Latest news with #ecocide
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ballet Preljocaj's Swan Lake review – dystopian twist sucks the breath out of you
Swan Lake isn't one of those stories that connects hard with current events or the world around it. You can say much the same for ballet itself. As a form, it usually doesn't have much to say. Ballet Preljocaj's production, which debuted in France in 2020, is something of an exception to the rule. Making its Australian premiere within days of Woodside receiving the federal government's (election-delayed) green light to extend the life and colossal climate impact of its North West Shelf gas project until 2070, and the Woodside boss Meg O'Neill's clumsy attempt to shift responsibility to supposedly Temu-addicted gen Z consumers, this staging from has a bit of a kick to it. A Swan Lake for the ecocide era, if you like. It's not the first reworking of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov's 1895 classic, of course. Choreographers including Alexei Ratmansky, Matthew Bourne (his famous all-male Swan Lake) and Mats Ek have all ruffled the feathers of this tutu favourite. Here though, Angelin Preljocaj manages to entirely rework the choreography while honouring the narrative spine of the original and some of its structure. He doesn't throw the cygnets out with the lake water. For music, he draws principally on the Tchaikovsky score (played here in this QPAC exclusive season by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the sensitive baton of Johannes Fritzsch) cut with extracts from Tchaikovsky's Second and Fourth Symphonies and dark-toned slabs of electronica and EDM by the French studio 79D. Fans of the original will not find the story hard to follow. Here, the royal court is dystopian-corporate but the broad sweep of the story still has a young Prince Siegfried (Antoine Dubois on this occasion, alternating the role with Leonardo Cremaschi) chafing against expectation and falling for Odette (Théa Martin/Mirea Delogu), a woman who has been transformed into a swan by the sorcerer Rothbart (Redi Shtylla/Elliot Bussinet). In this version, Rothbart is a rapacious property developer whose city-building scheme is eagerly supported by Siegfried's wealthy parents, who play a much larger part in the drama than more traditional versions. Siegfried has an exceptionally tender and close relationship with his mother, for example, and his father appears to be in bed (sometimes literally) with Rothbart. Early on, plans for the transformation of the kingdom are waved around in paper form. A trolley is wheeled on bearing an idealised model of the proposed venture. Neither makes a visceral impact, it must be said. Later, however, huge monochromatic digital projections by Boris Labbé start to loom large, filling the space with images of rising city skylines, stock market trends, excavators and, eventually, an industrial plant with a throbbing life of its own – one that spells a grim death for Odette and her swan kind. Preljocaj's athletic choreography is full of swagger, strength and sass, and does not incorporate any of Petipa's dreamy original sequences. But, for lovers of Swan Lake, there are plenty of beautiful lines and bird-like movements, particularly in the white swan sections. The women/swans sometimes embody the whole bird stretching their own necks into beautiful arched shapes, and at other times use their arms as swan necks with hands for heads. The high-impact ensemble routines echo some of the set pieces of the Petipa original, including its court scenes. The Dance of the Little Swans gets a winking update with pelvic wiggles and a sharp weaving of the dancers' arms. Siegfried and Odette deliver an audience-pleasing romantic pas de deux with inventive lifts. There's no interval between the 'white' and 'black' acts of the story. Swan Lake plays straight-through for two hours and its 26-strong cast don't get much downtime. Preljocaj's choreography looks demanding with its rapid switching between planes, knifing arms and legs and intricate unison work. The women perform barefoot in short, loose dresses; the men wear suits and pumps (with leather trousers for the bad guys). The highly gendered prettiness and prissiness we associate with Swan Lake is rinsed out. Everyone looks strong, athletic and grounded. From the fourth act, a febrile energy starts to take hold, especially when the swans react en masse to Siegfried's betrayal. The final image is a striking one, as Siegfried searches for the dying Odette among the twitching, writhing bodies of her kind, all poisoned by the obscenely pumping industrial plant that now surrounds them. Rather than leaving you breathless, this bleak ending sucks the air out of you. Swan Lake is performed in the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre until 7 June. Watch the production for free on Digital Stage from 6pm, Friday 13 June to 6pm, Sunday 15 June
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
FMQs: Douglas Ross ejected from chamber by presiding officer
