Sonderfall London
Die Stadtregion London versucht kommunale Demokratie mit den Erfordernissen des Managements einer global vernetzten Metropole zu verbinden. Die gegenwärtige Lösung vermag nicht zu befriedigen. [...]
Publications
Neoliberaler Mythos
Das Vorurteil vom neoliberalen, kapitalistischen Großbritannien ist nichts anderes als eine weitere unzutreffende Klischeevorstellung, vergleichbar mit Fish and Chips, roten Doppeldeckerbussen oder dem Londoner Nebel. [...]
Rising house prices: Nothing to boast about
We believe that implementing both reforms – of the planning system and of local government finance – would make the supply of housing more flexible and deliver the kind of well-designed, spacious, affordable housing in green cities which the citizens of Germany or Switzerland take for granted. We hope that it is not too late to change a system that, to date, has nothing better to boast about than ever-rising house prices. [...]
Weatherproofing African economies against climate change
This means that climate change need not be disastrous for Africa. But to deal with it when it occurs, Africans need the institutions of the free society on which their agriculture and their economies can grow. Just like Australians did, with the rule of law, property rights and free markets, Africans too could build weatherproof economies. [...]
Airy claims for natural energy
In truth, Germany's wind-energy promotion has not only been economically damaging, even the ecological gains are a chimera. If wind really is the energy of the future it must prove itself in the market without subsidies. And this has yet to happen. Decisions are being made on the basis of artificial models with hidden costs for taxpayers and consumers. [...]
Better Homes, Greener Cities
The report makes a number of proposals, including allowing local authorities to retain more tax receipts arising from new developments to encourage them to attract new inhabitants to their areas; introducing a Social Cost Tariff worth £500,000 per hectare to compensate communities for the costs of development; and devolving all aspects of the planning system apart from minimum building targets to local authorities. [...]
Measuring the unmeasurable
Science requires measurement. But not all measurement is scientific. The newest example is the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), released at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland -- a compilation of data on the alleged state of the environment in 133 countries. [...]
Berichte aus Montreal
Wer als Teilnehmer der Klimakonferenz nach Montreal kommt, wird zunächst einmal von der Wahl des Veranstaltungsortes überrascht sein: Während die letzte UN-Konferenz zum Thema im argentinischen Sommer von Buenos Aires stattfand (die Veteranen unter den Konferenzteilnehmern schwärmen noch immer von den heißen Open Air-Parties), hat man sich diesmal für den kanadischen Herbst entschieden. Das heißt konkret Tagestemperaturen um und Nachttemperaturen deutlich unter dem Gefrierpunkt. Dazu weht ein frischer Wind, und unter einem strahlend blauen Himmel glitzert Schnee auf gefrorenen Böden. [...]
Die Irrtümer des Hans-Hermann Hoppe – Strategien der Befreiung?
Aufgrund der aufgezeigten argumentativen Schwächen und Irrtümer des Hans-Hermann Hoppe ist dabei anzunehmen, dass seine Ideen eine Fußnote der sozialphilosophischen Ideengeschichte bleiben werden. Eine effektive Strategie der Befreiung sähe anders aus. [...]
Planning for better and cheaper homes
Clearly, there is something rotten in the state of UK housing. The rest of the developed world enjoys living in modern, spacious and affordable accommodation. Meanwhile the British are living in houses in which single-glazing windows moving against each other can hardly be cleaned and hot and cold water runs from two separate taps – a caricature of British housing published recently in Germany’s leading quality daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. [...]