The
Soil Association
is holding a nationwide series of public meetings on making the
transition from ‘cheap oil’ to ‘peak oil’.
Here is an account of the first meeting from Robin Maynard,
director of communications for the Soil Association:
“On 6 April the International Panel on Climate Change
released further findings on the impacts of climate change,
focusing on the impacts on human and natural systems.
"The summary report from the world’s leading climate
scientists that climate change is expected to affect the health of
millions people, with increased malnutrition; greater incidences of
diaorrhea; “increased deaths, disease and injury due to heat waves,
floods, storms, fires and droughts”; and “increased frequency of
cardio-respiratory disease due to higher concentrations of ground
level ozone related to climate change” does not make encouraging
reading.
"Indeed the scientists’ findings proved too strong for some
countries and their politicians. The US, China and Saudia Arabia
have been at the forefront of seeking to tone down or remove
altogether some of the more dire projections.
"While scientists and politicians wrangle at international
climate summits, people across the UK have been meeting to take
action in their communities to adapt to and help reduce the impacts
of both climate change and the additional challenge of scarcer,
more expensive oil and gas supplies, popularly known as ‘peak
oil’.
"So it was that over 450 people packed the Arts Hall at the
University of Wales, Lampeter in West Wales, on Tuesday afternoon
and evening (3 April) to discuss and act on the theme of 'Preparing
West Wales for a future without oil'.
"Local farmers and townspeople listened to presentations
from leading climate change and peak oil experts, then broke into
groups to discuss turning the challenges into opportunities, action
and solutions.
"Lampeter and its surrounding rural area has a history of
innovation in food, farming and environmental initiatives,
providing a crucible for key organic pioneers over the past 20
years, and lying close to the pioneering Centre for Alternative
Technology at Macchynleth.
"With several farmers, organic and non-organic at the
meeting, including Margaret Dalton, former 'NFU Woman Farmer of the
Year, strengthening local food networks to reduce unnecessary ‘food
miles’ and stimulating the agricultural economy were key
themes.
"Rob Hopkins, who founded the ‘Transition Town’ initiative
outlined the concept of ‘Energy Descent Plans’, whereby communities
can make the transition to reducing their dependency on ‘cheap oil’
whilst sustaining livelihoods and quality of life.
"He reminded people that during the fuel protests, a
short-term scenario for what ‘peak oil’ could bring on an ongoing
basis, London was ‘just four meals away from anarchy.’
"Soil Association director and local farmer, Patrick Holden
emphasised how organic and non-organic farmers must be in this
together.
"Whilst confessing he’d previously felt, ‘quite good about
the fact that his farming system was less oil-reliant due to its
avoidance of nitrogen fertiliser’, he’d realised that once his
produce left the farm, the majority of it ‘was still part of the
problem by feeding into the supermarket system of centralised,
‘just-in-time’ distribution.
"My awakening to my own farm’s need to adapt better to peak
oil and further reduce its contribution to climate change has been
a key driver for our ‘One Planet Agriculture’ campaign.
"If politicians haven’t understood how much climate change
and peak oil undermine our national food security, people at the
grassroots have and are taking action."
Lampeter is the first in a nationwide series of public meetings
on making the transition from ‘cheap oil’ the Soil Association is
supporting through its ‘One Planet Agriculture’ campaign.
For more visit
http://www.soilassociation.org/oneplanetagriculture
www.transitionculture.org