Update: Date: 13:15 BST Title: FMQs: The headlines Content: That brings an end to a lively First Minister's Questions. If you're just joining us here's what you missed: That's all from the live page team today. The editor was Mary McCool. Megan Bonar and Craig Hutchison were the writers. Update: Date: 13:01 BST Title: Swinney commits to securing financial future of Dundee university Content: Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie asks about the lack of progress on financial recovery for the University of Dundee, which is cutting hundreds of jobs due to a £35m deficit. 'This has been agonising for university staff, a cloud has been hanging over them since November,' he said. The first minister says the university is an autonomous institution, and no request from the Scottish Funding Council has been received. Michael Marra MSP also asks about the issue, he asks Swinney to commit to a voluntary severance scheme being put in place by next week. Swinney replies that he cannot commit to that because he would be breaking the law by telling an independent institution how to go about business. He does however give his 'absolute commitment to securing the future of the university of Dundee.' Update: Date: 12:57 BST Title: Swinney says government will consider ecocide bill Content: The legislation would introduce tougher sanctions for people who cause pollution in Scotland Monica Lennon is the next MSP to enter the fray and she asks what the Scottish government is doing to maintain its policy aim of keeping pace with the EU on environmental protection. Swinney replies his government intends to remain aligned with the EU when it is possible to do so. The Labour MSP refers to her Ecocide (Scotland) Bill which contains proposals for a new law which could see the bosses of major polluters jailed for up to 20 years. "This is Scotland's time to act," adds Lennon who asks if the FM agrees with her bill's aims. John Swinney compliments Monica Lennon for her bill and he says the government will consider it and will have further dialogue with the Labour MSP. Update: Date: 12:47 BST Title: What's the background to Findlay's points on net zero? Content: Kevin KeaneBBC Scotland environment correspondent The Climate Change Committee says emissions need to fall by 57% in five years A word on the issue the Tories raised at the beginning of FMQs - climate change. Independent experts have proposed a new set of targets to tackle climate change in Scotland over the next 20 years. Annual targets were abandoned by the Scottish government last year after repeatedly being missed – but ministers retained the pledge to reach net zero by 2045. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) says that to meet that goal, emissions need to fall by an average of 57% over the next five years and by 69% to 2035, when compared with 1990 levels. The Scottish government says it will consider the report's recommendations carefully but is expected to adopt the targets in the coming weeks. The government had set its original climate change targets in 2019 – which included reducing emissions by 75% by 2030. Read more here. Update: Date: 12:45 BST Title: Ross questions neutrality of speaker after ejection Content: Philip SimBBC Scotland political correspondent Football referee Douglas Ross is no stranger to a red card. But he is arguing that he should have been shown a yellow before he was ordered out of the Holyrood chamber today. Mr Ross told BBC Scotland he struggled to accept that the presiding officer was acting neutrally, and that she allowed SNP and Green MSPs to behave in a way that she did not extend to Conservative members. He said he had 'serious questions about the conduct of the presiding officer', and that he would be seeking to speak with Alison Johnstone and her officials about the decision. Update: Date: 12:41 BST Title: Douglas Lumsden told to 'desist' by speaker during SNP question Content: It's a rowdy one today. Douglas Ross' Tory colleague Douglas Lumsden is also given a slap on the wrist for shouting from his seat during a question from the SNP's Christine Grahame. 'Where you trying to attract attention?' the speaker asks as she tells him to desist. Grahame follows up on the play parks issue, saying after the Covid pandemic "when children were isolated for so long", plans for renewals is "an excellent project that liberates them". Swinney says his colleague makes an "incredibly powerful point". Update: Date: 12:39 BST Title: Tory Stephen Kerr 'too excited for words' over play park renewal Content: Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr says the Scottish government has committed £60m to renew every play park in Scotland, but there are reports that less than half of the funding has been spent. The first minister highlights £35m allocated to local government since September 2021. He argues the £60m commitment will be met by his government. "That sounds like another Swinney broken promise to me," retorts Kerr. The chamber becomes raucous again as Kerr argues that the SNP government adopts gimmicks and fails to deliver. "I think Stephen Kerr needs to go to a play park to get rid of some of his excess energy," jokes the first minister to some laughter from his backbenches. "He seems just a little bit too excited for words." Update: Date: 12:36 BST Title: An unusual - but not the first - removal of an MSP Content: Philip SimBBC Scotland political correspondent I think Douglas Ross might be the first MSP to be kicked out of the chamber by Alison Johnstone. But it's not unheard of – his Tory colleague Oliver Mundell was ordered out by Ken Macintosh in 2020 for claiming Nicola Sturgeon had lied to parliament over the Salmond inquiry. Back in 2015, Labour's James Kelly was booted out by Tricia Marwick in a classic row about a point of order which she contended wasn't a point of order relating to the UK Trade Union Bill. Ms Johnstone has a reputation as a fairly mild-mannered presiding officer. But she has clashed quite frequently with Mr Ross in particular in recent weeks, with the former Tory leader always keen to pick away at the government's record – and the chances MSPs have to interrogate it in parliament. Update: Date: 12:35 BST Title: Moment Douglas Ross is told to leave the chamber Content: The former Scottish Conservative leader is asked twice by Alison Johnstone to leave the chamber - without warning - after talking over the first minister. This video can not be played Watch the moment Douglas Ross is excluded from the chamber at FMQs Update: Date: 12:33 BST Title: Swinney 'cherishes' Scotland's natural