The Resilience Imperative: Cooperative Transitions to a Steady-state Economy - Softcover

Lewis, Michael; Conaty, Patrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0865717079 ISBN 13: 9780865717077

Publisher: New Society Publishers, 2012

Synopsis

We find ourselves between a rock and a hot place—compelled by the intertwined forces of peak oil and climate change to reinvent our economic life at a much more local and regional scale. The Resilience Imperative argues for a major SEE (social, ecological, economic) change as a prerequisite for replacing the paradigm of limitless economic growth with a more decentralized, cooperative, steady-state economy.

The authors present a comprehensive series of strategic questions within the broad areas of:

• Energy sufficiency
• Local food systems
• Interest-free financing
• Affordable housing and land reform
• Sustainable community development

Each section is complemented by case studies of pioneering community initiatives rounded out by a discussion of transition factors and resilience reflections.

With a focus on securing and sustaining change, this provocative book challenges deeply embedded cultural assumptions. Profoundly hopeful and inspiring, The Resilience Imperative affirms the possibilities of positive change as it is shaped by individuals, communities, and institutions learning to live within our ecological limits.

Michael Lewis is the executive director of the Center for Community Enterprise and is well-known internationally as a practitioner, author, educator, and leader in the field of community economic development.

Patrick Conaty is an honorary research fellow at the University of Birmingham and a director of Common Futures. Since 1999 he has worked for the new economics foundation (nef), where he has produced a wide range of publications about predatory lending, financial inclusion, community land trusts, and social venture finance.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Lewis is Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal He is well-known internationally as a practitioner, author, educator, and leader in the field of Community Economic Development. Michael has worked with a wide range of businesses, organizations, communities and governments on initiatives related to transition, community resource management, development finance and the social economy. Until recently he also led the B.C. – Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance, a university/ practitioner platform for applied research.

Patrick Conaty is a Californian working in England and Wales. He is a Fellow of new economics foundation and a research associate of Community Finance Solutions at the University of Salford. Pat specializes in developmental research on cooperative and mutual enterprise and is a national expert in the fields of community development finance and community land trusts.

From the Back Cover

TIME FOR A SEE CHANGE
SOCIAL, ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC STRATEGIES FOR LIFE AFTER GROWTH

A new kind of world is possible ― this book makes that clear. The question is whether we're willing to do the work to get there.― Bill McKibben, author Deep Economy

Resilience is the watchword for our dawning era of economic and environmental instability. This timely book offers a wide range of practical suggestions and inspiring examples to help us build more resilient communities. ― Richard Heinberg, author, The End of Growth, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute

Navigating transition from growth to resilience is a formidable challenge, but together we can reinvent our economic life at a much more local and regional scale. The Resilience Imperative argues for replacing the paradigm of limitless economic growth with a decentralized, cooperative, steady-state economy.

The authors explore a comprehensive series of strategic questions, community initiatives and transition factors within the areas of:

Community land trusts for affordable housing and workspace

Low-carbon urban partnerships and energy sufficiency

Stewarding the commons and local food systems

Fair Trade banking and fee-based finance

Economic democracy and Trusteeship companies

This provocative book challenges many of our deeply embedded cultural assumptions. Profoundly hopeful and inspiring, The Resilience Imperative affirms the limitless scope for positive change created when individuals, communities and institutions learn to live within our ecological limits.

This is a book that puts flesh on the occupy movement’s call for an economic alternative ... at once visionary and practical. ― Robin Murray, Senior Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics and author of Co-operation in the Age of Google

Michael Lewis is the Executive Director of the Canadian Center for Community Renewal.

Pat Conaty is a Fellow of new economics foundation and a research associate of C'Co-operatives UK.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

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Edition details

• Publisher: New Society Publishers
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0865717079
• ISBN 13: 9780865717077
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400