The fight against fuel poverty is core to Ebico’s corporate being.  Fuel poverty already affects nearly one in five UK households and this figure is set to rise.  The cost of ‘greening’ the UK energy infrastructure and reducing household carbon emissions, will now be paid via domestic fuel bills rather than through general taxation and will therefore result in more, not less, fuel poverty. 

The unprecedented cuts in government spending that are now necessary to balance the national ‘books’ mean that, despite the best lobbying efforts of campaigners, much less government money will be available to tackle fuel poverty.  It is essential that ways are found to make sure that fuel-poor homes benefit from the suite of domestic energy efficiency-improving and renewable energy-encouraging initiatives (which they are paying for through their home energy bills) at least as much as middle/higher income homes. Ebico intends to be at the centre of these efforts.  So watch this space!

Ebico Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

As part of Article 13’s United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and Millennium Development Goal (MDG) commitment to respect ‘human rights’ (principle 1) and contribute to the ‘alleviation of poverty and Hunger’ (MDG 1) we have chosen Care International as a regional charity that we would like to support. Our strategy is driven by one of our 12 KPIs for our 2009 UNGC commitments, which is as follows:

• Target 1: Donate our annual donation to an organisation working towards poverty alleviation (charity to be decided as a team).

• Target 2: Make a difference to one poverty stricken region and assist in access to basic necessities.

Who is Care International:

Care International’s ‘mission is to create lasting change in poor communities and put money where it is needed most: more than 90 pence in every pound goes towards our poverty-fighting programmes. That’s one of the highest rates among all the UK aid agencies’.

 Article 13 Actions:

Article 13 will give (through an established CARE project) a range of different ‘gifts’ which cover different areas in an aim to target those who need the ‘gifts’ most. Article 13 will receive a detailed explanation of where the ‘gifts’ have gone and towards what project goals. By donating a range of ‘gifts’ we could provide a range of support covering education, health, education, human rights, and others. This would also allow us control over what and how much we support over a period of time, in-keeping with our aim as well as in collaboration with CARE.

 A small selection of Article 13 resources includes:

• Poverty, governance and individual action

Article 13 case studies:

• Centrica: HELP programme

• Diageo plc: A long standing commitment to Tomorrow’s People 

For more information please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450. Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

As part of our UN Global Compact (UNGC) commitment  to respect human rights, Article 13 supports the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty (http://www.oct17.org/en) 2009 on  17 October. This special day, established by the UN in 1992 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, represents a social movement, which strives to end world poverty. It brings together, on a local level, people living in extreme poverty, and those fighting extreme poverty, in order to generate opinions, decisions and ideas for actions.

There are several ways for individuals and businesses to support this cause:

• Advertise World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty in articles, press releases, and email signatures http://www.oct17.org/Support-this-campaign.html;


• On a local level people can meet up to bring together their ideas for action;


• Sign the Call to Action online at: http://www.oct17.org/Striving-together-to-end-poverty.html;


• Wear the campaign ribbon; and


• Start an event in order to build awareness and raise money for this day.

To do our bit here at Article 13 in the build up to Saturday, 17 October, we will include the World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty logo and link, as well as a brief descriptor on our email signatures to disseminate this initiative to our network of clients, associates and in-house team.

Read some of Article 13’s resources to explore the poverty issue in more detail: 

• Poverty, governance and individual action http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1038


• Mother Earth: we grow fat while she grows thin http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1277

Article 13 case studies:

• Centrica: HELP programme http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1329


• Diageo plc: A long standing commitment to Tomorrow’s People http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strAction=GetPublication&PNID=1332

For more information please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450. Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

European Commission proposals about how poor countries should be
helped financially to deal with climate change show a ‘serious lack of
ambition’ says Christian Aid.

The Commission said that EU should provide poor countries with
between €2 -15bn annually for both adapting to climate change, and
reducing emissions. Christian Aid and other climate justice campaigners say the
figure should be €35bn a year.

Nelson Muffuh, advocacy coordinator at Christian Aid, said:
‘If this figure is accepted, the goal of limiting global warming to 2^oC
becomes ever more remote.

