Molly Scott Cato
Encyclopedia
Molly Scott Cato Ph.D.
(born in 1963 in Wales
) is green economist and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales
. She is a Reader in Green Economics at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
(UWIC) and Director of Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies http://www.uwic.spindogs5.co.uk/cardiff-institute-for-co-operative-studies/ Molly is the Green Party
's Economics Spokesperson. She currently lives in Stroud
, and has three children.
(PPE), where her stated areas of interest included "the politics of Latin America and international politics". After working in the publishing industry, she earned her Ph.D.
from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
with a thesis on employment policy in the South Wales Valleys.
(UWIC) and as a researcher for Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies in 2002. She has published widely on green economics, localism
and anti-capitalism
. She wrote Seven Myths About Work in 1996 and co-edited Green Economics: Beyond Supply and Demand to Meeting People's Needs in 1999 with Miriam Kennett. Her report on the structure of government specialist science advice committees, I Don't Know Much About Science, apparently "influenced the structure of the government's new committee examining the effects of low-level radiation". Another report in 2002 for the Association of Green Councillors was titled Using Best Value to Encourage Green Procurement in Local Authorities.
In her most recent work, Green Economics: An Introduction to Theory, Policy and Practice (published by Earthscan
in 2008), Cato argues that society should be embedded within the ecosystem, and that markets and economies are social structures that should respond to social and environmental priorities. She includes examples of effective green policies that are already being implemented across the world policy prescriptions for issues including climate change, localization, citizens' income, economic measurement, ecotaxes and trade.
In his review of the book in the Journal of Economic Geography Danny Dorling
called it 'a serious
book written by the grown-up version of the kinds of people who are currently invading airports, chaining themselves to those coal trucks on the way to power stations and populating climate camps.'
Cato also promotes her own website, Gaian Economics, which is a "group of independent researchers" focusing on green economics as well as "war, trade, work, progress, and ecofeminism
", and her Gaian Economics blog,
in 1988, Cato has stood as a candidate for the Preseli Pembrokeshire
constituency at the 1997
and 2005 general election
s. She has been Co-Chair of the Green Party
Regional Council and served on the Green Party
Executive as Campaigns Co-ordinator. Since 2001, she has been the party's Economics Spokesperson.
In addition to her party political activities, Cato is a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Heterodox Economics http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/hetecon/ and of the UK Society for Co-operative Studies. http://www.co-opstudies.org/ She is a member of the Advisory Group of the Equality Trust http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/
, where she is a Director of Transition Stroud, http://www.transitionstroud.org/ which is part of the Transition Towns
network. She also works with Stroud Commonwealth, http://www.stroudcommonwealth.org.uk/ to help bring assets into community ownership, and is one of the founders of the Stroud Pound
.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(born in 1963 in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is green economist and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. She is a Reader in Green Economics at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. The university serves over 12,000 students...
(UWIC) and Director of Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies http://www.uwic.spindogs5.co.uk/cardiff-institute-for-co-operative-studies/ Molly is the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
's Economics Spokesperson. She currently lives in Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, and has three children.
Early life and education
Cato grew up in Bath before going to the University of Oxford to study Politics, Philosophy and EconomicsPhilosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
(PPE), where her stated areas of interest included "the politics of Latin America and international politics". After working in the publishing industry, she earned her Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
with a thesis on employment policy in the South Wales Valleys.
Academic career
Cato began work at the University of Wales Institute, CardiffUniversity of Wales Institute, Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. The university serves over 12,000 students...
(UWIC) and as a researcher for Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies in 2002. She has published widely on green economics, localism
Localism (politics)
Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identity...
and anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism describes a wide variety of movements, ideas, and attitudes which oppose capitalism. Anti-capitalists, in the strict sense of the word, are those who wish to completely replace capitalism with another system....
. She wrote Seven Myths About Work in 1996 and co-edited Green Economics: Beyond Supply and Demand to Meeting People's Needs in 1999 with Miriam Kennett. Her report on the structure of government specialist science advice committees, I Don't Know Much About Science, apparently "influenced the structure of the government's new committee examining the effects of low-level radiation". Another report in 2002 for the Association of Green Councillors was titled Using Best Value to Encourage Green Procurement in Local Authorities.
In her most recent work, Green Economics: An Introduction to Theory, Policy and Practice (published by Earthscan
Earthscan
Earthscan is an English language publisher of books and journals on climate change, sustainable development and environmental technology for academic, professional and general readers....
in 2008), Cato argues that society should be embedded within the ecosystem, and that markets and economies are social structures that should respond to social and environmental priorities. She includes examples of effective green policies that are already being implemented across the world policy prescriptions for issues including climate change, localization, citizens' income, economic measurement, ecotaxes and trade.
In his review of the book in the Journal of Economic Geography Danny Dorling
Danny Dorling
Daniel Dorling, frequently referred to as Danny Dorling, is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Sheffield. He is also a Professor at University of Canterbury and in the Department of Social Medicine of the University of Bristol.-Biography:...
called it 'a serious
book written by the grown-up version of the kinds of people who are currently invading airports, chaining themselves to those coal trucks on the way to power stations and populating climate camps.'
Cato also promotes her own website, Gaian Economics, which is a "group of independent researchers" focusing on green economics as well as "war, trade, work, progress, and ecofeminism
Ecofeminism
Ecofeminism is a social and political movement which points to the existence of considerable common ground between environmentalism and feminism, with some currents linking deep ecology and feminism...
", and her Gaian Economics blog,
Political career
Having joined the Green PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
in 1988, Cato has stood as a candidate for the Preseli Pembrokeshire
Preseli Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Preseli Pembrokeshire is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency at the 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
and 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
s. She has been Co-Chair of the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
Regional Council and served on the Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
Executive as Campaigns Co-ordinator. Since 2001, she has been the party's Economics Spokesperson.
In addition to her party political activities, Cato is a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Heterodox Economics http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/hetecon/ and of the UK Society for Co-operative Studies. http://www.co-opstudies.org/ She is a member of the Advisory Group of the Equality Trust http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/
Community involvement
Molly is now active in her home town of StroudStroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, where she is a Director of Transition Stroud, http://www.transitionstroud.org/ which is part of the Transition Towns
Transition Towns
Transition Towns is a grassroots network of communities that are working to build resilience in response to peak oil, climate destruction, and economic instability...
network. She also works with Stroud Commonwealth, http://www.stroudcommonwealth.org.uk/ to help bring assets into community ownership, and is one of the founders of the Stroud Pound
Stroud Pound
The Stroud Pound is a local currency in use in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Unveiled on 12 September 2009, the scheme is the third local currency scheme introduced in England in recent years after the Totnes Pound and the Lewes Pound.-History:...
.