“We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” - Charles Kingsley



TEQs (Tradable Energy Quotas)

Dark Optimism's work in this area revolves around developing the TEQs model, promoting the scheme and working with Government to move it towards implementation.

Key partners

Shaun has been working closely with Dr. David Fleming, creator of TEQs and director of The Lean Economy Connection, since 2006.



Project developments

date title details
09.09.2009 Plan B? report published The Institute for Public Policy Research's new report concludes that Government should prepare the ground for possible future implementation of TEQs.
12.08.2009 All Party Parliamentary Group report published Our policymakers' report on TEQs is published by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas, arguing that implementation is now an urgent priority.
18.06.2009 Westminster Hall debate on Personal Carbon Trading Tim Yeo MP introduces a Westminster Hall debate on personal carbon trading, following on from the Environmental Audit Committee report and the Government's response.
18.05.2009 Dutch edition of Energy and the Common Purpose published Energieslank Leven met Klimaat Dukaaten: Stapsgewijs minder energieverbruik voor allemaal was translated by Inge Kuipers and Jan van Arkel.
07.05.2009 TEQs discussed in Scottish Parliament Dr. Bill Wilson MSP champions TEQs in the Parliamentary debate on the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill.
01.03.2009 Resurgence article Shaun's article on TEQs published in the March/April 2009 edition of Resurgence magazine.
27.11.2008 Personal Carbon Trading research community gather The UK Energy Research Centre hosted a very productive 2-day workshop bringing together the key research experts active in the field of personal carbon trading.
28.10.2008 Government response to EAC report The Government respond to the Environmental Audit Committee's May 2008 report, reaffirming their interest in TEQs, but refusing to fund further research unless costs can be shown to be lower, or benefits higher, than in DEFRA's flawed pre-feasibility study.
27.09.2008 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 host an excellent studio discussion on Peak Oil, in which John Hemming MP argues for TEQs.
25.09.2008 APPGOPO report The All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas invite The Lean Economy Connection to produce a joint report with them on TEQs, to be published mid-2009.
17.08.2008 Polly Toynbee article Polly Toynbee endorses TEQs in her Guardian column.
24.07.2008 Sheila McKechnie Awards Shaun shortlisted for the 2008 Sheila McKechnie Environmental Campaigner Award due to his work on TEQs.
16.07.2008 Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) The IPPR release the results of their research (parallelling DEFRA's research) into the public acceptability of TEQs, supporting our own earlier conclusions.
03.07.2008 First meeting with Gavin Starks Gavin is the founder of AMEE, a concept explicitly designed to integrate with TEQs, and which could dramatically cut the costs of implementation.
13.06.2008 Transition Towns Rob Hopkins interviews David Fleming for his Transition Culture website, and states that "pressure should be coming from the community level up for (energy) rationing".
30.05.2008 BBC Newsnight David Strahan, author of The Last Oil Shock and TEQs advocate, is interviewed on the BBC's "Newsnight" programme (May 2008). Discussion of TEQs from the two-minute mark.
26.05.2008 Environmental Audit Committee report The Government Environmental Audit Committee release their report into personal carbon trading, agreeing with our opinion that DEFRA is mistaken to delay a full feasibility study of the subject. Full details here.
13.05.2008 All Party Parliamentary Groups Shaun gives a presentation on TEQs to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change.
09.05.2008 The Lean Economy Connection official response David Fleming and Shaun release the Lean Economy Connection's official response to the DEFRA study, highlighting the shortcomings of the methodology and arguing that delay is ill-advised in the absence of other realistic and effective means for addressing climate change and fuel depletion.
08.05.2008 DEFRA pre-feasibility study into TEQs released DEFRA release their pre-feasibility study into TEQs, which contains much useful research. Unfortunately they also decide not to press ahead immediately with a full feasibility study.
10.03.2008 BBC Newsnight Sian Berry, Stephen Hale and Kenneth Clarke discuss TEQs on Newsnight, after the topic is introduced by Tim Yeo, Chair of the Parliamentary Environemntal Audit Committee.
12.12.2007 Climate Code Red Shaun contributed to the carbon rationing section of the Climate Code Red report produced by the Carbon Equity group in Australia.
13.11.2007 Climate Change - The Solutions Shaun organised "Climate Change - The Solutions" event in conjunction with the World Development Movement.
24.09.2007 Third edition of booklet Third edition of David Fleming's Energy and the Common Purpose booklet on TEQs released, edited by Shaun.
18.07.2007 Zero Carbon Britain The Centre for Alternative Technology and the Public Interest Research Centre launch their Zero Carbon Britain report at Parliament. The report details how Britain could become carbon neutral by 2027 and is built around TEQs.
10.07.2007 DEFRA Advisory Panel Shaun invited onto DEFRA's Personal Carbon Allowances Advisory Group, to review progress in their ongoing 'pre-feasibility study' research programme.
25.06.2007 DEFRA Personal Carbon Allowances Feasibility Workshop DEFRA hold a Personal Carbon Allowances Feasibility workshop, looking at what further research is required before a possible future implementation.
11.06.2007 De Montfort University Funding secured for research partnership with De Montfort University. Work to begin in 2008.
31.05.2007 Evidence submitted on Draft Climate Change Bill David Fleming invited to submit evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Climate Change Bill.
14.03.2007 New TEQs website New TEQs website 'soft launched' in collaboration with The Lean Economy Connection.
29.01.2007 Second edition of booklet Second edition of David Fleming's Energy and the Common Purpose booklet on TEQs released, edited by Shaun.
12.11.2006 Schumacher College Shaun attends David Fleming's course on TEQs at Schumacher College
22.09.2006 First contact First contact between David Fleming and Shaun re: TEQs




