Transcript Document
Welcome to Transition Town West Kirby at Wirral Country Park Follow this 9 minute slide show to learn more about the Transition Town movement and the story behind Transition Town West Kirby So, what is a Transition Town? A Transition Town is a community seeking to prepare itself for the inevitable changes brought about by the onset of climate change and the end of cheap oil (commonly referred to as “peak oil”). Let’s start with climate change. What does the latest scientific thinking tell us about our changing climate? What is climate change? Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) retain some of the sun’s heat within the earth’s atmosphere. Without the greenhouse effect there would be no life on earth. However, when we burn fossil fuels (oil, coal & gas) we pump more CO2 into the atmosphere. This enhances the greenhouse effect and warms the planet. Historical records show a strong relationship between the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and the earth’s temperature. Rising CO2 emissions have already increased the average global temperature by 0.8 degrees Celsius…. …but, there is a time delay between burning fossil fuels and higher temperatures. This means we are already locked into a temperature rise of around 1.5 degrees, even if we stopped burning fossil fuels today. What we must avoid are so called “tipping points”. These are changes in the earth’s natural systems that reinforce global warming and lead to accelerated climate change. Examples include: Melting ice that absorbs solar heat instead of reflecting it back into space. As temperatures rise, rainforests can no longer be sustained and release large quantities of CO2 instead of absorbing it. Melting permafrost in areas such as Siberia can release huge quantities of greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, there are clear signs that these processes are already underway including rapidly melting ice sheets The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) overseas the science of climate change >2500 scientific expert reviewers 800 contributing authors 450 lead authors from >130 countries According to the IPCC “to prevent global warming from eventually exceeding 2°C, by 2050 the world needs to cut its emissions to roughly 15% of the volume in 2000.” The bottom line is, if we want to prevent runaway climate change and preserve the conditions that allow humans to live comfortably on this planet, we need massive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. So, what exactly is peak oil? Oil production typically follows a bell shaped curve. Production rises rapidly at the beginning, reaches a peak and then begins to decline. This has happened in lots of countries including the USA… …and the North Sea where oil (and gas) production is falling rapidly Worldwide, oil discovery peaked over 40 years ago. 10 years later we started to consume more than we discovered. We now consume around 4-5 barrels of oil for every one we find. The inevitable result is a growing gap….. …and prices are soaring Peak Oil vs Peak Exports Oil producers getting richer Developing their own economies Middle East growth: 5-6% pa Russia growth: 7% pa Increasing their domestic consumption of oil fuelled by subsidised prices Less available for countries they export to. Like us … …which brings us to food: an emerging crisis • Soaring oil prices are increasing the cost of producing food • A rising population means more demand for food • Climate change is reducing yields and destroying crops • Increased production of biofuels means less land is devoted to food production • Meat consumption in countries like India and China is rising rapidly Our response? The petroleum age viewed over thousands of years Can we respond? • Going up the energy slope, we used – – – – ingenuity creativity adaptability cooperation • Going back down… – if we’re early enough – if we cooperate – the future could be a whole lot better… Our choice… • We’ll be transitioning to a lower energy future whether we want to or not. Far better to ride that wave rather than getting engulfed by it. The ultimate goal of a transition town is to create and implement an Energy Descent Action Plan. In simple terms this means fulfilling all the existing needs of our community but in a way that uses far less energy and resources than we currently use. To achieve this we follow the “steps to transition”…… Transition Model - Step 1 • Set up a steering group to initiate the process and raise awareness within the local community Transition Model - Step 2 Awareness raising Find practical ways to raise awareness: • Talks and film screenings • Network with existing groups • Community activities like today’s event Transition Model - Step 3 • Lay the foundations – Liase with existing groups who are already working towards a sustainable future – Engage with business and community leaders – Involve all the key aspects in our community, schools, health care, faith groups etc. Transition Model - Step 4 • Organise a Great Unleashing – Given time, large sections of the community will embrace the transition idea. Celebrate this with a big party. Transition Model - Step 5 Form “working groups” Every aspect of our society needs to adjust to a low energy, low carbon mode. Working groups seek practical ways to achieve this in specific areas e.g. food, transport, education health care, economy, local government etc. What’s happening in West Kirby? We’ve already had six months of awareness raising with lots of talks, film screenings, a hugely successful event based around local food as well as a renewable energy fair. Over the coming months we have loads more events planned. Please see our events calendar, speak with one of the steering group or check out our website www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk Get involved: • join the email list • pick up our events calendar • attend future events • join the steering group • spread the word • be part of the solution! Thanks for coming today and don’t forget to sign our contact sheet so we can keep you up-to-date with future events www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk Tel: 632 5366 email: [email protected]