David Fleming died on Sunday, November 28th.
He was well known to many New Era colleagues but for others there is background information on Wikipedia.
I first met him in 1997 after Richard Douthwaite recommended his work as one of the few ‘futures thinkers’ who was addressing the urban scene.
In 1996 David set up the Lean Economy Initiative with the Elm Farm Research Centre and I value my copy of his lecture at the Royal Society of Arts on this subject in 1998. In 2003, he wrote and taught three modules on the Lean Economy at the University of Dublin as a part of their rural sustainable development course.
I read and discussed the first draft of his Lean Economy – a fascinating and valuable book -but David was never satisfied and revised it year after year. It is good to hear that efforts will be made to see that the latest version, ‘Lean Logic’, is published.
David’s work on Tradable Energy Quotas followed a Domestic Tradable Quotas, and a Brussels workshop, sponsored by the EC, led to a report: Domestic Tradable Quotas as an Instrument to reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions: EUR 18451 – ISBN 92-828-4379-3.
His last few messages mentioned his lecture given at the Swedish parliament in Stockholm,. He said “It went well. The Swedes are giving TEQs serious thought. It is most encouraging.”
Publications relating to his detailed and thought-provoking work on peak oil and nuclear power are available.
On 22nd May he travelled to CAT to give speak on “Resilience” and “Tradable Energy Quotas”.
The last message spoke of David delivering a seminar with Shaun Chamberlin – a highly valued young colleague – at the London School of Economics on Thursday on 1st July. Their subject was: “Transition Towns and Tradable Energy Quotas: Frameworks to support a diversity of small-scale solutions to the large-scale problems of peak oil and climate change.”
He died unexpectedly – on his website we can see a notice looking forward to the next outreach:
Tuesday 18th January, 10am – David Fleming and Shaun Chamberlin will be joined by John Hemming MP, Caroline Lucas MP and Jeremy Leggett for the launch of their All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil report into TEQs at The House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, UK . . .
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Fitting tributes come from Shaun Chamberlin and Rob Hopkins, who wrote on his website:
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Dr David Fleming, who passed away peacefully in his sleep last night while visiting a friend in Amsterdam. David was a huge inspiration to me personally, as to many others, and is one of the few people I have met who I considered close to being a genius. He was also one of the funniest, kindest and most thoughtful people I have ever had the honour to know. His passing will leave a large void in our lives. And he never did get his bloody book finished”
