Tipperary April 2009: Rethinking The Country Slides

Rethinking the Country The Transition from Dependency to Resilience Monday 27th April 2009 | Tipperary Institute, Thurles, North Tipperary

Cultivate Centre, Tipperary Institute,The Village, ‘09 Rethinking the City Conference Irish Rural Link and Carnegie Trust.

Making the Transition to Resilience

Opening Terry O’Niaidh, North Tipperary County Council

Towards Sustainable Rural Communities Ciaran Lynch - Head of Rural Development, Tipperary Institute

Sustainable Rural Communities Convergence April 2009

A few preliminaries ! !

Sustaining communities and sustainable communities Importance of values All visions are underpinned by certain values " Some of my values are "

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That the concept should include the social, economic and environmental That equity and justice in a variety of contexts are important elements Those to lose should be those that can afford it best

Importance of facts as well The world’s resources are limited – and becoming strained " For some to gain some must lose "

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Concept will always be in motion A model can include Descriptors of the ideal " Processes " Conditions " Metrics "

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A model can help provide a focus for action and a tool for measurement and evaluation

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A TI descriptor of a sustainable community ! ! !

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Shared vision and purpose Value, protect and preserve its natural and built environment Consciously seek to minimise its use of scarce natural resources and its emissions of damaging material to the environment Create a high quality of life for all its members Equitable access to services and facilities A nurturing social context A caring community in which the needs of the marginalised and excluded would be addressed

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Welcoming and responsive to those of all cultures and ethnicities Provide employment to all its members either in its own right or in partnership with adjacent communities Involve itself in decisions and be respected and included in decision-making by others Structures in which authority and power were shared Flexible and responsive Participate in developing technologies Respond to its global as well as its local responsibilities

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The Carnegie Petal Model

The Carnegie Petal Model

And to do.......???? ! Develop

a coherent vision for the rural ! Provide leadership to culture change ! Re-education – both formal and informal ! Highlight and promote the successful ! Engage with the centre ! Challenge the current paradigm

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From Vulnerability to Resilience Prof. Peadar Kirby - Limerick University

From Vulnerability to Resilience

Peadar Kirby, UL Rethinking the Country@Tipperary Institute April 27th, 2009

Introduction • Vulnerability has emerged as a concept to analyse the social impacts of globalisation • This talk: o Define what it means o Examine how it points to the need to build resilience o Discuss dimensions of resilience o Suggest how we might move towards it

Introducing vulnerability • Definition: !In essence, vulnerability can be seen as a state of high exposure to certain risks and uncertainties, in combination with a reduced ability to protect or defend oneself against those risks and uncertainties and cope with their negative consequences. It exists at all levels and dimensions of society and forms an integral part of the human condition, affecting both individuals and society as a whole" (UN, 2003: 14)

Resilience I • Vulnerability points to clear policy prescription: o Need to strengthen resilience o Resilience is !tantamount to an ability that is based on entitlement, enfranchisment, empowerment and capabilities" (CEPAL, 2003: 25) # Echoes Amartya Sen"s concern to move beyond a focus on increasing incomes to strengthening capabilities # Focuses attention on !social arrangements and community relations such as medical coverage, public health care, school education, law and order" (Sen, 1999: 22-3)

Resilience II • How to build resilience?: o Of biosphere o Of systems such as the financial, economic, political o Of sub-systems such as welfare, labour, family o Of counter-power collectivities such as parties, trade unions, social movements

• Two dimensions: o Design of policies o Politics to implement them

Politics of implementation • How can we build resilience?: o Personal actions: reduce our contribution to threats and strengthen our coping mechanisms # Collective experiments like Cloghjordan ecovillage can offer models

o But also need public actions to invest in quality public services # Need a state more committed to developing resilience

• Are such politics becoming more viable amid the systemic crisis now upon us?: o Public authorities being forced to curb market freedoms: re-balancing of power o Challenge of moving to a no-growth economy to achieve ecological survival # Urgent need for more public mobilisation and protest to change dominant agenda: Beyond a Green New Deal

Regional Food Helen Lawrenson - Falkland Centre for Stewardship, Scotland

Regional Food The start of an experiment in Fife, Scotland

Helen Lawrenson Falkland Centre for Stewardship

Rethinking the Country

The Scottish Government has announced its intention to legislate for an 80% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050- probably the most ambitious climate change abatement programme in the world.

This is one that cannot possibly be reached without changing fundamentally the way we produce, process and distribute our food.

The Fife Diet

What do Fife Dieters eat? Dairy Eggs Cheese - one variety Milk and Butter Ice cream Meat and Fish Venison, pork, beef, chicken, sone fish Fruit and Vegetables Apples, pears, cherries, plums, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberrie s. Cauliflower, kale, potatoes, turnips, leeks, broccoli, beetroot, spinach, carrots, brussel sprouts. Other Honey, Jam, barley, wheat and other cereal.

www.fifediet.co.uk

The Fife Diet - a runaway success • Launched in October 2007 by a small group of families and individuals • Ran for one year in its ‘pure form’ • Built up a membership of over 800 - a voluntary network • Re-launching as a Food Co-Op in Spring 2009

Aims of One Planet Food 1. To make a significant reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions of Fife by reducing the carbon impact of our agriculture, food retail, transportation and consumption. 2. To create research around the issues of food, culture, localisation and climate change. 3. To create a platform of ideas for other regions and organisations to work from and adapt. 4. To measure and capture the process.

