Glossary of Key Terms
Assumption
A calculated guess at something that is believed to be true. A possible driver of change into the future.
Biodiversity
The range of natural living organisms or wildlife present in a given ecological system.
Contingency
Planning for an unknown event, in particular a problem, emergency or expense that needs to be dealt with.
Climate Change
A change in the weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events. In recent usage, climate change usually refers to ‘global warming’.
DCC
Devon County Council.
Energy Descent
Planned reduction in the use and dependence on non-renewable energy supplies (eg coal, nuclear, oil and gas).
Energy Security
Preparations and arrangements to ensure adequate energy supplies will be available to meet essential needs over time.
Food Security
Confirmed availability of food and one’s access to it. A household is considered food secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation.
Fossil Fuels
Coal, oil and natural gas and peat, are non-renewable sources of energy, formed from plants and animals that lived up to 300 million years ago.
Global warming
Is caused by high levels of ‘Greenhouse gases’ in the atmosphere. This is considered to be due to human activities when we burn excessive amounts of fossil fuels to provide energy for transport, heating, to power industry and produce food.
Greenhouse Gases
Gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit heat radiation. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The main greenhouse gases in the Earth’s Atmosphere are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
LDF
Local Development Framework. A folder of local development documents prepared by local authorities that outline the spatial planning strategy for the local area.
Localisation
A process of refocusing policies and practices for the economy and society from a local market economy, rather than a wider (regional, national etc) perspective.. Where local needs are met locally
Inner Transition
Personal awareness and understanding that our outer actions, and therefore the external systems for living that we create, are shaped by our inner worldview and belief system. Likewise our inner world is affected by the outer world.
Oil Age
The period of time when we have access to and use petroleum oil to produce energy.
PC
Parish Council.
Peak Oil
The point of maximum production of petroleum oil from the earth, after which availability and production declines. Estimated to have been July 11th 2008
Relocalisation
The process of rebuilding a localized economy and society. See localisation.
Resilience
The ability of a system (individual, economy, town or city), to withstand shock from the outside.
Runaway Climate Change
A theory of how things might go badly wrong for the planet if a relatively small warming of the earth upsets the normal checks and balances that keep the climate in equilibrium. As the atmosphere heats up, more greenhouse gases are released from the soil and seas. Plants and trees that take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere die back, creating a vicious circle as the climate gets hotter and hotter.
SHDC
South Hams District Council.
TC
Town Council.
Tipping point
This is where a small amount of warming sets off unstoppable changes, for example the melting of the ice caps. Once the temperature rises a certain amount then all the ice caps will melt. The tipping point in many scientists’ view is the 2˚C rise that the EU has adopted as the maximum limit that mankind can risk.
Totnes and District
Totnes Town and its surrounding 15 parishes which comprise the traditional market economic system as identified in the government’s Market and Coastal Town Initiative of 2001. Ashprington, Berry Pomeroy, Cornworthy, Dartington, Dean Prior, Diptford, Halwell & Moreleigh, Harberton & Harbertonford, Littlehempston, Marldon, North Huish, Rattery, South Brent, Staverton, Stoke Gabriel and Totnes.
Toxic Debt
Large debt that is un-repayable (and generally written off)
Transition
The process of change.
Transition Initiative
A community in a process of imagining and creating a future that addresses the twin challenges of diminishing oil and gas supplies and climate change, and creates the kind of community that we would all want to be part of.
Transition Culture
An evolving exploration into the head, heart and hands of energy descent. The emerging transition model in its many manifestations.
Transition Network
A group of Transition Initiatives set up to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they consider, adopt, adapt and implement the transition model in order to establish a Transition Initiative in their locality.
Transition Town
A Town based Community Initiative.
TTT
Transition Town Totnes.
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