by Martin Jacques

“.. The problem for the great majority of people is that the issues raised by globalisation are difficult and unfamiliar. .. Much of the controversial meat of globalisation – trade agreements, Doha, intellectual property rights, dumping laws and the like – are to the average person obscure and arcane. .. But, as Stiglitz shows, these seemingly technical issues are of profound political import. .. [His] achievement in this book is to explain a host of such issues – trade agreements, currency reserves, Kyoto, rules of origin – in a highly accessible manner, thereby showing the extent to which they shape our world and that another world is, indeed, possible.”

New suggestions

Title: World Arms Monitoring Agency and Disarmament

Proposer: Doug Everingham

Summary: Each government to submit to a world arms monitoring agency lists of each category of arms. The agency to develop a timetable for reducing these inventories, subject to dertermiations of international courts.

Title: A Defensive Defence Policy

Proposer: Barbara Panvel

Summary: I propose that we work to encourage all nations to follow the example of the governments of Sweden, New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland in adopting a defensive defence policy. Some groundwork has been done in the UK [follow the link for information on other countries]. Dr Steve Schofield was commissioned to write a research report on the implications for the UK of adopting such a policy. It was launched in a Commons committee room in December 2002 by former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle. In addition to those attending interest and support was expressed by forty-six people with a good track record, including nine MPs, one being SP’s Andrew George, and two former MPs, Alice Mahon and Tony Benn. Three people have agreed to show the

excellent video/DVD “War no More” and open a discussion about defensive defence. Simpol-UK’s backing and promotion would be of great benefit to this cause which is in harmony with SP’s desire to adopt policies leading to a more peaceful world.

Title: Global Citizen’s Income

Proposer: Michael Gill

Summary: A form of Global Citizen’s Income might be introduced possibly in the form of individual Carbon Credits that would both deliver contraction and convergence and help alleviate poverty in the poorer areas of the world. It would be necessary to cancel the 3rd world debt first to make it work.

Title: Nuclear Disarmament

Proposer: Mark Horler

Summary: Nuclear weapons pose a risk to all human life, to our civilisations and also to the biosphere upon which we depend (though we may not think it) for our survival. This is one of the most fundamental risks we face as a species - from catastrophic loss of life to the worst case scenario of extinction. We must deal with this now. I can only suggest that all visit the CND site: www.cnduk.org Also I suggest reading ‘The fate of the earth’ by Jonathan Schell.

10 Campaigning


Campaigning : SP Links Campaigners Around the WorldNews from Simpol-France Olivier Penant, who lives in Paris, has become the provisional National Coordinator for France. He’s a consultant graphic designer who has worked as a telephone counsellor for an AIDS charity, has campaigned for Act Up, is single, and bilingual in French and English.

Here he shares with readers of It’s Simpol! his personal account of how he came to hear about SP, the impact that the strategy made on him in the context of the Israeli incursion into Lebanon, and his resulting decision to become an Adopter and then National Coordinator. Contact: [email protected].

Each morning as I drank my coffee and listened to the news about the Israel-Lebanon conflict I found the reports of destruction, loss of life, particularly among civilians, and all the continuing chaos extremely disturbing. I became angry, and felt I could no longer remain a passive onlooker, lamenting these events alone in my kitchen. And decided I should find a peaceful but effective way to oppose the war.

I wrote an email about the need for a peaceful solution to the Israeli Ambassador in Paris, which it seems was never read, and I took part in a street demonstration. Then, during an internet search, I came across Nina Hagen’s website with its link to SP. I was immediately impressed by this clear and innovative concept, and discovered many of the burning issues I considered important were being addressed: • Climate change and preservation of the environment.

• Impoverishment of the planet by transnational corporations. This is something I know about because in my professional work I process annual reports, letters to investors, etc., and have noticed they contain abstract concepts lacking in conscience, morality or compassion. And, constantly involved in a competitive conflict, they are focused on accumulating exorbitant profits at the expense of individuals.

• The campaign against the development of weapons of mass destruction, the use of arms in general, and the avoidance of wars and violence.

• The promotion of fair trade.

• The principle of ‘governance’ in world affairs.

• The pursuit of cooperation at individual, national and global level.

And all of this to be achieved through the basic principle of democracy: the right to vote.

Thus for me, who had planned not to vote at the next election, sickened by the spin given to political affairs in the media, and by the facts that no real reform is achieved despite alternating governments of the left and right, and that the state of the planet continues to

deteriorate, Simpol’s existence gave me renewed hope and motivation.

Thus I became an Adopter, sent the website address to my friends, and decided to become an active supporter. It was of course a surprise when I was invited to consider becoming National Coordinator because it seemed I had little relevant knowledge of politics or economics. But I accepted with enthusiasm because SP is little known in France, and because I feel my experience in public awareness, coupled with my profound desire to improve the conditions of life on our planet, may help to improve that situation.

