good Forumers,

Things having suitably quietened down for the most part on the List, I
thought it a moment to alert you to some positive and hopefully  purposeful
developments.

For some time now, we've been exploring where next for these networks, and
how - as the biospheric crisis intensifies  - we can carry on having a small
but useful role on limited resource.

One idea we have discussed is developing specialist sub-groups appealing to
specific constituencies within the broader CF constellation. - who might
organise their own lines of thought, workshops  and events, and according to
their own  energy, enthusiasm- and timeframes.  Conversations with Pam Lunn
(who spoke eloquently at our final Climate Change and Violence wkshp) has
led to her proposed invitation for a climate change and sustainability blog
which as she puts it might offer considered commentary on  'the
human/social/psychological/spiritual issues around climate change'. In time,
this time could become the kernel of a dedicated grouping, not unlike
Rescue!History. Details of her proposal and how to participate in the blog
are copied below (Climate change and sustainability ­ it¹s personal!) and
will be posted too on the CF website.

This could equally offer a method  for those keen to develop other
directions. For instance, the door remains open to a discussion group on
the actuality and science of the biospheric crisis, and how that might, or
might not be responded to, in technical terms. Perhaps, as a caveat to what
I wrote as moderator recently, Crisis Forum has never been opposed to
discussion of the Arctic or geoengineering. It was the nature of
communications on that score which was the problem. There is no reason why
using Pam's formula,  that subject area could not be fruitfully pursued
again through a dedicated group advertised on the website.

This suggestion, however, is not intended to defuse, diminish or detract
from  the role of this CF List. Torsten Mark Kowal is currently working on a
questionnaire to see how we can enhance its working and make it more
accessible to all of the CF constituency. More to follow!

Meanwhile, the idea of dedicated groups under the CF umbrella is best
represented by Rescue!History. Working on previous efforts to engage
historians and wider public alike in understanding how historically we
arrived at where now found ourselves,  R!H is currently planning a new set
of public events around the concept of the Anthropocene. On Weds. afternoon
July 3 (2-5) an R!H group  from across the UK are meeting informally at
London University to see how we might hammer out our plan. Sketch details
below. But if anybody from the wider CF network would like to participate in
this planning discussion let me know and I'll send on precise venue details.

cheers, and thanks,

mark



----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rescue!History 

Draft Proposal : The Anthropocene : A Formula for Understanding History and
Enabling Humanity towards a Change of Direction?



1. Day or Two Day Conference

' Anthropogenic Climate Change?   How did we Arrive here:  Could it have
been Different?  A Workshop on the Historical Making and Breaking of the
Anthropocene '(provis. title only)

Conference would be open to and  involve interactions between academics and
campaigners, policy-makers, opinion formers, teachers, students  and public!

Venue: tba



2. 'Voices from the Past : Inspirations for the Future

What can Historical Radicalism offer to a World in Biospheric Crisis?

(again a provisional title)'



A series of locally based workshops, in different UK venues,  organised by
local historian-activists  from the Rescue!History network. Among other
things these would consider - and celebrate -  thinkers, activists, peoples,
movements and ideas from the recent and not so recent past, who/which have
sought to challenge received wisdoms, consumerist values and environmental
destruction in favour of social and environmental peace and justice.

Wider aim : to engage academics and campaigners, policy-makers,

opinion formers, teachers, students  and much wider public in the human
origins of an emergent  Anthropocene and how that might inform our actions
in the crisis of the now.

------------------------------------------

Climate change and sustainability ­ it¹s personal!

This blog is for people associated with Crisis Forum who would like to start
exploring together the human/social/psychological/spiritual issues around
climate change specifically, and sustainability more widely. The blog can
only be found by linking from the Crisis Forum website ­ a Google search
won¹t show it up ­ so that keeps the community using it reasonably
circumscribed.

The idea is to post thoughtful pieces ­ maybe 500-1000 words ­ that will
form a Œslow discussion¹ (by analogy with Œslow food¹) that may, at some
future point, lead us into further work in this field. We¹re all busy people
and don¹t want to be bombarded with stuff, so the suggestion is to post one
piece a month. Posts could be written explicitly for this site, or you could
send in something that you wrote for another purpose but which is of
interest to this constituency of readers.

Brief comments may be posted on Blogger, and they¹re set up to be moderated,
so that we can keep the discussion constructive and cooperative, rather than
argumentative. You can sign up to follow the blog if you want to be kept in
touch.

How to send an article

If you would like to send an article for posting, just use the Comments box
on the blog to send me your email address, and the topic of your piece. I
won¹t publish that comment (to keep email addresses off the blog, so we
don¹t all get spammed) and will email you back so you have my address to
send your piece to.

Pam Lunn