Hi Brian,

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to bring this issue to my attention. I have some awareness of the matter. I am not sure quite what the focus of your concern is, but I am happy to share these observations with you.

China has an appalling environmental and human rights record in connection with just about any industrial activity you care to mention. This is something we are very concerned about and is something we have been lobbying about for many years (see this report on Green Leader, Caroline Lucas, raising the issues in 2005: http://www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk/2005/08/30/meps-adopt-lucas-report-on-trade-between-the-eu-and-china-%E2%80%98bra-wars%E2%80%99-spreading/ )

The tone and emphasis of the Daily Mail article that you have flagged up is typical of this paper’s twisted agenda. It says that this is “one of a multitude of sins committed in the name of our new green Jerusalem”. I am sure you are capable of deciphering such loaded, emotive language. They are not campaigning out of any real compassion for the Chinese people affected. They are campaigning on behalf of British Tories who oppose wind turbines spoiling the views from their sea view windows (such as in Porthcawl) or their country (second home) cottages.

There is an issue with wind energy being perceived as the only meaningful renewable energy option. This is something we are also working to change. Check out our policy statement on energy here: http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/mfssen.html . The Daily Mail rarely has anything to say (good or bad) about most of these other options. It seems to have adopted the view that as the Green Party is the main left of centre option in Britain these days, and it is also the most serious environmental lobbyist (because environmental issues are of most threat to the most vulnerable people), it opposes most ‘green’ initiatives almost as a knee jerk reaction.

As for the issue of neodymium specifically, it is found in bastnäsite deposits in China and the United States, which constitute the largest percentage of the world’s rare-earth economic resources, and also in monazite deposits in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United States. Places like Canada demonstrate that it can be extracted safely – if there is the will to do so – and, yes, the willingness to pay the higher price. However,China is skillfully manipulating world trade in these and other rare commodities, and this is indeed cause for concern on a number of levels. It is likely to use the forces of supply and demand to force up the price of many rare commodities and essentially profiteer by holding the rest of the world to ransom; all the while treating its own people with contempt, as the Mail article does highlight.

The way forward is to address the issues of democracy, human rights, and environmental degradation in China itself; to address the world market mechanisms that allow the ‘haves’ to screw the ‘have nots’ at every level and scale; and to conduct the debate on our own energy future on the back of research, reason and an eye to the legacy we leave our children. This is why I am in the Green Party.

Insofar as the article adds weight to my own view that we need to broaden renewable energy options and reduce the focus on wind energy, I very much welcome you bringing this evidence to the forefront of my mind – especially as we have national Green Party Conference in Cardiff next week. I will seek to bring it into the debate where I can. http://www.greenparty.org.uk/conference.html

If you would like to discuss this or any other issue further, please do not hesitate to get back in touch.

Regards,
Andy Chyba
Bridgend Green Party

Saturday 26th March: TUC organised national demo against the cuts in London. More details to be announced.

If you cant afford to get to these demos it may be possible to get a free seat on the Unite buses from Cardiff (and maybe Bridgend if there is enough commitment) or Unison buses going from Swansea. E-mail ron.job@sky.com for more details of the Swansea Unison buses.

Andy Chyba and John Evans are looking into Unite buses – more info to follow..

Mubarak is estimated to have amassed up to $70 billion across the world! Governments have just days to freeze these assets before Mubarak, his family and inner circle can hide them. Switzerland has already frozen his finances, and some EU leaders have offered to help. But only a massive outcry can get decisive global action to stop the Mubarak fortune from disappearing.

This is our moment to give critical support to the Egyptian struggle for a new era — let’s raise the pressure on all nations to ensure Mubarak’s assets are returned to their rightful owners — the Egyptian people.

Petition the G20 here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/mubaraks_fortune/97.php?cl_tta_sign=392377ad61db02d0ff7be3b0467c8ba7

The proposals which Citizens Advice claim will leave half a million vulnerable people with complex debt, housing, or benefits issues ineligible for legal aid have come in for increasing criticism, including today from Kids Companys Camila Batmanghelidjh, from Labours shadow Justice team, and from Conservative MPs concerned about cuts in their own constituencies.

Helen Grant, Conservative MP for Maidstone, eloquently defended legal aid a couple of weeks ago:

Since its introduction in 1949, legal aid has sought to provide access to justice for those of limited means and has remained a defining and essential feature of our democracy

For some of our most vulnerable people, it is the only sword and shield in their armoury These proposals could be the straw that breaks the camels back.

The government hopes to save £350m from the legal aid budget, and has concentrated almost all the savings on funding for civil legal aid. Of particular concern to campaigners and local charities is the wholesale removal from scope of many aspects of social welfare advice, including issues with welfare benefits, debt, and employment which affect some of the poorest people in the UK.

Support this campaign: http://soundoffforjustice.org/ before it is too late.

This year the UK government will decide what to do to fix the banks. If they make the wrong choice, then WE will end up paying the costs, through higher taxes, cuts in public services, shrinking pensions and unaffordable houses.

So we need to make sure they make the right choice. We need a banking system that works FOR society, and not against it.

Let’s make sure we get it:

http://action.positivemoney.org.uk/home

Barclays boss Bob Diamond has lined up a £9million payout for himself one of the worlds largest bonuses.

Stephen Hester, chief executive of bailed-out RBS ( which owns Nat West) is in line for a bonus of £2million, out of our pockets.

Similarly, former Lloyds boss Eric Daniels will take home £2million.

Stuart Gulliver, the new head of HSBC, is set to get at least £8million.

Appalling, isn’t it?

I only hope you are not too indignant about it if you still bank with any of these banks yourselves; after all you are willingly contributing to these bonuses.

There are many more ethical alternatives for you to choose from:

• Co-operative Bank
• Bridgend Lifesavers Credit Union
• Charity Bank
• Ecology Building Society
• Principality Building Society
• Smile Internet banking
• Swansea Building Society
• Triodos Bank

We all need to walk the walk as well as talking the talk on this and many other issues. Think about it – and then do something about it!

The current money system is inextricably based on unsustainable lending as these fantastic videos explain (with thanks to Noel Thomas for the recommendation):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_doYllBk5No&feature=related (MONEY AS DEBT II)

DVD of Money as Debt available from Andy or Noel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g-F8EO3qOVk

End of Year Flexibility (EYF) as it is known, is a process whereby if an Assembly department spends less then its allocated budget in any given year, the remaining funds are placed into a Treasury account that can be accessed in later years.

The Assembly Government had planned to utilise some EYF funds to soften the cuts imposed by Westminster, but is now unable to do so thanks to Treasury plans to write off’ the money, totalling nearly £400m.

Jake Griffiths, who is fighting to become Wales’ first Green AM this May, said:

“It’s a sign of how ruthless the Conservative/Lib Dem Coalition is in its ideological programme of cuts when it disproportionately cuts the budget of the poorest nation in the UK and then steals unspent funds which were voted by Parliament to the Assembly in previous years. The £400m in question could make a huge difference in softening the level of cuts to Welsh public services but it seems the Tory/Lib Dem coalition is determined to prevent that from happening.

“Wales is essentially being punished for saving during the good years. Upon coming to power in 2007, instead of planning ahead the Scottish National Party spent much of the EYF money that had accumulated since 1999 before the Tories had the chance to claw it back. I hope that the Governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland put up a big fight to keep this money that is rightfully theirs.”

Jolyon Jenkins asks if Greens could use better psychology to sharpen their message.

Well worth a listen – Radio 4 programme:

In Denial – Climate on the Couch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00y92mn/In_Denial_Climate_on_the_Couch/