I am quite confident, in fact. For, as the global situation deteriorates generally, more and more ordinary people will attempt, in their own way, to work together to improve the situation rather than perish. And, to that end, I look forward to playing my part!

News from Simpol-UK

The Summer Roving Campaign Barnaby Flynn, member of Simpol-UK’s Management Board, describes here his enthusiasm for this new campaigning assignment.

He writes: “When people walk past the SP stall and glance at it reasonably intently, I ask them if they would like a flyer. Then, when they take one, I say ‘It’s about getting governments to cooperate with each other to implement policies which most people around the world think are important, but which no one government can implement alone’. I then quote Tony Blair: ‘The blunt truth about the politics of climate change is that no country will want to sacrifice its economy in order to meet this challenge’.”

Such words may be followed by the need to recognise our collective humanity, and for citizens to put forward policy proposals that can only be implemented by countries acting multilaterally and simultaneously – or other points that convince listeners they should sign on as SP Adopters.This report shows how effective this personalised style of persuasion is among British people as they go about their daily lives.

This has been the most exciting and interesting summer ever!

As readers of It’s Simpol!’s Summer 2006 issue will know, I have had the pleasure and privilege of being able to travel the length and breadth of Britain in a veggie oil-powered turbo camper van, taking the Simpol stall to town high streets, festivals and campaign events.

Campaign achievements

I have met people from all walks of life, and have been able to explain how they can get involved in becoming part of the SP global community, pulling together to create a just, peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world.

As a result, about 550 people have become SP Adopters.

Campaigning 11


And, whilst manning the stall, I have encouraged new Adopters to address and sign a letter to their MP which states that, now that they are Adopters of SP, they are far more likely to vote for their MP if s/he signs the SP Pledge. As a direct result of such letters and new adoptions, three MPs have subsequently signed.

Also, some new SP Adopters’ Groups (SPAGs) are being set up, and a long list of people who have expressed interest in campaigning and setting up SPAGs remain to be contacted. Other contacts have been made with media staff, local ecological businesses, with influential opinion-setters, with global and local justice campaign groups, managers of large corporations and, of course, with numbers of people who feel a sense of desperate urgency for change.

There were opportunities, too, to hold successful SP workshops at festivals and campaign camps. And, at the Big Green Gathering in August, I was on a political questions panel in the Green Forum Tent.

Valuable experience gained in presenting the message

Having spoken about SP to thousands of people over the summer, I have been able to hone down the message and respond effectively to questions relating to SP as a serious global strategy. From this experience I now feel confident to speak about SP in front of microphones, cameras and newspaper journalists alike.

At the Big Green Gathering, for instance, whilst being filmed and interviewed explaining SP to a new eco-focused media cooperative called MUST TV, the group were sufficiently encouraged by my presentation to film themselves signing the adoption form there and then – without hesitation or question. Phew!

Another surprise is that friends I have made on the way have jokingly called me a ‘media tart’ because I continually target the attention of popular national and global media outlets. Anyone who feels encouraged to do this kind of campaigning might indeed shy away from being so described. But whatever label is appropriate, it seems clear that personal conviction is of key importance.

The origins of conviction?

For me, SP seems to be the most logical, sensible and painless strategy I have found so far that offers solutions to our social and environmental predicament. And I think certain important things should be said if one is given the opportunity to do so.

Thus, if I speak loftily of SP as a sophisticated method of developing our lives via conscious cooperation, and that conscious cooperation – the key to sustainability – is the integral point of SP, then it is because this is what I see to be the full potential of SP.

I believe that the recognition of our collective humanity (global adoptions) in turn engenders conscious cooperation. And that this is quickly evolving and will become the mind-set of the consensus, the new global paradigm. I sense this process is growing exponentially, but will be speeded up if we can get as many people as possible to adopt SP, and demand of each other what is

necessary, now. After all, what we don’t ask for, we don’t get, or perhaps we are not ready for!

A footnote: Should we be sensitive to calls for “social change”?

I have been on many street protests, large and small, over the last few years and the call for change now seems to have become more intelligent and coherent.

This is perhaps a counter-balance to the increasing momentum, by the few, to centralise power, and to the erosion of our civil liberties via methods of divide and rule. It is, specifically, a call for “social change” (not climate change, not war for oil, not ID cards). For me, SP can be the catalyst – the only way it should happen, via adjusting and improving the world all of us have already helped to create.

Editor’s note to readers in the UK: This campaign project has been extended to continue until March 2007. Barnaby offers guidance and support to all those interested in following up the activities described in this encouraging report. Contact: [email protected].

