If the UK is not ideal where should I emmigrate to?

[emordnilap]

Interesting question and something I've thought over in my head sometimes, though I've no intention of moving due to family commitments.

One place I thought of was Norway. It's got huge (but now declining?) oil reserves, gas, is not over populated (at least compared to many countries) and is further north so as to avoid desertification by climate change. It also doesn't seem to get embroiled in wars too much either, so no obvious enemies.

I've been there a few times, summer and winter, it is as you say. I found the climate preferable to England's - more distinction between seasons, less humidity, and a lot of topless women.

Oh what a giveaway...

[mcewena1]

I think things could get really bad. If the world is incapable of feeding itself what chance has the UK got of feeding sixty million. Yes when things get hard people will try to form communities they can trust. But what about the other community down the road who are finding times hard. They might decide to take something of what you.ve got. Racism will come to the forefront. If things get really bad we will all do ANYTHING to feed our kids and communities might fall apart. People in a lifeboat form a community but sometimes they end up eating each other.

I'm moving to Spain. Much more sustainable than the UK. I talked to the mechanic in the village about PO and the possibility of people starving. He placed a comforting hand on my arm and told me not to worry as he had enough potatoes planted to feed the whole village.

[Kentucky Fried Panda]

Community, if you haven't got one by now you're probably going to be a new comer wherever you go, for quite a few years. I have family in Canada, Africa and the USA... I'll stay here, but I quite like the idea of New Zealand, but would be a stranger and foreigner there for years...

[emordnilap]

I'm moving to Spain.

Good man/woman/whatever-you're-having-yourself.

You'll have to stay in touch and let us know how things work out. Good luck.

There are PowerSwitchers who live there, I believe.

[fifthcolumn]

One place I thought of was Norway.

I worked in Oslo last summer. It's my opinion having lived in the place that Oslo will weather peak oil much better than UK cities.
The reason is that they already have a very very good electric transport infrastructure in place and most of their electricity comes from hydro. They could easily bulk up with nuke or wind if need be.

I do expect that they will have a downturn from the boom they've been having as their oil revenue declines but in terms of sustainability they're way up there.

So yes, I believe Norway is a great choice.

There's someone else on here lives in Sweden could give a viewpoint on Sweden, which I also believe is relatively sustainable compared with the UK.

It's shocking what a mess the UK is in with regards to being able to mitigate. We're probably the worst of all the industrial nations.

[emordnilap]

The reason is that they already have a very very good electric transport infrastructure in place and most of their electricity comes from hydro.

Like in many other (sensible) cities, I found their tram system excellent. And there isn't the snobbishness you get in England with regards to public transport - stunners in evening attire as well as struggling musos like myself would hop on.

The relatively low population density of Norway must be an attraction too.

[fifthcolumn]

Like in many other (sensible) cities, I found their tram system excellent. And there isn't the snobbishness you get in England with regards to public transport - stunners in evening attire as well as struggling musos like myself would hop on.

Yes I agree. They've done very very well and their model works.
You're right that everyone uses the system. I think what they did right was tax the hell out of petrol and diesel cars (that's why traffic appears absurdly light to my eyes even in "rush hour") and plow money into transport. They have six electric subway lines and maybe twenty tramlines as well as rail lines which are also electric. Their freight trains are electric also. They also have a high speed electric train linking cities.

What it says to me is that solutions are possible.

What it also says to me (sadly) is that politics screws things up.
We have a general public who doesn't think anything needs to be done and is wedded to cars and anti public transport.
We have transport companies that don't want to spend money upgrading to electric.
We have special interest groups that are anti nuclear, anti wind, anti coal, anti everything.

In short, the British problem is politics.

The same goes for Ireland too, but at least the population density is less.

[emordnilap]

The same goes for Ireland too, but at least the population density is less.

Yes, you're right. But Ireland is now officially Peer Gynt, just to carry on with a Norwegian link.

The banks, having been saved by elected eejits brandishing the country's credit card, now await the statement, which they will pass on to me, my fellow citizens and the employees they've put on the dole. The APR is scandalous and we haven't enough to make the minimum monthly payment.

We all know that Ireland should have used a huge chunk of its 'celtic tiger economy' to future-proof itself but that would be forward thinking, wouldn't it? Perish the thought.

[kenneal - lagger]

Norway will be OK for a fair while after the oil runs out as they have a huge fund built up: as long as money/the dollar still works, that is.

[Ludwig]

Norway will be OK for a fair while after the oil runs out as they have a huge fund built up: as long as money/the dollar still works, that is.

My belief has always been that boring is often best, but no one would have it. Here in Britain it's all been about risk-taking, edginess, what have you. We shall pay the price.

[kenneal - lagger]

Here in Britain it's all been about risk-taking, edginess, what have you. We shall pay the price.

According to Grasping Gordon's latest pronouncements risk taking is a bad thing that certain banks have done. Nothing to do with him, of course.

[caspian]

I'm moving to Spain. Much more sustainable than the UK. I talked to the mechanic in the village about PO and the possibility of people starving. He placed a comforting hand on my arm and told me not to worry as he had enough potatoes planted to feed the whole village.

Spain will suit you fine since you seem to deny the reality of global warming. When Spain becomes an uninhabitable desert you'll be there in your sun-baked hut still denying that it's getting any hotter.

Where's your evidence that Spain is "more sustainable". Do they not use fertilisers and insecticides based on fossil fuels like everyone else?

[mcewena1]

Sorry Caspian for not replying for so long.

In Spain a large part of it becomes almost desert in summer. They use fertilisers, pesticides, and use fuel like the rest of us. I'm moving to Galicia. You've probably never heard of it. It's not a popular tourist destination as it rains too much. It's largely underpopulated and still farms in a largely traditional manner ( I saw an old man hitching a horse to a plough a few months back) It's main crop is Eucalyptus trees. They're all over the place. Monoculture like this is extremely bad for the environment. But they don't use much fertiliser on trees.
My farm to be (read ruin with wasteland) cost £55 000 (when the exchange rate was 1.4) and has 7 acres. I'm surrounded by forests of Eucalyptus trees in various stages of growth. At least I'll have something to burn in my stove if things get really bad.
Lovely people, lots of water (one of my priorities when I was looking for the place), climate good for growing things. What more could anyone want?
Well OK there's lots and lots of other things my wife wants, but you can't please everybody all of the time

Andy

[RogueMale]

Here in Britain it's all been about risk-taking, edginess, what have you. We shall pay the price.

According to Grasping Gordon's latest pronouncements risk taking is a bad thing that certain banks have done. Nothing to do with him, of course.

Gordon Brown champions the risk takers and entrepreneurs: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_111_99.htm

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/speech_chex_160604.htm

"Even with other priorities to finance – not least the NHS - we have cut capital gains tax from 40 pence down to 10 pence for long term business assets and in budget after budget I want us to do even more to encourage the risk takers, those with ambition, to turn their ideas into reality and make the most of their talents."

[snow hope]

Check out my signature below! I have been trying to highlight this for a couple of years!