Transcript Local Solutions to the Energy Dilemma

Relocalize Now!
Julian Darley
Founder & Director
Post Carbon Institute & Global Public Media
www.postcarbon.org
www.globalpublicmedia.com
Local Solutions to the
Energy Dilemma
New York City, April 29, 2006
www.postcarbon.org
Why?
• Follow the data…
• Is world gas in decline?
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Why?
Global Public Media
Public Service Broadcasting For A Post Carbon World
www.globalpublicmedia.com
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www.postcarbon.org
Why?
www.postcarbon.org
Relocalization Network
www.relocalize.net
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Why?
• All civilizations are built on surplus
– what happens as that surplus reduces
or even becomes non-surplus?
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Thresholds
Transitions
Infrastructure
Carrying Capacity – “maximum
permanently supportable load”
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Overshoot
We are here
Ecosystem
Limits
Too Much
‘Safe’ carrying capacity
Enough
Too Little
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Why?
• From surplus to sufficient – from
abundance to enough
• Public Service
• What can we do?
– share, collaborate, cooperate, planning
• Do it because it needs to be done
• Now matter how bad it gets –
Never give up!
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Reduce/Produce:
Ninety Percent Less & Make The Rest
• Reduce Consumption – energy & material
• Produce Locally – vital goods & services
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Post Carbon Institute is a:
– think
– action and
– education tank
Mission:
• To assist in the effort to relocalize
communities and adapt to an energyconstrained world
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Global Relocalization
• Global Relocalization means working to rebuild
communities based on:
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Local production of food, energy & other necessities
Shortening & closing the provisioning loops
Relocalization of currency, governance and culture
Integrated and coordinated on a wide scale
• Relocalization is a firm commitment to reducing
and eventually eliminating community
dependence on fossil fuels for energy
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Benefits of Relocalization
• Increased community energy security
– increased community!
• Better environmental conditions: air, land, water –
habitat for other species
• Better conditions for social & economic equity
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Direct Production of Local Needs
Strengthened local economies
Local (decent) employment
Renewal of local businesses
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Relocalization Network
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The Network: North America
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Aspects of Relocalization Strategy
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Energy
Food
Manufacturing
Transportation
Currency
Education
Media
Culture
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Relocalization: Energy
 Energy is the foundation of life.
1. Reduce = Planned economic contraction
2. Produce = Local reliable, renewable
energy
 Community self-reliance, self-sufficiency
 Securing continuation of public services
 Recognize “limits to growth”
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Energy Farm Demonstration Project
http://www.postcarbon.org/ideas/farm
• Project goals
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Experimentation and demonstration
Local reliable renewable energy
Community Supported Energy
ZP2 = Zero petroleum
and Zero pollution
– Give back to nature
– Spread the model
• Land use – biointensive methods
– Compost crops: For biogas & build soil fertility
– Energy: Crops for biofuel; harvest wind , solar, water
– Food crops: Extend and integrate with food production
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Monitoring our solar ration
http://energyfarm.postcarbon.org/
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Powerdown Project
for municipalities
• Project Goals
– Ensuring continuous delivery of public works,
essential services, and public safety
– By assisting municipalities in reducing energy
consumption, and
– Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy
• Municipal template
– Assessing vulnerabilities
– Identifying strategic responses
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Oil Depletion Protocol
• Protocol: International agreement to provide a
way for nations to reduce dependence on oil
– A global rationing system that will
stabilize prices, reduce competition,
and allow for a stable and peaceful
transition through peak oil
– Oil importing nations would agree
to reduce imports by an agreedupon yearly percentage
– Oil producing nations would agree
to reduce rate of extraction by their
national Depletion Rate
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Oil Depletion Protocol
Project
• Providing organizational support, expertise
and research capacity for successful
international adoption of the Protocol
Book
• Forthcoming Spring 2006 by Richard Heinberg
(New Society Publishers)
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Sweden
Fossil Fuel free by 2020
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Oil dependence currently 35%
2nd highest per capita consumer of energy in Europe
Commission’s first report forthcoming in 2006
Combination of energy efficiency, consumption reduction and
renewable energy
Commission line of reasoning:
1. More resource-efficient technology combined with more sensible
use of such technology
2. Conversion from oil and fossil fuels to renewable, non-fossil fuels
3. Infrastructure development
4. Change in behaviour
– More information
– http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2058/a/57732
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http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2005/dec/policy/jp_sweden.html
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Relocalization: Food
1. Reduce/Eliminate
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Use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides
Use of GMO (genetically modified organisms)
Pointless or destructive trading trading of food
Heavy dependence on flesh-based diet
2. Produce
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Local food, in season
Organic food – preferably with low or no petroleum
inputs
 Increased personal and community health
 Food security
 Local small, farmers are supported
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Relocalization: Food
• Examples
– Community supported
agriculture
– Food co-ops
– Farmers markets
• Local Post Carbon
Groups
– Food assessments:
security, resource use,
local production potential
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Relocalization:
Community Supported Manufacturing
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Food – preserving, drying, pickling…
Fibre – clothing, fabric, paper, rope…
Fire – pottery, glass…
Foundries & Forging – metals
Fuels – processing & ancillary feedstock
Fixing – repairing & maintaining
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Relocalization: Transportation
1.