The Transition Timeline

Shaun is authoring this book in collaboration with the Transition Network. It has been requested by local Transition initiatives in order to provide them with a sense of the context within which their local 'Energy Descent Action Plans' will be implemented.

Key partners

The team of contributors for this project includes:

Rob Hopkins and Ben Brangwyn (Transition Towns),
Peter Lipman (Sustrans),
Chris Vernon (The Oil Drum: Europe),
Tim Helweg-Larsen (Zero Carbon Britain / Public Interest Research Centre),
Paul Allen (Centre for Alternative Technology),
Patrick Holden (Soil Association),
David Fleming (The Lean Economy Connection),
David Strahan (Journalist and author),
Jonathan Essex (Bioregional),
Richard Heinberg (Peak Oil educator),
Jeremy Leggett (Solar Century),
Doly Garcia (Limits To Growth computer modeller),
Ruth Potts/Andrew Simms (new economics foundation),
Caroline Lucas (Green Party).



Project developments

date title details
13.07.2009 Ways With Words literary festival Shaun discusses his book at the Ways With Words literary festival, as part of a wider speaking tour throughout the remainder of 2009.
05.03.2009 The Transition Timeline published The Transition Timeline published, and stocked by all major book stores and sellers.
06.01.2009 Publishers agreed Green Books sign up to publish The Transition Timeline, as a followup book to Rob Hopkins' Transition Handbook. Launch date set for March 2009.
26.08.2008 Cultural stories focus added Project refocused on the cultural stories that will determine which of the future scenarios detailed actually come to pass.
11.08.2008 Climate change/peak oil section completed First two parts completed outlining context of UK energy descent. Focus now shifts to detailing the Transition Vision for the UK out to 2027.
22.05.2008 Online version launched Due to around 60 new individuals wishing to contribute to the development of the project, the draft Timeline document is added to Google Documents, a service which allows invited collaborators to access the latest version of the document at any time. A forum is also set up for the project on the Transition Towns website.
11.04.2008 Transition Conference Presentation on progress so far to the second annual conference of the Transition movement. Much enthusiasm for the concept and desire to help push the project forward.
25.11.2007 Scoping meeting Scoping meeting in Bristol with thirteen of the project contributors listed above.
20.11.2007 First discussion Initial discussion in Totnes with key members of the Transition Towns network to discuss project outline.




