Transition IpswichGrowing community resilience in Ipswich:

the what, why, when, where, who and how

Steve Marsden

What is Transition Ipswich?• An environmental campaigning group? No.• Another local green group? Definitely not.• It’s something you do, not something you

join!• An emergent, grass roots, community driven

process for increasing Ipswich’s resilience.

Why did Transition Ipswich emerge?

People realised just how vulnerable our communities are to shocks from:•Climate change•Peak oil•Resource depletion•Economic changes

Hubbert Curve

Resources and economic growth

Economic growth

Resource availability

Time

Magnitude

The global Transition movement• Kinsale (2005)• Totnes (2006)• Norwich (2007)• Ipswich (2008)• Suffolk & East of England• Ipswich Massachusetts, Ipswich Queensland• Europe, Canada, Asia .....

Who’s involved?

• Citizens• Businesses• Social enterprises• Community groups• Academia• Local government

Current themesFood

Energy

Transport

Resilient Livelihoods

And much conviviality!

And in future?Everything that supports our communities needs to be resilient to the coming shocks:•Education•Nutrition & health•Water & sewerage•Trade & economics•Sport & leisure•Law & order•The arts•Energy•Transport•Housing•Emergency services•Et cetera ....

So how can we transition Ipswich towards increased resilience?

SHOCKS

Climate change

Peak oil

Resource depletion

Economic crises

Education

Nutrition & health

Water & sewerage

Trade & economics

Sport & leisure

Law & order

The arts

Energy

Transport

Housing

Emergency services

VULNERABILITIES

Open Space Technology• Whoever’s involved are the right people • It starts when it starts• What happens is all that could have happened• When it’s over, it’s over• The law of 2 feet: if you’re not learning or

contributing, move on!

Taking transition forward• Look at www.transitionipswich.org.uk• Visit www.transitionnetwork.org• Friends, neighbours & colleagues• Local shops & businesses• Local politicians• Start projects• Have fun & celebrate!