Responses to New Economic Models Workshop

Strasbourg has first co-working space of La Cantine style.

In Strasbourg it costs more for transport (e.g. for a family) than for parking etc. Maybe in the new economic models we need to envisage new economic models to motivate citizens to turn to sustainable transport modes.

A question from the audience about "new currencies" / bartering possibilities. Asking about legal constraints. (e.g doesn't evade taxation.) Someone's mentioned there might be taxes on bandwidth in the future - just as there were windows taxes in the past! It actually happens this way in the UK already as it affects your business rates, which is what companies pay for their buildings.

Realise that so many business models are based upon current regulation and local/regional/national particularities, yet as we know from the climate change issues, having some consensus on this is vital. The Economist magazine's editorial talks about a harmonised European-wide carbon charge as key to the market then making the decisions based upon a level playing field.

Its interesting hearing about "alternative" or "local" currencies - there's an opportunity cost around all sorts of financial decisions. The current car scrappage schemes for instance aren't of any financial benefit to people such as myself who haven't got a car - so what is the personal economic benefit? What is the societal economic benefit? And what is the global economic benefit?

Coming to the end of the day. I'm actually doing a presentation tomorrow so won't be blogging then. But its been a thought provoking day and I'm sure we'll have an interesting networking session afterwards.