environment Content: As the appeal remains live he can't comment on the Flamingo Land proposal, replies Swinney, and he adds it is subject to 49 planning conditions. The first minister explains the reporter is required to make his decision on the planning merits of the case. Harvie argues the first minister is not even attempting to acknowledge the anger about this "unnecessary, unwanted, destructive" development The Scottish Greens co-leader asks if Swinney learned nothing from his "mistake" over Trump's golf course development. Swinney insists he values and cherishes the natural environment of Scotland. Update: Date: 12:31 BST Title: Opposition to Flamingo Land raised by Harvie Content: It's now the turn of Patrick Harvie to grill the first minister and he chooses to ask about protest outside parliament today against the Scottish government's intention to approve a resort by Flamingo Land on the shores of Loch Lomond. The Scottish Greens co-leader says the proposals have been opposed by 155,000 people. "It's the most unpopular development in the history of the Scottish planning system," he says. He argues there is still a chance to save Loch Lomond and he calls on the first minister to listen to the objections and recall this decision. Update: Date: 12:28 BST Title: Row on health will continue until election day Content: Philip SimBBC Scotland political correspondent This was a paint-by-numbers standard of the Anas Sarwar vs John Swinney FMQs exchange. Mr Sarwar loves to bring up NHS waiting times because he sees it as a great example of the government's handling of public services. He also frequently has a case study to hand of a patient who feels let down, to confront the first minister with a real voter. Mr Swinney meanwhile rarely misses an opportunity to criticise the record of the UK government, now run by Labour. He managed to link that back to health services by saying that any move to restrict immigration would affect the NHS's ability to attract international workers. To be honest they have this same exchange most weeks, and will continue to right up to polling day next May. Update: Date: 12:28 BST Title: Immigration plans will damage NHS - Swinney Content: Sarwar accuses the first minister of having no plan to fix Scotland's NHS. Swinney responds by saying the government has a plan in place to focus on expanding capacity. "We are working to make sure we have the staff and the resources in place to address this issue," he says. He adds that the UK's government's immigration policy will make tackling waiting times "ever more difficult". Swinney says: "The immigration policies will be damaging to our national health service and we do not want anything to do with them." Update: Date: 12:27 BST Title: Backround: Patients waiting more than two years for specialist appointments Content: Figures released this week showed that the number of patients waiting more than two years for to see an NHS specialist in Scotland has grown in the past year. Public Health Scotland said the waiting list for those referred to an outpatient clinic more than two years ago was at the highest level it had ever recorded, with the number more than tripling to 5,262. Government targets to provide treatment within 12 weeks were also still not being met for thousands of patients, with 24% of waits recorded going on for more than a year, the report found. More on this story here. Update: Date: 12:22 BST Title: Swinney defends government's actions on NHS Content: 'Week after week, John Swinney comes to this chamber and apologies. People don't want to hear sorry, they want treatment,' Sarwar says. He says thousands are waiting over two years for orthopaedic, ENT and neurosurgery treatment. Swinney says the government has made the largest investment in the NHS that has ever been made and by March had created over 100,000 additional appointments. Update: Date: 12:20 BST Title: There is a human cost to waiting times - Sarwar Content: Anas Sarwar is next up - he asks the first minister about new health statistics showing a growing number of people on NHS waiting lists. Sarwar says in total there are 860,925 people are on an NHS waiting list in Scotland, with over 13,000 people waiting over two years. 'There is a human cost', he says as he highlights the case of a woman who has waited over 100 weeks for surgery for an ovarian cyst. The first minister apologies to anyone who is on a waiting list and say the government is committed to tackling 'long waits'. Update: Date: 12:19 BST Title: Swinney accuses the Conservatives of 'cheap political opportunity' Content: Swinney wraps up on Russel Findlay's questioning saying Brexit has caused incalculable damage to agriculture. He says the 2045 target is the Scottish Parliament's, not the SNP's. Swinney accuses the Conservatives of "cheap political opportunity". Update: Date: 12:18 BST Title: Douglas Ross has just become far more memorable than his leader Content: Philip SimBBC Scotland political correspondent Russell Findlay ended up being eclipsed by his predecessor as Tory leader. Douglas Ross has persistently clashed with the presiding officer over recent weeks, and it seemed like Alison Johnstone had zero patience for his heckling today, ordering him out of the chamber without so much as a warning. Mr Findlay had been underlining the lack of a big story this week by leading off on a report published last Wednesday. He picked out various proposals from the climate change committee's report on carbon budgets, describing various things which the government has not committed to as 'utter madness'. But ultimately the government hasn't actually said what it is going to do, so it was hard for him to pin any particular policy on the first minister. And John Swinney seemed determined not to rise to the bait. His only real political