Planting a Seed • A community bakery in the village • Transition Falkland allotments • ‘Bread matters’ moves to Falkland • Urban Allotments • Flour Power!

Tipperary Diet?

Rural Transport Vincent Nally - Irish Rural Link

World Cafe

“Given where we are at, what are you already doing to build resilience in your communities?”

Enterprise, Livelihoods and Jobs Ben Whelan - Cultivate and the Village

The Power of One Community Paul Allen - Centre for Alternative Technology and Zero Carbon Britain

Re-thinking the Country Conference ‘09

zerocarbonireland The power of one community!

Based on

What are we aiming to deliver? •Climate security •Energy security •International security •Economic security

Charting a new terrain • Current targets are ‘political targets’ • A need for evidence-based scenario development • Creating a common, coherent vision • Endorsing & connecting actions across civil society • Identifying areas for urgent research

Climate Security - 350ppm

Energy Security There are currently 98 oil producing countries in the world, of which 64 are thought to have passed their geologically imposed production peak, and of those 60 are in terminal production decline. (David Strahan www.energybulletin.net)

International security

International framework:

zerocarbonireland A technology roll-out scenario

Rather than residing at the end of a peaking, polluting pipeline, rural communities can head their own renewable energy supply chain!

- A ‘cunning meter’ •Meter Ireland’s daily spend on imported energy •Put it on TV at 6pm every day!

Reduce energy demand sector by sector: – Built-environment – Industry – Transport – Agriculture & land use

(ZeroCarbonBritain identified a 50% overall reduction)

• Estimate Ireland’s ‘strategic renewable energy reserve’ • Wind, waves, tides, biomass, solar, geothermal….. • Include only that harvestable with near-market technology • Calculate money this injects into the economy each day • Identify infrastructure required to harvest this energy • Estimate jobs created in its construction & operation

euro 1,348,000

! Turn the weather into euros!

Electricity supply & demand

Heat supply & demand

Dealing with variability • Demand reduced by 50% • Intelligent demand management • Generation distributed by region • Generation distributed by technology • Storage - V2G, flow batteries, pumped storage • International integration

Integrated pan-EU scenario

The Saudi Arabia of green power !

An economic stimulus package to harvest Ireland’s renewable resources will: – Dramatically improve balance of payments – Inject revenue into the economy every day – Create employment & stimulate the economy – Repay the taxpayer from the sale of energy generated – Future-proof against energy price shocks & blockades

It just gets better & better • As we get better at extracting energy through increasing economies of scale and developments in technology, the annual yield (and annual income) increases every year, forever…. • Every island, coast, field, forest, hill top, south facing roof can become an energy and economic generator • Rural economies are at the heart of the action!

Tools & technologies for futureproofing rural areas Zero carbon retrofit & new build Solar pv and solar thermal Bio-fuels and CHP Community wind projects Modal transport shifts, electric vehicles, cycling Local food links Local currencies & credit unions Getting people talking Getting people healthy, active and fit Skilling-up

www.cat.org.uk [email protected] www.peakoiltaskforce.net www.zerocarbonbritain.com

The Power of One Community Seamus Hoyne - Tipperary Energy Agency and

SERVE www.servecommunity.ie

Seamus Hoyne Project Coordinator, Programme Specialist, Tipperary Institute Convergence – 27th April 2009

© SERVE Project, 2008 CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

SERVE Region ! ! !

Total area: ~ 600 square kilometres Total Pop: ~ 10,000 people Pop of Villages: ~ 4,770 people " Largest

energy consumer : Transport (37%) " Main Fuel : Oil (75%) " % renewable energy: 1% Total Energy; 6% Heat Energy " Typical Dwelling Building Energy Rating (BER): 210 to 300 kWh/m2 /yr !

Total No. of Dwelling (2006): 4,000 (60% constructed pre 1981)

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Core Project Activities !

Upgrade Existing Houses " Reduce

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Energy Consumption by 30-40%

Eco-Village " Build

highly efficient new buildings " A new sustainable community !

Measure what we do and prove results

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Research " Plan

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for the future

Train people to build up skills CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading Existing Houses

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading Existing Houses

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading Existing Houses

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading Existing Houses

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading Existing Houses

From Old (65% efficiency)

To New (95% efficiency)

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Upgrading –Major Impacts

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Eco Village 132 highly efficient houses Demonstrating best practice Range of building types

All heat from renewables Biomass and Solar District heating Communal Services and Buildings Building a community CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Seamus Hoyne Project Co-ordinator Programme Specialist, Rural Development Dept T: 0504 28114 E: [email protected] W: www.servecommunity.ie CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008

Thank you. Questions? Seamus Hoyne Project Co-ordinator Programme Specialist, Rural Development Dept T: 0504 28114 E: [email protected] W: www.servecommunity.ie CONCERTO is co-funded by the European Commission

© SERVE Project, 2008