Davy Jones Consultancy

Traditionally, New Year and the start of a new decade especially, is a time for new thinking and hopes for the future. So, here goes for priorities for the next 10 years.....

Saving the planet and a new economic model

In this next decade, the greatest responsibility facing humankind is to reverse global warming, the rising of sea levels and the plundering of our natural resources. It towers over (while also relating to) all other issues in terms of magnitude and significance. Any party or politician that does not make it their number one priority is worthless.

Second, and closely linked to the above, is to break from the failed market economy and to develop an economic model based on fairness and meeting the needs of everyone not just the rich (here and abroad). I am currently reading "The Spirit Level" by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson - an excellent book, which proves categorically that economic inequality is the root cause of a swathe of social, political and economic problems. Market economic models are congenitally incapable of producing equality and happiness, which should be the benchmark of human progress.

Democracy and people power

Trust in politicians has plummeted to historically low levels. National politicians are, with a few honourable exceptions, seen as self serving, all part of the same social elite, lacking any moral or social vision, and desperate to hang on to power at any cost. The type of mass "behaviour change" required to rebuild our local communities as low carbon, and the new community-based economic model we need to develop, both require a new Politics and a new breed of political representative.

The next decade requires a move beyond timid consultation and consumer feedback, towards local citizens taking the lead in determining priorities for services and budgets. It will demand more political involvement by citizens, and more citizen control over their politicians - fully democratic voting systems and methods of ensuring that our politicians remain truly "representative".

Stop looking for saviours

Neither Barack Obama, Hu Jintao, David Cameron or Gordon Brown are going to do any of the above. It is down to us.