Some people are worried that if we construct a world balance sheet in an existing currency such as GB Pounds or US Dollars, then it would make businesses and governments more aware of the assets that can be exploited unsustainably for profit and for votes.

In response to that, the Planetary CFO is likely to want to evaluate many different units of measure for the balance sheet.  We choose a unit of measure that means something to us.  If the GBP or the USD have some latent meaning that is unhelpful, what about an alternative?  Suppose we use as the unit of measurement the amount of sustainably managed land that supports an average global citizen for one year.   We could call that unit the Global Sustainable Unit or GSU.   Imagine a balance sheet where the assets side totals, say, 7 billion GSU, and the liabilities side totals a commitment to provide sustainably for 7 billion people.  The balance sheet would balance.  The challenge would then be to keep it balanced by protecting, maintaining and cherishing those assets so that they continued to meet the needs of a sustainable level of global population (eg at peak population).

Of course we know that we’re not at that point yet.  We don’t even have a world balance sheet yet, but the Planetary CFO thinks it’s a pretty safe bet that when we create the first one, there will be an imbalance.  The assets, whatever unit of measure we use to record them, will be less than needed.  Probably, the liabilities will be about 1.4 times the assets, which would roughly correspond to the 1.4 planets that most people are saying would be required to support the current global population at the rate we use its resources.  

The Planetary CFO says that one way to improve the situation for migrants is for each global citizen to be auto-enrolled into a Global Welfare Insurance policy at birth.  The policy could be maintained by a global organisation such as the United Nations.  Premiums could be collected from every country in the world.  When any global citizen then moved between countries (for whatever reason) their entitlements to welfare under the policy would move with them.  This basic entitlement would be physical safety, shelter, water, food and medical support. 
This approach would eliminate many of the current problems being experienced between countries facing the influx of huge numbers of refugees (and some so-called 'economic migrants') from places such as Syria.  One of the main difficulties being experienced by countries receiving migrants is the inability of their welfare systems to cope.  But if each citizen had the insurance cover, this problem would be all but eliminated. In fact, it wouldn't matter which country a particular migrant was in - the welfare provision would be funded anywhere.  And without welfare being a discriminating factor between countries, this would remove one of the supposed main drivers for people to move between countries - lack of these basic essentials for survival in the countries they are fleeing from.  What would be left as reasons to move would be the more advanced aims of finding a place to live where each person's life's aspirations and ambitions are most likely to be achievable.  

The apocryphal boiling frog is one that is put in a pan of water that is heating up gradually.  According to fable, it doesn't notice this and, although it could easily jump out it does not and ends up boiling to death.
The sustainability challenges  we all face, including Climate Change, are like the water.  The Planetary CFO's answer is to build a World Balance Sheet, to be used as an objective measure of the state of our assets and to help ring alarm bells when problems arise.

Many thousands of migrants have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe from North Africa.  It’s sad that so many Europeans want this flow to be curtailed or even stopped altogether. 

As Planetary CFO, I say let everyone come in who wants to.  They will add to the pressure to change the conditions they are fleeing from in the countries they have left.

A part of this picture is about  basic safety, freedom and escape from poverty,  and who among us would respond any differently from these migrants if we were in daily fear of physical trauma, hunger and death.

But some of it is about a lack of a consistent global safety net.  If the international community established something similar to the UK Welfare State in every country of the World, and a basic living wage entitlement for every global citizen, then pressure to migrate would be reduced.  This model has worked, in the main, in developed, stable countries.  So why not in every country.

And how is the cost of a global safety net to be met?  In the same way developed countries pay for theirs – through taxation.  The EU already has a model to draw inspiration from, in the shape of measures such as the way the European Union works, through contributions each country makes, to pay for mechanisms such as the Common Agricultural Policy.   