‘Pollution
from rich countries is already having devastating effects in developing
countries, through droughts, floods and tropical storms. Rich countries have to
face up to their historic responsibility for the emissions that have caused
climate change.’

Christian Aid also criticised the EC’s proposals as relying
too heavily on the carbon market to raise the money. The market, it said, does
not guarantee reliable financial flows and has earlier proved to disadvantage
the poorest nations because of a lack of interest in investing in those
countries.

The charity also attacked an annex to the commission’s
proposal which said some of the money could come from official development
assistance (ODA).

‘This is alarming,’ said Muffuh. ‘In the short
term they seem to want to rely totally on ODA for adaptation support which
threatens the poverty eradication objectives of developing countries by
diverting already meagre resources.

‘For the crucial UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen
in December to stand any chance of success, industrialised countries must
strongly commit to providing substantial funding to cover the full incremental
costs for sustainable development and adaptation to climate change in
developing countries.

‘Many poorer nations are disappointed at the lack of EU
leadership. After decades of broken aid promises, the trust gap between rich
and poor countries, which it is essential to bridge if we are to counter
climate change, simply widens.

One positive aspect was the EC’s proposal that a specific
climate fund be set up under the UN Convention. ‘This is a good
initiative that we would like to see elaborated further since it would not be a
donor controlled fund,’ said Muffuh.                                                   

Commuter cyclists with no washing facilities at their place of work are coming up with increasingly imaginative ways of getting clean after their morning ride, the most extreme of which being a shower they build themselves, according to the Environmental Transport Association.

The DIY shower uses items that are readily available on the high street, costs around £50, and once assembled transforms a standard loo into a fully-functioning hot water shower. Once finished with, the shower can be packed away in less than a minute.

Photographs and further details on how the shower is built are posted at www.ilovemybike.co.uk

Director at ilovemybike.co.uk, Andrew Davis said: “The lack of workplace showers is one reason why more people don’t commute by bike – employers should spend Bike Week thinking about what they can do to help.”

No shower at work – how do cyclists manage?

Baby wipes: Many cyclists shower before they set off for work and
then when they arrive, wipe themselves down with disposable baby wipes.

Ride slower: Cyclists in continental Europe tend to ride their bikes
slower when they commute to work – it doesn’t add much to the journey
time and you don’t sweat

Use a local gym: The easiest way to get access to a shower if there are
no washing facilities at your place of work is to join the local gym

Keep a supply of shirts at work: This doesn’t solve the problem of
getting clean, but bringing five clean and ironed shirts to work on a
Monday ensures the commuter cyclist looks smart

A poll conducted on behalf of ilovemybike.co.uk for Bike Week found that over 4 million British motorists would be prepared to cycle
more to cut their motoring costs.

Rich countries
risk wrecking vitally important international talks on a climate agreement,
Christian Aid warns today at the close of the latest UN negotiations in Bonn.

They
have failed to commit to dramatic curbs in their greenhouse emissions, or
recognise the scale of funding poor countries urgently need to cope with the
impacts of global warming.

There
are now just six months to go until the critical UN summit in Copenhagen, at which a new climate deal must
be agreed to come into force when the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends.

During
the Bonn talks,
it was clear that rich countries plan to continue polluting at levels that will
make dangerous climate change inevitable.

This was
highlighted by Japan’s
announcement of a target to cut its emissions from 1990 levels by only 8 per
cent by 2020. That is a mere 2 per cent more than Japan’s
existing target under the Kyoto
protocol and is entirely inadequate.

‘Developed
countries have been unable to agree on any overall target for their cuts, let
alone one which will hold the global temperature rise below 2^oC
- the point at which scientists predict climate catastrophe,’ says
Nelson Muffuh, Christian Aid’s senior climate
advocate. ‘They are
wrecking the negotiations that are supposed to secure a deal by December.’

Mithika
Mwenda from Kenya,
Coordinator of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, says rich
countries’ proposed emissions cuts are even weaker than those required by
the existing Kyoto Protocol.

‘I’d
rather see my country refuse an agreement with such low ambition,’ says
Mr Mwenda,  ‘Rich countries’ political will to make up for
their historic responsibility and to safeguard poor people’s lives,
dignity and development is just not there. Things have to change dramatically.’