Further cross-party pledges from UK

MPs bring the total to 17

6 Aug – Andrew Pelling, Conservative, Croydon Central 7 Sep – Don Foster, LibDem, Bath24 Sep – Mark Williams, LibDem, Ceredigion29 Sep – Richard Younger-Ross, LibDem, Teignbridge 30 Sep – Lynne Featherstone, LibDem, Hornsea and Wood Green

You can find a suggested letter for your MP and prospective Parliamentary candidates at www.simpol.org.uk

Round-up of SP Adopters’ Group activitiesBristol (Rob Wicke: [email protected] or 07886196418)

Rob writes: “Bristol SPAG has attracted new members. We are now meeting weekly to talk about how best to promote SP in the city, and to discuss policy, and to savour the local beverages! It’s becoming active and energising! If you’re in the area and want to get involved, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Bristol SPAG coordinated Simpol-UK's presence at the ICount climate change demonstration in London on 4 November 2006.

Reading (Mark Horler: [email protected])

Cambridge (Mike Brady: [email protected])

CAMSPAG meets monthly. In November it participated in Cambridge students' Climate Health week with a meeting on Climate Change: Global Problem, Global Solutions.

It’s free to Adopt! I provisionally Adopt SP, and undertake to vote at elections (if I am eligible to vote) for any candidate, within reason,

who pledges to implement SP alongside other governments when all, or sufficient, other governments have also pledged to do so. Alternatively, I will encourage politicians in my preferred party to make the pledge.

I apply for membership of Simpol-UK and enclose my first annual payment of £25 (£10 unwaged/low-waged). Please send me a membership pack and Simpol-UK’s Founding Declaration (UK residents or people registered to vote in the UK only - otherwise see the website for details of your National SP Organistion).

Please send me the representative’s/candidate’s pledge form (politicians may also tick the other boxes).

Please send me _____ copies of the leaflet How do you want the world to be?

Please send me _____ copies of John Bunzl’s book: The Simultaneous Policy at £12.50 each, including postage and packing (UK delivery – contact ISPO for prices outside the UK).

Please send me _____ large/medium white/pale blue cotton round neck t-shirts with the message: SP: How do you want the world to be? at £12.95 including postage and packing (UK delivery – contact ISPO for prices outside the UK).

Mr/Mrs/Ms:_________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________ Postcode: _____________

Tel: _______________________________________ Email: ______________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________

How can we the people get our leaders to listen to us and not just to the rich and powerful? How can we make our values their values, values like:

• fair trade and decent livelihoods• respect for life, health and environmental

sustainability• true democracy – not "corporatocracy"• freedom, security and equal opportunity for all• zero tolerance for terror of all kinds – state terror

and domestic tyranny included• unity in diversity among peoples, nations and

cultures• an end to weapons of mass destruction and to war

itself as an obsolete means of conflict resolution

If we the people had a say, would we vote for "money talks" and "might makes right" or for the rule of just laws and the rights of individuals and communities? Would we vote to share and conserve the planet’s resources, or to hoard and squander them?

Why aren’t governments taking action?

Today, global markets and corporations so comprehensively overpower individual nations that no politician or political party dares make the first move to solve global problems for fear of putting their own nation at a significant economic competitive disadvantage. Though legislators know that serious world problems such as global warming, monopolistic corporate power, poverty and environmental destruction all demand decisive action, they are loath to implement the policies needed to solve them. They legitimately fear that in today's liberalized global economy, investors, corporations and jobs would simply pick up and leave for more congenial destinations. However good their intentions, governments feel bound to conform to a straitjacket of market– and business-friendly policies. That's why, whoever we vote for in the present system, little, if anything, changes.


The Simultaneous Policy (SP) is our "people's globalization policy": a work-in-progress that all citizens who "adopt" SP are designing with the help of independent expert policy-makers. SP is to be implemented when all or sufficient nations are ready to do likewise - simultaneously. Simultaneous implementation means no nation loses out and all the excuses for inaction evaporate.

Here’s how the SP strategy works

By adopting SP, we join with Adopters in our own and other countries who undertake to vote in future elections for ANY political party or candidate, within reason, that signs a pledge in principle to implement SP alongside other governments. Alternatively, if we still have a preference for a particular party, our adoption signifies our desire for our party to support SP.

For a politician, signing the pledge to implement SP does not require a change of policies until it is time to implement SP, and so carries no risk. But by moving the world a step nearer to implementation, the politician hastens the day when global politics shifts from competition to co-operation and global problems, about which many care deeply, can be addressed effectively. On the other hand, failure to sign the pledge could cost the politician their seat and hand it to someone who will support SP. With many seats decided by small majorities, the SP voting bloc could make all the difference.

SP is already gaining public and political support. It is not an alternative to other campaigns, but a parallel strategy, enabling us to look beyond fighting to change existing systems to joining with people around the world and collectively answering the question:

How do you want the world to be?

✄



Imagine a worldWhere values matter – Where leaders listenWhere the strongest superpower is we the people

simpol-06-autumn

Documents

simultaneous policy

simultaneous policyits

simultaneous policy

simultaneous implementation

global problems

uk national coordinators

national consultation

national sp organisation