Transition Town Kingston (TTK)

Shaun is a founder member of the Transition Town Kingston Steering Group. TTK exists to mobilise and facilitate community action in Kingston to respond effectively and positively to climate change and peak oil, and operates according to these governing principles.

Key partners

The Kingston community, including the other five members of the TTK Steering Group.



Project developments

date title details
...
 Recent events For more recent information, take a look at the Transition Town Kingston website.
30.05.2009 "Visioning the Future" TTK's biggest event yet, with over 250 local residents getting involved in creating positive visions of Kingston's future.
16.02.2009 TTK meets with our local MPs TTK members are invited to Westminster to meet local MPs Ed Davey and Susan Kramer.
09.12.2008 Council approve Sustainable Communities Act Following our petition Kingston Council's Executive approve opting in to the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.
04.12.2008 David Fleming celebration Dr. David Fleming gives a fascinating talk on the importance of celebration to mark six months since our steering group formed.
21.11.2008 Regional Green Champion Dr. Martin Birley follows up his earlier success with the regional Green Champion award.
07.11.2008 Action planning event 50 attendees, who form six action groups to raise awareness of peak oil, climate change and TTK.
31.10.2008 Over 100 signatures on petition TTK collects 102 signatures in three weeks on an online petition asking Kingston Council to 'opt in' to the Sustainable Communities Act.
13.10.2008 Green Champion award Dr. Martin Birley of the TTK Steering Group is awarded the Kingston Green Champion award.
18.09.2008 Guardian interview Feature interview with Shaun about Transition in the Kingston Guardian.
26.08.2008 Granted official status The Transition Network recognise TTK as an official Transition Initiative.
08.08.2008 Kingston Informer article Feature article on TTK in the Kingston Informer.
03.07.2008 Green Guardian Award nomination TTK nominated for the Green Guardian's 'Green project or Group' Award.
09.06.2008 End of Suburbia film screening TTK's first public event with around 30 attendees.
02.06.2008 TTK Steering Group created Inaugural meeting of the TTK Steering Group.
29.05.2008 Kingston Green Radio Five TTK members attend a studio interview for Kingston Green Radio.
26.05.2008 Geodesic dome at Green Fair TTK had a base at the Kingston Green Fair, along with the local permaculture group, to raise local awareness.
21.04.2008 First TTK meeting First informal meeting of Kingston residents interested in starting a Transition Town.




Superstruct

Superstruct is the world's first massively multiplayer future forecasting game, in which players collaborate both to envision our future and to invent new ways to ameliorate it. Shaun is one of the five game masters for the project, which was organised by the Institute for the Future (IFTF).

Key partners

Jane McGonigal and Jamais Cascio of the Institute for the Future (IFTF).



Project developments

date title details
19.11.2008 Closing post Closing post for Superstruct posted on Dark Optimism.
14.11.2008 Game ends The official ending of the Superstruct game, although the site will remain open.
31.10.2008 Half way update Update posted at half-way point of the Superstruct game/experiment.
16.10.2008 First weekly update First weekly update on Power Struggle and other Superthreats.
06.10.2008 Game launched Superstruct gamesite goes live and play begins.
22.09.2008 Dark Optimism intro First full introduction to the Superstruct game posted on Dark Optimism.
22.08.2008 First videos released The first video relating to each Superthreat is released on the Superstruct website.
08.08.2008 Facebook group launched Facebook group launched by people eager to get playing.
11.08.2008 Shaun to be Power Struggle game master It is announced that Shaun will be the game master for the Power Struggle Superthreat.
08.08.2008 Game website launched www.superstructgame.org teaser page online.
11.07.2008 Further details announced More details of the game are released.
10.07.2008 First information on Superstruct released Jamais Cascio of the Institute for the Future (IFTF) releases the first information on Superstruct.