{"id":59148,"date":"2026-11-11T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T10:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/?p=59148"},"modified":"2026-11-11T13:12:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T13:12:31","slug":"paying-for-the-air-we-breathe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacothenorth.net\/blog\/paying-for-the-air-we-breathe\/","title":{"rendered":"Paying For The Air We Breathe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Last week the UK government issued a report on natural capital and ecosystem services<\/a>. It was produced jointly by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade<\/span><\/a> and the Office for Investment<\/a>. (Though the report was described as ‘Independent’.)<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m going to explain what I think this means, paying particular attention to Wales. In fact, we get quite a mention. I’ll also look at things happening here. And then make a few connections.<\/p>\n

\u25ca<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

INTRODUCTION<\/p>\n

In a nutshell, what’s proposed is to monetise everything; land, trees, water. And as the title of the report (after the colon), says, what’s planned is: “a pathway to at-scale investment capital flows<\/em>“.<\/p>\n

“At-scale<\/em>” makes clear it’s designed to benefit big players who’ll pump money into major ‘renewables’ projects, and big, even national, rewilding or environmental schemes. For which they’ll expect handsome profits for carbon capture or some other scam.<\/p>\n

The money will be described as ‘investment’, with the money-making projects dressed up as being good for the planet and nature. What’s proposed will see asset managers like BlackRock working even more closely with ‘environmentalists’ than we’ve seen thus far. For as the report tells us:<\/p>\n

Nature underpins the UK\u2019s food security, water systems, infrastructure resilience and long\u2011term productivity, yet has been systematically underinvested for decades.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don’t tell the pine martens – but the little buggers are doomed without investment!<\/p>\n

But this is what ‘natural capital’ is all about. Dream up ‘problems’, come up with the ‘solutions’ – and make lots and lots of money!<\/p>\n

In fact, it could serve as a definition of Globalism itself.<\/p>\n

\u25ca<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

BIOSPHERES<\/p>\n

These figure big in the overall plan. And we have one in Wales, the Dyfi Biosphere<\/a>. Clearly a successor to the colonialist land grab known as Summit to Sea, which threatened roughly the same area. Remember it<\/a>? I covered it on this blog. (Just type Summit to Sea in the Search box on the right.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In its revamped form it promises to consult locals, even listen. Though how many farmers still feel their unions represent them may be a question for another day.<\/p>\n

Our Partnership includes local authorities, wildlife organisations, the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, the farming unions, business and voluntary groups.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Dyfi is one of seven UNESCO Biospheres in the UK<\/a>. It was designated a biosphere in 1977 (though it didn’t receive UNESCO status until 2007). Does the original date connect with the launch of the Centre for Alternative Technology<\/a> (CAT) in November 1973?<\/p>\n

For CAT, in Corris, is certainly within the Dyfi Biosphere. And now, for reasons I can’t quite figure out, the area covered juts south to take in the town of Aberystwyth.<\/p>\n

But there’s also a Smart Biosphere, in north Devon<\/a>. And it’s there we meet Dr Robin Charles Daniels as a trustee<\/a>. Most of its funding comes from the UK government<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Daniels is often a Welsh name, and something I read somewhere suggested Dr Daniels may live in or near Haverfordwest.)<\/p>\n

\u25ca<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

‘DARWIN VANTAGE AND REDPILL GROUP’<\/p>\n

This section of the report may take us to the core of the matter, but it’s complex; or rather, layered. The one consistent feature is Dr Robin Charles Daniels<\/a>, who seems to be involved in lots of things, on both sides of the Atlantic.<\/p>\n

Here’s what the relevant section in the report linked to at the start says:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Let’s begin with Redpill. Companies House tells us it’s a very small operation<\/a>, based in Plymouth, with most of the shares held by Dr Daniels. The only other shareholder is Jill Monica Sinclair. I can’t tell you anything about her.<\/p>\n

Redpill links with Darwin Vantage<\/a>. Here’s what Google AI told me:<\/p>\n

\n