Futures for Findhorn: Exploring challenges for achieving net zero in an ecological intentional community
Claire Copeland, Gordon MacKerron, Timothy J. Foxon
Abstract
This research uses a participatory method to develop exploratory future energy scenarios for an ecological intentional community in the north of Scotland, Findhorn Ecovillage. These futures serve several purposes: They can be used as decision support by the community, provide insights about the challenges for further decarbonisation in places where the environmental impact from activities has already been reduced, and insights into the implications for meeting the net zero emissions target for the UK on a community spatial scale. The energy futures for Findhorn Ecovillage were based on discussions at a facilitated online stakeholder workshop. The participants were led through a series of steps to create a 2 × 2 matrix based on democratically selected drivers for change, and in developing a pathway through time for each of the resulting four scenarios. The exploratory futures method adopted also enabled participants to consider interactions with wider society including central and devolved government, the wider economy, and the environment. The findings highlight that while intentional communities are to some degree withdrawn from the mainstream, they are embedded within and depend upon the wider society and economy. This could inhibit or accelerate further decarbonisation and could present a risk of undermining the community’s lifestyle principles.