Natural or human disasters must herald a new way of doing things!

At a time when the planet itself is bursting with unproductive energy we continue to pollute with energy sourced from fossil fuels and uranium. I travel to Taipei next week to deliver a paper at the '2011 International Forum for a Low Carbon Vision'. The unfolding human tragedy in Japan will no doubt raise many of the dilemmas and doubts as to our capacity to deal with natural disasters together with those that we bring upon ourselves.

'Climate Change Education for a low carbon future: a local government viewpoint'. 

Abstract: We are living in a globalised and urbanized century. We are also living in challenging and changing times and a commitment to a low carbon future and sustainable growth needs to be at the core of the response to our needs and the challenge of our generation, climate change. The response to climate change will rest on our capacity to create low-carbon sustainable cities and thus an enduring planet. We therefore must build the commitment and capacity of city and local governments to build a low-carbon future.

The focus of my presentation will be on what city and local governments are doing and must do globally and locally to transform their communities from a carbon intensive way of living to one that is low-carbon. City and local governments have a long track record and been a key player in sustainable development and responding to the causes and impacts of climate change. To achieve a low-carbon future within the existing form and structure of our cities and urban environments it is important to have two things: a vision of a low-carbon future plus a sense of hope.