Many thanks, kindest regards,

Chris Peeters
TT Nijmegen (Holland)

Thanks for this great post. I’ve made a review for http://www.vesperadenada.org (in Galician language).

The link ‘the city of Hamilton’ points to Berkeley Energy Descent Plan. Would it be possible to correct this? Thank you.

Look at this analysis of oil production: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5395

Take a look at the actual net oil produced, see Figure 3 here: http://netenergy.theoildrum.com/node/5500

And then consider that the oil exporting nations are significantly reducing exports to us in developed nations.

These data indicate that we will experience a very fast descent starting now.

For this reason, it is wise to focus on Peak Oil preparations that anticipate a collapse in food and agricultural tools, machines, fertilizer, seed, hardware, wire, medicines, and heating.

http://survivingpeakoil.blogspot.com/2008/07/surviving-in-northeast-usa-after-last.html

Thanks for listening, Clifford J. Wirth, clifford dot wirth at yahoo dot com.

The Climate Challenge Fund would make such a difference down here… we asked Ed Milliband about it when we saw him at the conference, and he said ‘come and talk to me’ which we will.. it is also part of a list of ‘Big Asks’ we made to the Department of Communities and Local Government.

Land reform, yes I think there will be elements of it, but not on the scale that you have managed there… thanks!
Rob

We created our EDAP in 2005 (http://pedal-porty.org.uk/energy/energy-group/) so I’m not quite sure (but would be curious to know) where that fits in to your timeline of the sequence in which EDAPs were created – or even the timeline of when Transition groups were formed (although I know the official sequence is to do with when people asked the Transition Network to formally recognise them, the formal bit being a really useful way of focusing groups minds on whether they are ready to take this path).

The 2005 PEDAL EDAP seemed to get buried for a while from early 2006 when Eva, the boys and I went to live on the Isle of Eigg for a while; the group became very effectively focused on particular projects and events, and has gone from strength to strength on these. Of the original 12 core members almost all are as fully – or more fully – involved now as they were in 2005, others have joined, and membership and activity has increased dramatically with the new Orchard and other projects. We are in the process of revisiting and recreating the EDAP now so these links are really handy.

Land Reform was as central a part of our approach right from the start as energy descent: community ownership of local resources being seen as crucial for energy descent to be possible. I’d be curious to know whether you and other folk down south see this as important to you too, or whether it is something that only makes sense in the Scottish context (given the hugely successful push for land reform here). Likewise, is effectively interacting with the national political level only possible up here, or is it something that can be done (is being done?) down south. Up here, the £27 million Climate Challenge Funding for community carbon reduction initiatives was secured by the Scottish Green Party by virtue of having a Parliament that has fair voting and so has to respond to the people. I guess, I’m also curious about how you and others down south see community initiatives like Holyrood 350 (www.holyrood350.org) that seek to take a Transition approach (being unashamedly positive about what we can all do, and unashamedly definite about what will happen if we don’t do it!) and seek to apply it at a national level. Enough – should I post this, or just appreciate the thinking your post provoked . . . hmmm. . . I guess if it appears in the posts, then . . .

The link to the Kinsale plan appears to be broken. Would love to see it if you’re able to fix that!

All the best,

Leonard

As for adapting to differing growing climates, we are expereincing that now. Floods, raining when it should be the dry season… changes to pest cycles… we’re learning as we go.

Sonya