Reduce
– From a fuel to a foot economy
– Distance for people and goods to travel
– Climate change, non-point source pollutants
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Produce
– Public transportation systems – especially rail
– Slower & lighter: Foot, bikes, car share, electric
vehicles
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Improved local environmental conditions
Human-scale villages, towns & cities
Meet Kyoto commitments
Allows more time with family and community
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Relocalization: Currency
1. Reduce
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Reliance on unstable national currencies and
international financial flows
2. Produce
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Local community money
Renewable energy-backed currency
 Improves strength and stability of local
economy and business
 Provides natural boundaries to the economy
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Relocalization: Education
1. Reduce
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Spread of misinformation
Focus on continuous growth & corporatization
2. Produce
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Research and curricula based on different aspects of
relocalization
 Informed citizens prepared to demand and
create employment for a relocalized world
 Increased awareness of community resource
use and needs
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Relocalization: Education
• End of Suburbia screenings
(eos.postcarbon.org)
• Relocalize Now! Getting
Ready for Climate Change
and the End of Cheap Oil
(forthcoming book published by New
Society)
• Educational Resources
• Train the Speakers Program
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Relocalization: Media
1. Reduce
– Corporate and governmental manipulation of public
information
– Profit and entertainment focus of mainstream media
2. Produce
– Accessible information: reflecting complexities of
issues
– Opportunities for public media contribution
 Offers tools for better decision making
 Better functioning democratic system, more
informed citizenry, greater levels of
empowerment
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Global Public Media
www.globalpublicmedia.com
• Free Internet broadcasting station that streams
long format audio and video interviews
– Covers complex issues through in-depth analysis with
world experts
– Peak oil, climate change, population, geopolitical
conflict, environment, and more.
• Local Public Media in beta
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Relocalization: Culture
1. Reduce
– Cultural homogenization, Westernization
– Corporate dominance
2. Produce
– Community – through shared tasks
– Local stories, music, dance, theatre, films, clothing,
local life
 Strengthen community culture and identity
 Greater local safety and security
 Development of community culture fosters
acceptance of diversity & difference
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Global Public Media
www.globalpublicmedia.com
Local Public Media coming soon
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Is the world also peaking in natural gas?
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coming very soon
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For interviews about oil & gas peak
www.globalpublicmedia.com
High Noon for Natural Gas
The New Energy Crisis
by Julian Darley
Relocalize Now! Preparing for Climate
Change & the End of Cheap Oil
by Julian Darley, Celine Rich, David Room & Richard Heinberg
Forthcoming 2006 from New Society Publishers
Julian Darley [email protected]
Post Carbon Institute
http://www.postcarbon.org
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www.postcarbon.org
– Global Public Media:
www.globalpublicmedia.com
– Relocalization Network: www.relocalize.net
– Energy Farm Demonstration Project:
www.postcarbon.org/ideas/farm
– End of Suburbia: eos.postcarbon.org
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