Our writing about local government actions often has a North American focus, but that doesn't mean we're not keeping an eye out for news from elsewhere. Lately, we've caught wind of a few interesting developments in the UK (largely thanks to our glamorous Post Carbon field agents there).

Transitions
Back at the end of July, we got news that the city of Bristol in England had set up a peak oil task force. That's good news, but it's not all. The council of a nearby county, Somerset, has resolved to become the UK's first "Transition Local Authority," endorsing Transition Towns principles (including acknowledging energy descent). The county thereby commits to create an energy descent action plan, to allocate funds toward transition projects, and to assist Somerset towns in joining the Transition Network if they wish.

Economies
Two other articles from the UK highlight economic activity. Trucking companies are helping to spearhead the revival of England's extensive canal network for shipping freight with less fuel. They face some challenges because the waterways have been more scenic than functional for so long. These challenges are something a bit of local government action could help along (but isn't, yet). And Lewes, also in the south of England, has just launched its local currency, the Lewes Pound. It's the largest-scale launch of a local currency in the UK, and also notable because the organizers have arranged for the local Barclay's Bank branch to accept it. Check out Post Carbon's newsletter #9 for further thoughts on the role of local currencies in relocalization efforts.

Far-flung and carbon-neutral
In other isles, Réunion - a French holding east of Madagascar and just 80% the size of Rhode Island - has pledged to produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, and to power all of its transportation renewably by 2050. As a département of France, Réunion could be a test case and role model for the country at large. Yves Jégo, the French overseas territories minister, is quoted by the International Herald Times as saying "What's possible in Réunion should also be possible in France, and should also be possible for the planet."

Or perhaps France could look closer, to Samsø. The even smaller Danish island set itself similar goals in 1997, and recently reported that they are now self-sufficient in wind power.

Foul weather and rising tides
Recently, Ireland has gotten some unusually strong rains - what would normally be considered 125-year storms. But one forecaster says that they'll be more frequent, due to the greater moisture content of warmer air, and the island's infrastructure needs updating to prepare for that new reality. And relatedly, a Nova Scotian MP cautions that rising tides could well leave Nova Scotia an island itself. This may not be as dire as the outlook for some islands that are in danger of disappearing altogether, but it could be economically and socially devastating if local governments do not plan for necessary changes.

Islands have long been key examples of adaptation to scarcity - whether Galapagos-style evolution or the social configurations of Edo Japan. Once tied into a global economy, they're notoriously vulnerable to disruptions in supply chains - so it's only appropriate that island-dwellers should be leading the way in terms of social adaptation.

Photo credit: Stephanie Watson
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