Fractured Globalism or Mended Localism?

15/12/2011

Peter Jones OBE is a former Director of Biffa Waste Services Limited and former Chair of the DEFRA/DTI Resource Efficiency KTN. He is the Mayor of London’s Special Advisor on waste on the London Waste Advisory Board.

The events of last weekend do little for our credibility within our largest export market (European Union) but I doubt if it will diminish their appetite for our exported garbage as a fossil substitute in the short run. Sadly, this is the culmination of a year of non-participation in serious diplomatic development.

Whilst something of a contrast to last minute outcomes in Durban, the latter still suggest that Rio+10 and voluntary non-binding accords 'rule the roost' in an atmosphere of political denial. Thus, any financial commitment to recycling or resource recovery is best predicated on hard market economics.

Within major blue chips and CBI members the realisation is just dawning that the greatest brake on their growth is not market expansion but, rather, global resource availability at stable prices within their supply chains.

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