barb was one about Brexit - which was what prompted Douglas Ross to blow his top. Ultimately that is going to be a far more memorable moment than anything prompted by Mr Findlay's questions. Update: Date: 12:13 BST Title: Eating a third less meat is 'utter madness' - Findlay Content: Prior to Ross' exit from the chamber, Russell Findlay says the number of cattle would need to fall by two million, around 25%, to achieve climate targets. The Scottish Tory leader says Scots would have to eat one third less meat. "This is utter madness, it's an act of national self-harm." John Swinney hits back reiterating his government will consider the proposals in the report. The Scottish Tory leader continues to look at those proposals, turning to heat pumps saying to meet the target would require 70% of homes to have one. "That proposal is simply not realistic," adds Findlay, who then calls on the first minister to reject it. Swinney insists agriculture is always in his priorities and he highlights the impact of Brexit. This leads to Douglas Ross's ejection. Update: Date: 12:08 BST Title: Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross asked to leave chamber Content: There is a brief pause in proceedings as former Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is kicked out of the chamber. The speaker asks him to leave the chamber and tells him not to return for the rest of the day after raising his voice over the first minister.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Scottish Politicians To Look At Making Ecocide A Criminal Offence
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - MAY 06: In this photo illustration, A man holds a Saltire flag outside the ... More Scottish Parliament on May 6, 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the first Holyrood election polling day, before the Scottish Parliament gained full powers on July 1, 1999. (Photo by Jeff) Members of the Scottish parliament are to set to discuss whether or not to become the first nation in the United Kingdom to make ecocide a criminal offence. Labour MSP Monica Lennon has today (29 May) introduced the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill, which would make it a criminal offence to cause widespread, long-term or irreversible environmental damage. The bill defines ecocide as causing severe environmental harm either intentionally or through recklessness - where the harm is widespread, long-term or irreversible. And it would carry a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment for individuals found guilty, with provisions for publicity orders, remediation costs, and unlimited fines for corporate offenders. In addition, senior executives could be held personally liable when offences involve their consent, connivance or neglect. The bill will now be considered by the Scottish Parliament, with committee scrutiny and evidence gathering expected to begin before the summer recess. It also mandates reporting on its operation after five years, including data on prosecutions, convictions, and environmental and financial impacts. An open letter to members of the Scottish Parliament has been published, signed by various leading figures. Lennon said the bill already has a lot of cross-party support and she is optimistic about its chances of becoming law in an interview. She said the aim of the proposed legislation is to ensure the most severe environmental damage, which causes widespread or long-term harm will be treated severely. 'It's about having a really strong deterrent and trying to change behaviours at a system level, so we can have a sustainable future for both people and the planet,' she told me. 'If Scotland is serious about facing up to the climate and nature emergency, then we need to have an ecocide law, because so many other countries are introducing one.' The chief executive and co-founder of Stop Ecocide International, Jojo Mehta said ecocide was first coined to describe the severe environmental damage caused by the use of the chemical weapon Agent Orange during the Vietnam war in an interview. Mehta added several countries have already incorporated ecocide into their national laws, including France, Ukraine and Belgium. She said the concept has also become embedded in various international legal documents, such as the EU's Environmental Crime Directive, which came into force in May 2024. 'The definition of ecocide focuses on the results or threatened results of an action, regardless of the cause,' she told me. 'The point is actually to protect the vital ecosystems,' she told me. 'People need to be able to see it coming. It needs to be taken seriously. The definition has embedded itself so strongly in the legal and political arena in various parts of the world. 'And it is really capturing the zeitgeist, because there is a growing awareness now of the danger that mass environmental harm poses to human wellbeing.' Professor Kate Mackintosh, the executive director at UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe, said the move to criminalise ecocide reflects a growing global recognition that severe and reckless harm to nature deserves the same legal scrutiny as other grave crimes in a statement. 'By establishing criminal accountability for mass environmental destruction, Scotland contributes to an emerging legal framework that not only deters and punishes the worst offences against the natural world, but also upholds the fundamental human rights that depend on a healthy environment,' added Professor Mackintosh.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Edinburgh polluters could face up to 20 years in jail under proposed 'ecocide' bill
