Low Carbon CommunitiesImaginative approaches to combating

climate change locally

Michael Peters

Senior Research Fellow, RESOLVE

Centre for Environmental Strategy

University of Surrey

5 Points, 10 Minutes....

1. Energy security complements demand

reduction (intellectually and practically);

2. (In)visibility of energy;

3. Governance and intangibility of long-term

targets;

4. Community initiatives – a resource for

collective action towards a more secure

energy future

5. Retrofit as a community initiative to

strengthen energy security in the UK

The challenge for governance

Climate change challenge – above all, a challenge

for governance

Fossil fuels: the invisible currency of modern living

for two centuries or more

Good governance requires an informed citizenry

who are active participants in a new post carbon

politics

Governance itself becomes stretched by the

demands of climate change: it must reach

upwards to the world stage, downwards to the

regions, local communities and households.

The target problem

2050 is a long way off

Targets are moveable

Unmet targets = scepticism

and lost hope

Some merit, however….

Why Community?

Vital role for local level action in the transition to a secure energy future. Collective

expediency: accomplishing more by acting together rather than alone

• Involvement of households important –

major culprit of UK’s total CO2 and GHG

emissions

• Behaviour change potential for

community action – linking to concepts of

social organisation through encouragement

of shifts to lower carbon lifestyles in the

community

• Bolster social capital, promote social

learning and trigger evolution of new social

norms

3 complementary elements to

understanding the community role in ES

• Conceptual and theoretical

• Policy and governance implications

• Best (and worst) practice case studies

• Common theme – bringing out the best!

Islington Green Living Centre

Interdisciplinary proposal: retrofit UK

Social, technological, environmental, economic and even

perhaps Psycho• Massive potential to slash emissions (demand reduction,

bolstered security....)

• Behavioural modification not essential

• Behavioural and attitudinal change potential though, as a

spill-over effect

•Cutting edge – high currency in policy community

•Explore reactions of experts, decision makers, utility

companies and normal people

Low Carbon Communities: imaginative

approaches to combating climate change locallyEdited by Michael Peters, Shane Fudge and Tim Jackson