In this talk, Rob Hopkins will explore the question of why it might be, at the very time in history when the climate emergency demands that we reimagine and rebuild everything, that our imaginations don't seem to be up to the task. Are we living in a time of imaginative poverty? We cannot build what we cannot imagine. So the kind of radically low carbon, more resilient, more local, more connected, diverse and nourishing future that our survival depends upon, can only come into reality if we focus on creating the best possible conditions for the rapid expansion of our collective imagination. How to do that? Using examples, stories and participatory exercises, Rob will lead us into how we might catalyse that, how we might create longing in society for a low carbon future, and how living through a 'revolution of the imagination' could be the best thing that ever happened to us.

Biography

Rob Hopkins is co-founder of Transition Network and Transition Town Totnes, and author of several books, including 'The Transition Handbook', 'The Power of Just Doing Stuff' and most recently, 'From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want'. He presents the 'From What If to What Next' podcast, and does a lot of public speaking and writing. He is also a founder Director of the New Lion Brewery in Totnes, the UK's first 100% community-owned brewery, and of Totnes Community Development Society. He holds a Phd from the University of Plymouth, as well as two honorary doctorates, from University of the West of England and from Namur in Belgium. He is a member of the National Steering Group of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission. His blog is robhopkins.net and in his spare time he gardens, draws and makes lino prints.

Twitter: @robintransition

We will be hosting this lecture via Microsoft Teams. If you would like to attend, please register (by no later than 4.00pm on the day of the lecture) and joining instructions with further information will follow ahead of the lecture.