Paul Mobbs &
Mobbs' Environmental Investigations:
Current Work
This page provides access to my most recent publications, articles and reports. It also gives a list of any forthcoming public events at which I am due to appear.
Forthcoming events
Below are the forthcoming public events that I am due to appear at (note: details of lectures/workshops not open to the public are not listed here – links are provided separately to the documentation for each event):
Keep Space for Peace 2018
6th October 2018
USAF Croughton, Northamptonshire
I've been asked to make a presentation about my recent research on the new NATO Joint Intelligence Analysis Complex at USAF Croughton. The day is organised by Oxfordshire Peace Campaign, and is part of the global Keep Space for Peace week.
More information and booking details available from Croughtonwatch website.
Recent publications
The section below lists the most recent publications, of all types, across the web site:
USAF Croughton, Networked Warfare, and the Intelligence-Fusion Complex
24/06/2018
In commerce, data is the new financial ‘gold’. On the back of the Web, on-line shopping and social media, data has become a resource for those trading in goods or public opinion. This same transformation has been underway in the military and intelligence services too. Here though, the use of data has serious political and cultural overtones – which imperil our civil liberties, and threaten to create an ever-more illiberal surveillance state where certain types of public dissent are labelled as ‘suspect’. In Britain, one site exemplifies this global shift in the focus of the military and intelligence services – USAF Croughton. Construction will begin soon on NATO’s Joint Intelligence Analysis Centre. Based on the ‘intelligence-fusion’ systems developed in the USA in the wake of 9/11, the JIAC brings the use of digital surveillance and wide-ranging data analytics to Europe. This development appears to be going ahead with – at least in public – the willing ignorance of the British government. There is no official recognition of the practices which are carried on at Croughton today, nor of those which the new JIAC development will enable in the future.
The on-line version of the report created by Croughtonwatch, with extensive links and background materials, is available here – The NATO Joint Intelligence Analysis Complex
Download Croughtonwatch report
1.4 megabytes
Mobbsey's Musings: 'The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics – The gaping hole in the middle of the Circular Economy'
17/04/2018
Listening to Radio 4 this morning I heard the two juxtaposed keywords that I've learned to dread over the last couple of the years; 'circular economy'. It's a great idea, and I can't fault the true belief of those promoting it. My problem is that the way they describe it has little to do with the physical realities of the world, and hence it's really just a 'get out of hell free' card for affluent consumers.
read the 'Musings' article
130.2 kilobytes
Mobbsey's Musings: 'For all its faults, 'fracking' is not the issue here...'
31/01/2018
Approaching my tenth year of research on unconventional oil and gas in Britain, it has become clear that the true struggle has little to do with regulations, or technology, or the pursuit of fossil fuels, and everything to do with the failure of our national political dialogue.
Written for 'Drill or Drop', published on 3rd February 2018 under the title Weekend Long Read: For all its faults, "fracking" is not the issue here...
read the 'Musings' article
92.8 kilobytes
Ramblinactivist 10/17: ''Keep Space for Peace', part 2 – USAF Croughton'
22/12/2017
This video investigates not just USAF Croughton ('RAF' assumes a level of control that does not, in reality, exist), but also the evolution of the idea of "network-centric warfare" as it has developed at this site. USAF Croughton is about to undergo a large upgrade to extend its mission. The new 'Joint Intelligence Analysis Centre' (JIAC) will create an intelligence hub in Europe that will co-ordinate NATO (but predominately US) military and intelligence services across the new 'electronic battle space'. That means not just continuing its existing involvement in various activities which violate international law and the Laws of War; it will intensify the capacity of the US to project its power using technology across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The video concludes with a brief snippet from the 'Keep Space for Peace' week demonstration and rally at Croughton in October 2017.
goto Ramblinactivist's video blog 10/17
watch the video on the 'ramblinactivist' Youtube channel
Ramblinactivist 9/17: ''Keep Space for Peace', part 1 – NSA Menwith Hill'
06/12/2017
A trip to NSA Menwith Hill, for the 'Keep Space for Peace' week gathering. It's possible to say many things about this site, and give a technical analysis of its capabilities, but what concerns me is something relatively simple. Who is accountable for the acts carried out within the perimeter fence? In this short film I take a look around the site, look at a little of its history, and document the marvellous Tuesday evening actions that take place here each week. The last third gives a brief digest of the presentations from the 'Keep Space for Peace' global event at Menwith.
goto Ramblinactivist's video blog 9/17
watch the video on the 'ramblinactivist' Youtube channel