Government, Policy, Politics

Swiss reject pioneering “Green Economy” referendum, but Geneva passes it

/ Alan AtKisson / Leave a comment

Yesterday, Switzerland held a remarkable vote. The question: whether to legally limit the country to living within its share of the ecological limits of our planet, by 2050. Currently, Switzerland uses three times the sustainable level of resources; so passing this law would have required the whole country, legally, to start a march toward physical … Continue reading Swiss reject pioneering “Green Economy” referendum, but Geneva passes it

“Do not forget”: A few terrible facts about torture

/ Alan AtKisson / Leave a comment

A few important facts that Americans must keep in mind as we head to the voting booth in 2016: The Republican candidate has said publicly, "I would bring back waterboarding, and I’d bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding,” adding, in other appearances, “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work—torture works,” and “If … Continue reading “Do not forget”: A few terrible facts about torture

“Deplorable”: Why we have to speak up about the US election

/ Alan AtKisson / 1 Comment

Watching this US presidential election cycle, from my vantage point in Sweden, has been among the most painful political experiences of my life. It is truly excruciating to observe the constant mendacity, meanness, and boastfulness of the Republican candidate (I am a dual US/Swedish citizen and grew up Republican, but currently have no party affiliation). … Continue reading “Deplorable”: Why we have to speak up about the US election

Democracy + Climate Change Action = True

/ Alan AtKisson / Leave a comment

An opinion article in one of the world's leading science journals, Nature, argues that there is a growing a tendency among some science researchers to question whether democracy is well-suited to achieving sustainable development — and warns that such thinking is very misguided. Sociologist Nico Stehr, who directs the European Center for Sustainability Research, focuses … Continue reading Democracy + Climate Change Action = True

“A Fresh Start for Sustainable Development”

/ Alan AtKisson / 2 Comments

Note: A different, chattier version of this post was sent to WaveFront newsletter readers. The eight-point summary is the same. To read WaveFront, sign up at http://www.AtKisson.com. The new issue of the leading journal Development, under the new editorship of Tariq Banuri, is finally out! Much food for thought there. I have an essay in … Continue reading “A Fresh Start for Sustainable Development”

Summer: A Time for Measuring, Analyzing, Discussing — and even Experiencing! — Happiness

/ Alan AtKisson / Leave a comment

The following was originally composed as a set of notes for use by Junko Edahiro, who writes a monthly newsletter on happiness and wellbeing issues in Japan. See the website of her Institute, ISHES, for more info. My own summer vacation, spent mostly in Sweden and the United States, has been a happy one ... … Continue reading Summer: A Time for Measuring, Analyzing, Discussing — and even Experiencing! — Happiness