Building Local Resilience: The emergence of the UK Transition Currencies

Abstract

This paper examines the emergence of a new type of local currency – ‘Transition Currencies’ – in the United Kingdom over the past 4 years. The Transition Currency ‘model’, shared by the initial four schemes, is explained and the theoretical roots of the schemes reviewed. The paper goes on to examine the success and limitations of the currencies and reflects on potential future developments and how the Transition currencies might upscale and deliver additional social, economic and environmental objectives.