RIP David Fleming 1940-2010

We have some very sad news to report. David Fleming, Hampstead’s titan of alternative economics, who helped to found the Green Party, was Chairman of the Soil Association, invented the concept of Tradable Energy Quotas, and was a founding father of the Transition movement and Transition Belsize, died on Sunday night [28.11.10]. David was a huge intellectual force and a wonderful friend to many. The first steering group of Transition Belsize used to meet in his living room surrounded by overflowing bookcases. He loved to see the energy of a grassroots organisation taking shape before his eyes. Perhaps it reminded him of the late 1970s when the office of the newly formed Green Party was also his Hampstead flat.

David was Economics Spokesman for the Green Party from 1977 to 1980. He was Chairman of the Soil Association from 1984 to 1991. In 1996 he came up with the idea of Tradable Energy Quotas, a way to use the market to phase out fossil fuel consumption. He was also a powerful critic of nuclear energy. When he died he was putting the final touches to “Lean Logic”, a book encapsulating his thoughts on the craziness of our fossil fuel-based, destructive and wasteful economic system. Hopefully his former researchers will complete this work and it will be published posthumously.

There will be a service in Hampstead Parish Church in due course.