And the numbers of migrants will be swelled by climate migrants as the now all but inevitable global warming  progresses.  Even if we manage to keep the post-industrial temperature change under 2 degrees, which is an ambitious ceiling, there will be some changes that will result in not just thousands, but many millions of people migrating North from the Global South.  Imagine such numbers trying to get to Europe, making the current flow seem like a tiny trickle. 

And with the shifting to new norms of climate in each region, who’s to say that you or I (or our descendants) might not be in the next wave of migrants, if our home regions become effectively uninhabitable through climate change.  Put yourselves in the shoes of the current migrants for a moment.  Then reflect.

Well, it's here at last.  My Renault Zoe.  My EV.  Fantastic to drive - the most brilliant thing about it is it looks, feels and drives like a "normal" car.  Now for the travelog bit:

Planetary CFO's log.  left home on full charge.  Although my day's round trip should be well within the range without recharging, I wanted to test out some charging stations en-route.  My first stop was AVDC in Aylesbury.  Arrived about 07:40 but found that both charging points were in use by AVDC's own fleet vehicles (on slow charge - 3 pin plug).  Before I realised I couldn't charge on a point where someone was already connected (even with an apparently available type 2 socket) , I also discovered that, because of the particular location and design of the bars on a protection railing  around the charge point, it was very difficult to put my type 2 connector into the available socket.  So, a couple of things to frustrate the EV user.  Come on AVDC, you can do better than this.  I suggest you:
1) Install a private charging point (or two) for your own fleet vehicles, so that the public charging points are truly for public use, and
2) redesign and modify the charging point protection barriers.
Thank you

Next stop was Welcome Break Services, junction of M40 and A40.  Of the three charging points, it took me a little while, and some reparking, to work out that there was only one point I could use with my vehicle, but on the one bollard there were two type 2 connectors, and two car parking spaces next to it - can two EV users therefore charge on type 2 at the same time from the same bollard?  Anyway, after that, with swipe of my Ecotricity card and simple instruction on the charge point's display, I plugged my type 2 lead in at the point and on my car and hey-presto, the car and the charge point did their thing.  Took about 20 mins to charge from 75% to 97%.  I did learn that, while the car is charging, there are things you can't do, like wind down the electronic windows or run the aircon or press the start button to get either of those going.  I tried it early on and the charging stopped, so I had to go back to the beginning, disconnect as if about to drive away, then reswipe, reconnect etc.  But, overall, it worked fine, and I could at least have the radio on while charging and play with the R-link functions including satnav settings etc.  

Next stop was Seacourt Park and Ride in Oxford.  Only one EV parking space, between disabled places.  Luckily, the space was free.  I can see why there's only one space - only one charge point with a type 1 (3 pin) and a type 2 point on the same electronic 'bollard' as you might call them.  Slightly frustrating that you have to swipe your card more than once - firstly to pull up type 1 connection authorisation on the screen, then (after a while) second swipe for type 2 authorisation.  After that, plain sailing as with the previous stop.  Went to work.  When I got back, was back to full charge.

Drove home.  Plugged in at home for overnight charging from 75%, using granny cable because the home charging point being supplied free by British Gas hasn't been installed yet.  I get the impression, from dealings with them by phone, that they are very busy.  I take that as a good sign that there must be heavy demand.  The Renault dealer also said that they're now taking orders for Zoes for delivery in October, whereas mine was delivered just over a month after being ordered.  
 
Distance travelled was about 70 miles in the day. 

Overall conclusion:  Good driving.    Feels like a normal car to drive. Really enjoying it.

Worries: When there are more people like me, will the infrastructure providers lead with capacity ahead of demand, to avoid excessive probability of contention between EV drivers at the electric pumps, or will they wait for us users to have bad experiences, experience travel delays, get angry and complain bitterly before they act to catch up and install more charging points?

Some key takeaways from yesterday's event:-

Divest-invest :  Build on a growing movement. 

Lead by personal example.

Take action within the financial system, rather than eschewing it.

Avoid slactivism.