About

The Fleming Policy Centre (formerly The Lean Economy Connection) is an independent, plain-speaking research centre founded by the late Dr. David Fleming in 1994.

In his words, we work on the extraordinary task of inventing a future.  Which today means designing strategies in the context of the fundamental environmental, economic and cultural crises that are upon us.

Accordingly, we first became known as the originators (in 1996) of TEQs – a national system explored by the UK government that would ensure fair access to energy for all, guarantee that a nation actually meets its emissions reductions targets, and encourage active society-wide participation and cooperation in rapidly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

More recently, our broader vision for rebuilding community and culture in the midst of the unfolding climacteric has reached a wider global audience through Fleming’s award-winning books, posthumously published with Chelsea Green Publishing in 2016.

Building on that reception, a feature film – The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation? – was released in 2020, alongside our ongoing online programme Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time, in partnership with Vermont’s Sterling College.

Our Founder

Dr. David Fleming

Dr. Fleming (1940-2010) received his PhD in Economics in 1988, founded The Lean Economy Connection (now The Fleming Policy Centre) in 1994, and first published on the model of TEQs in 1996. His popular guide to TEQs, Energy and the Common Purpose, followed in 2005, with his magnum opus, Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It, published posthumously in 2016. For a fuller biography, see his entry on Wikipedia.

The Team

Matt Finch

Matt works in an operational and networking role at the Fleming Policy Centre. He previously worked for an environmental NGO in Paris, and set up and run a successful financial sector recruitment company. He holds an MA in International Politics and a BA in Business Studies.

Dr. Christopher Shaw

Christopher is an inter-disciplinary researcher with nine years experience in climate policy, social geography, public engagement and socio-technical transitions. He is undertaking a Knowledge Exchange Fellowship with the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, examining the potential of TEQs to build broad-based engagement with the climate challenge. His Routledge book on the dangers of the idea of “two degrees” as the limit for dangerous climate change was shortlisted for the 2016 Philip Abrams Memorial Prize.

Peter Armstrong

Peter is a television and radio producer whose career at the BBC spanned 25 years, including founding and project editing the BBC’s Domesday Project, for which he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 BAFTAs. He co-founded the Hedgerley Wood Trust, Empathy Media and OneWorld, and was the director of our film The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?.

Board

Shaun Chamberlin

Our Managing Director joined in 2006 and worked closely with David Fleming until our founder’s death in 2010. Shaun was co-author of the All Party Parliamentary report into TEQs, a member of DECC’s advisory group reviewing the UK government’s feasibility study into the system, and lead author of 2015’s popular peer-reviewed paper.  He also leads the ‘Surviving the Future’ programme at Vermont’s Sterling College, authored the Transition movement’s second book, The Transition Timeline, and was the editor of David Fleming’s posthumous books. His wider work is discussed at his own Dark Optimism site.

Dr. Victoria Hurth

Victoria is a lecturer at Plymouth University with a professional background as a management and marketing consultant. Her PhD considered the social, cultural and marketing influences that shape energy consumption and she is a regular guest lecturer on Sustainable Marketing. She has been a Climate Change Advocate for the British Council and currently sits at a committee level for the British Standards Institution, the Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and the Plymouth Climate Change Commission.

Dr. Larch Maxey

Larch is Project Manager with the Network of Wellbeing and a Research Fellow at Plymouth University. He is currently on sabbatical taking a leading role in the Extinction Rebellion. During twenty years of teaching, researching and practising in the field of sustainability Larch has produced over forty academic and popular publications, including two co-edited books, and made significant contributions to national policy.

Stephen Vasconcellos-Sharpe

Steve is our Communications Director, who brings top-level experience as a leader in the communications sector, and an international outlook. He is the former CEO of Country Strategic and Salt magazine, and now co-founder of Reboot the Future.