Can Capitalism Save The Planet? Meeting TOMORROW!

Hello everyone,

This is just a brief reminder that tomorrow night we have our monthly branch meeting. We will be discussing the chilling question:
 

Can capitalism save the planet?

Last week it was announced that CO2 levels in the atmosphere had reached their highest ever, putting us well on the way to 2 degree warming and which will take thousands of years to reduce. At the same time it was announced that renewable energy had shown a huge increase over the last year, with capacity now overtaking coal for the the first time. So is capitalism averting the disaster it has created? Can it?

Our guest speaker will be Martin Empson, treasurer of the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group, and author of Land and Labour, Marxism and Ecology and most recently this excellent article in International Socialism: Food, Agriculture and Climate Change.

Thursday 3rd November
7 pm

West End Community Centre on Mackworth Road (next to Britannia Mill).

Update #95

In this update:

• Branch meeting - climate change: can capitalism save the planet?
• Unite the Resistance national conference
• Report from Stand Up To Racism national conference

Branch Meeting

The SWP is a party of activists who know that we need to understand the world to be effective in our actions. Our meetings have a discussion about key issues: economic, political, historical and cultural; as well as planning for events and activities.

This month, our guest speaker  Martin Empson will introduce the topic: climate change: can capitalism save the planet?

We have another exciting guest speaker this month! Martin Empson is a prominent activist in the environmental movement and is the author of Land and Labour and Marxism, Ecology and Human History. He is also treasurer of the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group.

Climate change is being caused by capitalism - can the system find a way to stop it? The stakes are high, time is short and effective action is urgently needed. Join us for what is sure to be an informative and lively public meeting and debate!

Thursday 3rd November

7 pm

West End Community Centre on Mackworth Road (next to Britannia Mill).

United Front work

As well as being a party of revolutionaries, we recognise that it is vital to work alongside others in areas where we share common ground. As well as solidarity with striking workers such as the teachers, junior doctors and teaching assistants, the SWP has a proud tradition of broad united front work within organisations such as the Anti-Nazi League, the Stop the War Coalition, the People's Assembly and many more.

Unite the Resistance national conference

Unite the Resistance is a national organisation of trades unionists who want to be part of a serious fightback against austerity.

Its annual conferences have been an amazing place to be, with trades unionists sharing their experiences of successful action against employers, trades union leaders giving their perspectives on the state of the struggle and political leaders such as shadow chancellor John McDonnell. It's a really lively event with a huge range of discussions and debates going on and some really inspiring stories.

This year is no different and the impressive line-up includes:

If you want to see a serious fightback to austerity that can win, Unite The Resistance is a good place to start! For more information email branchsec@derbyswp.org.uk

Stand Up to Racism national conference

Jeremy Corbyn MP and Diane Abbott MP addresses plenary session of SUTR conference

The conference on 8th October was a huge success, with 1600 anti-racist delegates from a huge range of organisations and none attending on the day. In the wake of a spike in racist attacks following the Brexit vote, it was a great event that anti-racists should use to help build the Stand Up To Racism campaign in communities across the country.

Derby Stand Up To Racism group has some big ideas to help build on the broad, inclusive conference and make sure that racism cannot gain ground in Derby. For more information check out the Derby Stand Up To Racism Facebook page or email derbysutr@gmail.com


 Can't make our meetings?
If you want to find out more about us, meet some of our comrades, sign up to any of our petitions, find out about campaigns we are involved in, buy our paper or get hold of some of our other literature, why not come along to the campaign stall on Saturdays?

Find us on St Peter's St from 12 pm!

Britain's Biggest Ever Climate March

50,000 people marched in London last Sunday in the largest march demanding immediate and significant action to prevent 2 degree climate warming that has been seen in Britain.

Recently it was announced that the Earth has warmed by 1 degree since the industrial revolution began, and that the rate of warming is rapidly increasing. We are already experiencing the effects of climate change, but the scientific consensus is that if we are to avoid runaway climate change, where the climate will begin to warm more and more rapidly, we must act now.

At this year's Marxism festival there were some great talks on climate change, but this one by Suzanne Jeffrey was particularly pertinent: