What Would a Positive Future Look Like?

The response has exceeded our most optimistic expectations.  In less than two months, individuals from 28 different countries have joined. These include farmers, teachers, builders, community organizers, environmental stewards, peace activists, homesteaders, students, health workers, business consultants, writers, engineers, artists, radio producers, researchers, and more.

Many organizations have also signed up: groups focused on social justice, ecological restoration, spiritual values, sustainable food and farming, holistic education, and policy research and advocacy. Among these are Swadeshi Jagaran Manch  (India); Digo Bikas Institute (Nepal); Localize West Midlands (UK); The Sustainability Institute and Greyton Transition Town (South Africa); Noakhali Rural Development Society (Bangladesh); Centre for Global Justice (Mexico/USA); Gaia Education (UK); Holy Cross International Justice Office (USA); Small Farm Training Center (USA), and many more.

This broad-based interest in the IAL shows that people worldwide are beginning to recognize that localization is a viable strategy for positive change on a global level.

Learn more about the IAL or go ahead and Join today!

Current Trade Treaties: “a revolution against law”

by Steven Gorelick

A respected human-rights expert at the United Nations, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, has joined the global movement opposing trade treaties like TPP and TTIP. And he has novel and powerful legal arguments. In international law, de Zayas says, there is a hierarchy of agreements, and at the top is the UN Charter: “In case of conflict between the provisions of the UN Charter and any other treaty, the Charter prevails.” In other words, trade treaties that lead to a violation of human rights — or breach any other obligation set out in the UN Charter — are legally invalid. Read more.

Switzerland to hold referendum on money creation

The Swiss population will be the first in the world to vote on their banking and money system! As of this month, the Sovereign Money Initiative, which would limit the power of commercial banks to create money at will, has gathered enough signatures to trigger a nationwide referendum within the next 3 to 5 years. Advocates of financial reform are overjoyed at the news, with one Swiss campaigner calling the initiative “a major milestone for the growing international movement for monetary reform.” Read more.

New Campaign Launched: ‘QE for People’

Right now, 60 billion euros are being created by the European Central Bank every month through its program of Quantitative Easing (QE). At the moment this money goes to financial institutions like banks, doing little to help ordinary people and businesses. ‘QE for People’ calls for it to be spent on efforts such as green investment and affordable housing instead. Read more about this new campaign and help get the word out!

Food and Culture: From Honduras and the United States to India and Australia

In communities across the globe, people are finding that cultural pride and food sovereignty go hand in hand. Food and farming play a key role in the localization process, and resisting the influence of the global monoculture can happen, quite literally, from the ground up. Read more.

More than 30 examples from across Africa show how agricultural practices based on traditional knowledge can  fight both climate change and hunger. “We are told over and over that Africa needs a new Green Revolution, more synthetic fertilizers, and genetically modified crops,” said Frederic Mousseau, Policy Director of the Oakland Institute, who coordinated the research for this project. “These case studies debunk these myths.” Explore the case studies.

Planet Local is our web series showcasing inspiring localization initiatives from around the world. The series highlights diverse examples of localization in action in such areas as community renewable energy, local food and farming, local investment, eco-villages, alternative education, radical democracy, the local commons, and more.