The lack
of trust has worsened as rich countries drag their feet and demand more action
from the developing world.

Developing
countries are rightly worried about efforts to change the terms of the
negotiations and shift the burden of dealing with climate change onto them.
Their concerns are deepened by rich countries’ failure to deliver on
previous emissions and finance commitments.

Developing
countries are demanding that rich nations admit their responsibility for
causing climate change, through a century and a half of industrialisation.

Pollution
from rich countries is already having devastating effects in developing
countries, through droughts, floods and tropical storms. But during the
negotiations, rich countries including the European Union have refused to
accept their responsibility for such damage.

Mr
Muffuh adds: ‘Without real progress on commitments by the rich world, the
negotiations will collapse. Developed countries should prevent further delays
by immediately committing to urgent, deep emissions cuts.

‘They
must come back to the next round of talks willing to act and to agree to
ambitious, quantified financial support for adaptation and mitigation in
developing countries, as well as technology transfer.

‘Such
action is neither an act of charity nor a punishment against rich countries.
Rather, it is compensation for the damage they have done.’

Miki is a new website dedicated to providing sustainable and ethical clothing, jewellery, gifts and home accessories that are stylish and beautiful in design, feel and quality.

If you are like us then being surrounded by good design and gorgeous clothes makes you happy then visit our website www.miki.uk.com

As part of our United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) commitment to respect human rights, Article 13 supports the Poverty and Homeless Action Week (PHAW) 2009, which runs from the 31 January to 8 February 2009. This year, Article 13 contributed to PHAW through volunteering a member of staff to St Paul’s homeless drop-in shelter in Kensington, which ran between the hours of 12pm and 4pm on the 28th of January 2009.

The volunteer dealt with the diverse needs of over 70 clients. There
were about 18 volunteers to offer a range of services, which included a
wide range of activities, such as:

• Preparing/ serving tea, coffee and nutritious meals for the service users. 

• Cleaning the kitchen and general eating area.

• Offering a vital source of support for the staff and those who use St Paul’s shelter.

• Listening to, sharing stories and building relationships with
  customers that have a diversity of skills, experiences and emotions.

• Working with customers in the designated art and music areas.

• Making the atmosphere fun, informal, safe, comfortable and an inviting place for vulnerable homeless people to spend time.

• Supporting customers through being there for them.
  

Article 13 wanted to add value to their in-house participation goals,
build interest for volunteering amongst staff and help meet the needs
of the homeless and disadvantaged at the grassroots level. This
participative action will be a part of our yearly commitment to the
homeless.

Daniel Francis, research assistant for Article 13, said: “Participating
at St Paul’s homeless drop-in shelter was really rewarding, through
offering a valuable service to a wide variety of people and listening
to amazing heart filled real life stories. It was a really humbling
experience!”

For more information please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450. Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

6 to 21 September 2008

During Soil Association Organic Fortnight, people across Britain will be celebrating all things organic. From 6-21 September, individuals, businesses and communities will be hosting events to raise awareness of the environmental, health and social benefits of organic production.

Not only that, but the campaign gives everyone a chance to enjoy organic products from delicious food and drink to beauty and textiles.

The fortnight kicks off with the Soil Association Organic Food Festival, Europe’s largest organic celebration, which takes place in Bristol on 6-7 September. The campaign closes on a high with the Soil Association Scotland’s Organic Food Festival on 20-21 September.

9 May 2009 

WFTD 09 presents the only day in the calendar for global mobilization of significant activity, to impact poverty, climate change, world health and the imbalance in trade.

110 million people, organized around a democratic core known as the International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT) deliver USD 2 billion in Fair Trade product and produce can bring about the structural change the planet must see; through global events at grassroots level, impacting local communities across 5 continents and a minimum of 70 countries.

An unprecedented display of authenticity, passion and commitment must be provided. Self- organizing groups will rally around the Fair Trade concept and promote it through their networks, friends/families. Local, national and global trade will be impacted through social, economic and political gatherings. Collectively, all events are world changing. WFTD falls one month before G8 09 Italy and offers the potential for high-level intervention – a correction in the balance of trade.

For more information vist the World Fair Trade Day Website