Transition Tunbridge Wells

Why can't the government sort it out for us?

The government is only part of the picture – as our elected representatives they have to primarily consider the short term political future – and have been moving very slowly on these issues, with the "energy gap" only beginning to appear on their radar. The more people throughout the country support these initiatives then the more power we will give to politicians to act.

But the twin issues of Peak Oil and Climate Change will require more than "government" to sort it out – we are all going to have to recognise and live with the consequences of energy scarcity and high cost, along with changing climate, shorelines, and the increasing pressure of population on natural resources.

Can't technology and market forces sort it out for us?

They can certainly assist with the issues - such as increasing the provision of renewable energy - to enable us to continue to an extent with our current lifestyles. But we are highly dependent upon oil for our food production worldwide, as it is a prime constituent of chemical fertiliser and pesticide, and in the future, we will see the effects of this on both petrol and food prices in the UK.

Will there be enough energy and food for everybody?

Yes, but only if we all work together to change our expectations of how society is shaped. If the worlds remaining resources are to go round, local production of food and resources generally will allow a degree of self sufficiency and "resilience" in adapting to the changes to come.