Resilient communities: sustainabilities in transition

In this brief commentary, we focus on the notion of resilient communities in developed nations through the lens of social, economic and individual "transitions". In so doing, we aim to chart the trajectory of the shifts between "thinking global and acting local" and the new emphasis is being placed on reactions to ecological and economic threats in particular localities. We do this initially by outlining three changes that have occurred in many communities in the last 20 years that mark shifts in the conceptual, pragmatic and political responses to sustainability before considering the ways in which resilience, as a conceptual device, has been deployed in a particular niche alongside other reactions to global change, such as vulnerability, mitigation and adaptation. The commentary will then examine the ways in which pathways to resilience are being shaped through the evolving discourse of transition, which is rapidly becoming the vehicle for accelerating a sense of community resilience in Western nations. Through an exploration of transition, we will provide some reflections on the potential opportunities and challenges for creating resilient and sustainable communities in an age of climate change and "Peak Oil".