Practical bioregionalism: A philosophy for a sustainable future and a hypothetical transition strategy for Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

To reorientate society towards sustainability, a clear vision based on a coherent philosophy is needed to act as a compass point. This research describes one possible ‘eco-utopian’ approach, and uses it to develop a hypothetical set of transition strategies aimed at the transformation of an Australian regional community. The vision combines bioregional principles with ecological modernisation theory to present a model of a small-scale society that is socially and ecologically responsive. In this model, communities are organised primarily around naturally defined regions, but are outward looking and globally engaged. Political decision-making is democratic, participatory and collaborative. An ethos rooted in the notion of a global civil society provides vision and desirable levels of accountability. Production and consumption are local, cooperative and use natural resources efficiently. Existing social and political trends suggest that the bioregional model developed in this paper is both pragmatic and possible. A hypothetical case-study approach is used to illustrate how such ‘practical bioregionalism’ may be successfully adopted. An initial 25-year plan, with five desired outcomes, is outlined for the Armidale Plateau region of New South Wales, Australia. Key strategies include use of Local Agenda 21 processes, the development of a bioregional strategic plan and partial economic localisation. Implementation requires active participation of the community, including government and business actors. It is argued that the proposed transition strategy is also of direct relevance to achieving sustainability goals in larger urban areas and the global South.