Moving Upstream: the triple prize of early intervention

Our thinking on upstream investment starts from the premise that early action to prevent harm can have four major advantages: First, it improves human well-being and quality of life, and helps to build resilience.  Secondly, it safeguards public resources for dealing with unavoidable risks and promoting positive benefits.  Thirdly, it reduces the need for heavy-handed government intervention to treat or cure 'downstream', avoidable ill-being, damage and dysfunction. Fourthly, it helps to safeguard the future for our children and grandchildren. Preventative government should thus be understood not as needless, interfering nannying, but as a liberating force and an essential feature of sustainable development.

As part of our work building the case for this, nef is organising a major event in London on 9^th May 2012.  Key speakers are Lord Adair Turner, Jonathon Porritt, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, and David Robinson, Chair of the Early Action Task Force.

An open conference in the morning will be followed by a smaller symposium of invited experts in the afternoon, where discussions will draw upon a number of commissioned essays. Amongst much else, participants will consider: what can be learnt from a cross-sectoral approach, addressing prevention across three policy areas – society, environment, economy; how the government’s deficit reduction strategy will affect upstream prevention; and what part this kind of analysis can play in formulating the transition to a sustainable future.

Further details will be released early in 2012.  We are seeking support to enable us to build this important area of work.

For further information contact anna.coote@neweconomics.org