It is with great sadness that we announce the death of the One Planet Centre founder, author and activist David Thorpe. He died peacefully in his sleep early on Thursday 25th April in Barcelona.
David had endured progressive neurological conditions with stoicism and humour, whilst becoming increasingly physically disabled. Despite this, with the support of enthusiastic volunteers and whatever technology he could access, he continued writing and teaching about how to live within our planet’s limits up to the very end of his life.
David’s first career was in graphic novels, where he worked with Angela Carter and Doris Lessing. He loved comic books, and they were how he expressed his politics. In the 1980s, while writing Captain Britain and editing comics for Marvel UK, he created “Earth-616,” the universe in which most of Marvel’s films and stories are now set, spawning the multiverse familiar to fans today. His final book, published last November, was a memoir called The Secret Origin of Earth 616. David continued to write novels, including eco-thrillers Stormteller and Hybrids.
David was creative and practical, and he had a unique set of skills that made things happen. During the 1980s he was part of the London left-alternative scene and a key member of the Monochrome Collective, an eclectic mix of activists who published a free newspaper.
From there he moved to Wales to work at the Centre for Alternative Technology, where for eight years he managed the publishing department, writing and managing the production of books on energy and sustainability. He significantly contributed to the growth of the Centre, which gained a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work.
He went on to be the news editor of DEFRA’s Energy and Environmental Management magazine for thirteen years, and also served as a Special Consultant with the Sustainable Cities Collective.
From 2005 until recently, David wrote books for the Earthscan Expert Series, a highly regarded series of practical guides to low-carbon technologies. These included Sustainable Home Refurbishment, Solar Technology, Energy Management in Buildings and Energy Management in Industry.
He also authored The One Planet Life, a manual for low impact living by individuals, families and communities, and followed it up with the equally impressive ‘One Planet’ Cities: Sustaining Humanity within Planetary Limits, a compendium of solutions for towns and cities which is a suggested roadmap for transitioning to One Planet status.
David was a co-founder and patron of the One Planet Council, a founder and director of the One Planet Centre, and a lecturer in One Planet development and governance at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Latterly, David and the One Planet Centre developed a holistic pathway for organisations to reduce their environmental impact and increase both sustainability and biodiversity, called the One Planet Standard.
It was only a few weeks after a stroke that, against all odds, in his wheelchair, David travelled to Glasgow to launch the One Planet Standard at COP26. Shortly afterwards, Swansea Council led the way as the first organisation to be accredited as a One Planet Standard organisation.
Not all of David’s books are listed here, or the thousands of articles, several novels and screenplays that he wrote. He certainly had a life well-lived, and a life of purpose, despite the many obstacles he faced. May his words and his life continue to be an inspiration.
David is survived by his partner and two sons.