Scotland could become the first nation in the UK to criminalise ecocide under new proposals at Holyrood. The Ecocide (Scotland) Bill would make it a criminal offence to cause widespread, long-term or irreversible environmental damage. Those who fall foul of the law could face up to 20 years in prison while companies could receive unlimited fines, if the legislation is ultimately passed. READ MORE: Neighbourhood Edinburgh pub to close for refurb as it prepares for 'new chapter' READ MORE: Edinburgh filming for '90s classic movie remake takes over Portobello beach The Bill has been launched by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who said it would deter people and firms from harming Scotland's natural environment. Scrutiny of the Bill is expected to begin before the summer recess, with a vote on it later this year. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. It would create a crime of ecocide, defined as causing severe environmental harm either intentionally or through recklessness, where the harm is widespread, long-term or irreversible. It would also seek to hold senior executives at companies liable when offences involve their consent, connivance or neglect. Ms Lennon said her Bill would send a strong message to polluters. She said: "I'm delighted to be publishing the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament today, on a strong foundation of cross-party and public support. "With ecocide law, Scotland can take bold and necessary action against severe environmental damage. "Environmental destruction isn't some distant issue for the people of Scotland - it directly threatens health, livelihoods, and the future of entire communities. "From sewage spilling into waterways to toxic pollution left behind by heavy industry, the damage is real and ongoing. "Ecocide is a crime against the common good, and those who commit widespread or irreversible harm should be held to account. "This is a vital opportunity for Scotland to become the first UK nation to criminalise ecocide and signal that the destruction of nature won't be tolerated here." Jojo Mehta, chief executive and co-founder of Stop Ecocide International, said: "This Scottish Bill is a striking example of how national action can drive global change. "Around the world, ecocide law is gaining ground as a vital tool - not just to punish environmental destruction, but to prevent it. "While the ultimate goal is to have ecocide recognised as a serious crime all over the world, national laws play a crucial role in legitimising that goal, building momentum, and providing accountability now. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "They help shape legal norms that are increasingly being reflected in international frameworks. "From the new Council of Europe Convention, which enables states to prosecute acts 'tantamount to ecocide', to the formal proposal by Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa to make ecocide a core international crime, momentum is accelerating. "Scotland's move adds meaningful weight to this shift, reinforcing the growing global consensus that mass destruction of nature must be treated as a crime, in law, and in principle."
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Company directors who cause nature damage in Scotland could face jail
Company directors who cause severe or reckless damage to nature could face jail terms or hefty fines under a bill that aims to criminalise environmental destruction in Scotland. The proposed law, which would be the first of its kind in the UK, is designed to put a class of environment offences known as ecocide on a similar legal footing to other grave crimes such as murder. Monica Lennon, the Scottish Labour MSP who has tabled the ecocide (Scotland) bill in the Scottish parliament, said it would introduce strict new legal duties on company executives and government agencies, with potential sanctions such as heavy fines or prison sentences. She said it would bring Scotland into line with the EU, which has an environmental crime directive, and formal moves by small nations such as Vanuatu, Samoa and Fiji to add ecocide to the mandate for the international criminal court. Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru and Italy are also pursuing domestic ecocide laws, which are broadly defined as 'unlawful or wanton acts' committed knowing they could cause severe, widespread or long-term environmental damage. Activists point to oil tanker disasters; deforestation of the Amazon or destructive fishing practices, as examples of ecocide. Lennon said voters were very clear they believed serious environmental crimes needed to be policed and punished. 'I think the bill will give people hope,' she said. 'I think it's really important to renew hope and put environmental protection at the top of the agenda. 'This should give confidence to policymakers, and ensure the public knows we're making sure our laws are fit for purpose, and closing gaps and loopholes. We just don't talk about the nature emergency: we have a robust legal framework too.' More than 50 MSPs from all the major parties in the Scottish parliament, including the Conservatives, have supported Lennon's decision to table the bill, which will soon go to an initial vote to confirm it can progress. Environmental campaigners are critical of the Scottish government's recent track record on the climate and nature conservation, with promised legislation watered down and spending cut. Even so, ministers in Edinburgh support Lennon's bill in principle. Maurice Golden, a Scottish Tory MSP who backs the legislation, said the mere fact of its implementation would force companies and public agencies to be far more rigorous on environmental issues to avoid breaching it. 'The context of this is an international one. We don't want Scotland being seen as a soft touch,' he said. 'What we will see, as a result of this law, is that in order to reduce the risks of malpractice, companies are going to up their game.'
