 action on both fronts.
Sixth, policy initiatives in developed economies such as an emissions trading scheme should have maximum coverage, not just the big businesses. Let us not rule out this aim straight away on the grounds of high transaction costs. Maximum coverage and transactional simplicity need not be necessarily antithetical.
Seventh, governments in developed countries should provide price signals and incentives to everyone, householders and businesses alike, to continually reduce their carbon footprints. Simply stated, if you reduce your carbon emission intensity in a year compared to the previous year, you should be rewarded, and vice versa.
Eighth, all governments should promote investments in renewable energy and carbon sinks such as forests; they should not rule out nuclear power as an option without detailed cost and environmental studies.
Ninth, all governments should agree to develop policies that minimise "carbon leakage" - that is when highly emitting industries move their factories from countries with strong carbon price signals to countries where one can emit GHG without paying a price. In such cases, job opportunities in the former are reduced but global emissions remain the same.
Tenth, each government should combat its emissions growth by undertaking ''local actions'' and not rely heavily on measures such as international carbon trading to financially offset its emissions.
Some of the points above may already be implied in global negotiations but the Durban conference should aim to get binding explicit agreements on the above principles as part of any post-2012 Kyoto agreement.
Each country should then be required to adopt policies and actions from its economic, social and political perspectives based on the above binding principles. Outcomes from each country's policy actions should be progressively reviewed under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Such an approach at Durban will shift the debate from the largely theoretical binding target reductions to practical and verifiable detailed actions from all countries. It will increase the confidence that the global GHG emissions will be set on a downward trajectory. It will also ensure unanimity of purpose among all countries, and pave the way for eventual binding targets.
Gujji Muthuswamy is a lecturer in carbon pricing in the department of accounting and finance at Monash University.Getting Things Done - GTD
The pursuit of creativityAUTHOR: Francisco Sáez
I recently read the book A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink. Brilliant, I highly recommend reading it. The author explains how we are evolving from a society that elevates individuals who have developed further the skills that reside in the left brain (Information Age) to a society where those that are committed to develop the skills residing on the right side will succeed (Conceptual Age).
The left hemisphere of our brain processes things sequentially, allows us to understand the language and analyze the details. The right hemisphere processes many things simultaneously, allows us to understand the context and visualize the big picture. Both are necessary for everything and they work together. When, for example, someone tells you something ironically, the left side deciphers the words while the right side puts the context in place in order to understand the irony.
So far, the business world has been dominated by the so-called knowledge workers, well-educated people with much expertise in information handling. But (1) the massive generation of these workers in today’s society, (2) the possibility of getting much cheaper services from workers from countries like India and China, and (3) the increasing degree of automation facilitated by new technologies, make the left brain skills, which have prevailed until now, insufficient—though, of course, they’re still necessary—. A new approach has begun to consider other values like the ability to detect patterns and opportunities, to create beautiful things that appeal emotionally or to combine ideas that never before had been related to build something new.
For companies, it’s no longer enough to create functional products at a reasonable price. These must be unique and attractive.
For individuals, being efficient is not a sufficient condition for success any more. You must offer something else. And you should stimulate your creativity to the fullest.
Some creative people mistakenly think that organization works against creativity. I don’t think so. Having a self-management system allows you to have your stuff under control and saves you from having to react to everything. When you have a method to handle any situation, you’re more relaxed. If you’re relaxed, everything improves. You can do more with less effort, your worries are reduced and your mind is freed to find more space to develop creativity.
GTD: Achieving creativity through productivity
How GTD helps you be more creative? First, you must capture everything that is hitting your mind into a reliable system out of your head (collecting), and then you must decide what each collected stuff means and what you’re going to do to move forward (processing).
In doing so, you’re saving your mind from of a lot of noise, shapeless information with no clear sense, that is bothering you at all times. With all that free space, you have easier access to your receptiveness and intuition. Now you can use your head for more interesting things on a higher level. You can be better. When things that shape your complex lifestyle are under control, your mind opens to new opportunities.
For this not to be an exceptional situation but a way of life, you must get used to conduct a weekly review to clarify your projects and related actions, and keep your lists updated. This habit requires the discipline to spend some time at the end your workweek (between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on your activity level), but it’s essential to build confidence and peace of mind for the rest of the week… and all the wonderful side effects involved.He dreamt and he realized — this is the story of Sri Eye Care, established by Dr Sriprakash in 1994. In an aim to beat blindness, Dr Sriprakash envisioned a hospital that provided quality eye care using advanced technology. Sri Eye Care was thus born, to build a bright future for generations to come.
After 26 years, we stand as an epitome of safe and comfortable eye care for you, today and tomorrow.Our Crisis Talks series explores how project managers are adapting and pivoting to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, Emma De Vita (editor of APM’s Project journal) speaks to Sonia Sharma, head of planning and corporate PMO at Channel 4.
Prior to lockdown, Sonia had been working on building up the enterprise PMO, while in February Channel 4 had kick-started a significant transformation programme. When COVID-19 hit, the organisation experienced a “chaotic” few weeks, with staff unsure how to react. The wider picture for the broadcaster looked challenging, with major events such as the Paralympics postponed, leaving Channel 4 facing a revenue hit and the task of rescheduling through the summer.
After a difficult few weeks, Sonia found that staff managed to adapt effectively to new ways of working. She relates how her team approached the prioritisation of their portfolio, a shift in the pace of work, the challenges of a virtual workforce, and more.
Through the crisis, Sonia has kept a focus on achieving a lean state and maintaining it at the broadcaster, with senior executives growing in their awareness of the importance of project management.A mix of Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, fresh apple juice and sparkling ginger ale, this drink is a vibrant collection of flavours that complement the smooth, clean taste of Smirnoff.
Pour Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, apple juice and ginger ale into the glass.
Using a jigger, measure 50ml Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka and 50ml apple juice into the glass. Top up with 50ml ginger ale.
Poringland, Framingham Earl and Brooke. Rowan Mantell looks at these three thriving villages, south of the city.
If you are looking for traditional village life within easy reach of Norwich then Poringland, Framingham Earl and Brooke could be the places to buy your next home.
Each is a thriving community with a good range of housing.
Both Poringland and Brooke have vibrant primary schools and Framingham Earl has a popular high school, which make all three villages ideal for families. There are woods to walk and play in, playgroups, and modern community centre. Poringland is the biggest settlement with a good range of shops, pubs, restaurants and businesses, plus its own surgery and library.
Neighbouring Framingham Earl is smaller, but boasts a community sports centre at the high school, and its own selection of businesses. A five-acre woodland plot here has also been chosen as the site of a new purpose-built children’s hospice – to be called the nook – to replace the current facility at Quidenham. The Duchess of Cambridge, royal patron of the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices visited the village last month to launch the nook appeal.
Brooke, furthest south of the three villages is half-way between Norwich and Bungay, in the lovely Waveney valley. It has a primary school, shops, pub and restaurant, and anyone moving here will be in illustrious company as it was the birthplace of Bernard Matthews and home to royal favourite painter Edward Seago.
All three villages lie on the B1332 between Norwich and Bungay and each has a beautiful round-tower churches. All Saints Poringland also has a fine collection of medieval glass, St Andrew’s Framingham Earl has an impressive Norman arch inside and St Peter’s Brooke has one of the most important medieval fonts in East Anglia.
As well as spiritual succour, there is also plenty of space for enjoying the surrounding countryside.