The first Steve de Gruche memorial lecture was held on 22 April at the Congregational Church in Rondebosch, Cape Town.
In 1989, Francis Fukuyama declared that democracy would eventually emerge as the universal form of human government. The intervening years have given ample ammunition to those who disagree.
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide us with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods - merchandise that has been produced at the expense of South African labour. This year will be different. This year South Africans will give the gift of genuine concern for other South Africans.
South Africa’s Green Economy Accord was launched at the COP17 talks in Durban today. The Accord, one of the most comprehensive social pacts on green jobs in the world, builds a partnership to create 300 000 new jobs by 2020, in economic activities as diverse as energy generation, manufacturing of products that reduce carbon emissions, farming activities to provide feedstock for biofuels, soil and environmental management and eco tourism.
The global economic meltdown has forced people to drastically rethink their investments. I have heard it said by investment advisors that gold is a safe-haven for investors. Then suddenly its value drops inexplicably and another avenue is mooted as the place to invest at this time. CEO's are having to consider very carefully what they choose to invest their money in right now.
May I share with you why I think the Earth is screwed?
If you watch the news for just one day you will see that money and related issues take up 90% of every broadcast. It's the Greek crisis, it's the fact that economies worldwide are not growing, and it's the stock markets. These are the urgent issues of the day.
And these issues resonate with us. After all, if the stock market in Ho Chi Minh City is down 43% how on earth are we going to pay our bills at the end of this month? And there is nothing quite so urgent as this months bills.
The science is indisputable ' climate change is a reality. Our lives will change irreversibly as we begin to adapt to these changes and as government, business and individuals begin to dramatically cut emissions to avoid catastrophic climate shifts. While these changes might create uncertainty and some anxiety, they herald a tremendously exciting era of transition, where our generation gets to redesign how we do everything.
'Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food. There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation.'
