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Learning to use technology....slowly!

I want to be Swiss: thoughts on the Sustainable Development Bill

The Welsh Government is in the process of introducing legislation which will “develop and strengthen our approach to sustainable development in Wales”. It has recently published responses to its consultation document (http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/sustainabledevelopment/sdbill/?lang=en#). As I reflected on its content I was challenged by a friend to have a look at what the Swiss are up to.

In this blog I invite you to view extracts from the 72 page Swiss Federal Council’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2012-2015, the fourth in a series (the first was published in 1997). The full document which includes an Action Plan – or even its shortened 16 page summary – is well worth a read. Especially for anyone who believe that we might be creating a rod for our own backs by legislating for sustainable development ‘in these tough economic times’ and who might be looking in the wrong places for their inspiration. http://www.are.admin.ch/themen/nachhaltig/00262/00528/index.html?lang=en Continue reading

Pa liw yw ‘twf’ economaidd?

Croeso i fy ail flog! Beth yn y byd sbardunodd fi i roi pin ar bapur neu redeg bysedd dros yr allweddell y tro hwn?

Mentrodd Comisiwn Newid yn yr Hinsawdd Cymru i Fangor a chroesawyd hwy drwy frecwast gan Rwydwaith WISE (www.wisenetwork.org) fel cyfle i’r Comisiynwyr a busnesau lleol gael cyfle i drafod sut i fynd ati i sicrhau ‘twf gwyrdd’.

Mae’n amlwg ers tro fod geiriau megis ‘gwyrdd’ a chynaliadwyedd’ yn golygu popeth a dim yn dibynnu ar bwy sy’n eu defnyddio. Anaml y byddant yn cyfeirio at y gwir broblem sef ein bod wedi’n cyfyngu i adnoddau un blaned ac nad oes yna blaned B (ymddiheuriadau nad ydi’r chwarae ar eiriau yna’n gweithio yn y Gymraeg!]. Rydym wedi’n caethiwo gan y model economaidd presennol i’r fath raddau fel bod bron pawb, yn gyhoeddus o leiaf, eisiau cael eu gweld fel pobl ‘realistig’ – hynny yw, busnes fel arfer gyda thamaid o wyrdd hwnt ag yma (heb amharu dim ar ‘greu swyddi’, twf mewn GDP at ati). Continue reading