Miguel Mendonça (born August 1973, Salisbury, Rhodesia) is an Anglo-Azorean writer and musician based in
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, England.
Education
Miguel studied forestry at
Sparsholt College
Sparsholt College is a Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) college located at Sparsholt near Winchester, with a secondary campus in Andover, both in Hampshire in the south of England. The college provides courses from sixth form ...
, Landscape Management at
Hadlow College
Hadlow College is a further education, further and higher education college in Hadlow, Kent, England, with a satellite site in Greenwich. The curriculum primarily covers land-based subjects including Agriculture, Horticulture, Habitat conserv ...
, Journalism and Radio Production at FAS, Geography and History at
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
, and Social Science and Environmental Ethics at the
Open University
The Open University (OU) is a British public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- ...
.
Sustainability Work
Mendonça's sustainability career is most associated with his work on
feed-in tariff
A feed-in tariff (FIT, FiT, standard offer contract,Couture, T., Cory, K., Kreycik, C., Williams, E., (2010)Policymaker's Guide to Feed-in Tariff Policy Design National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy advanced renewable tariff, ...
s, a
renewable energy policy
Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years. First-generation technologies, which are already mature and economically competitive, include b ...
. He did advocacy and education work on this topic on four continents, contributing to legislative changes in several countries. Much of this work was carried out while he served as a Research Manager for the
World Future Council
The World Future Council (WFC) is a German non-profit foundation with its headquarters in Hamburg. It works to pass on a healthy and sustainable planet with just and peaceful societies to future generations.
FuturePolicy.org
The website f ...
, which is an international
NGO
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
. In addition, he subsequently worked with The Converging World, a
renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
-focused charity based in Bristol, England.
For a short period of time, Mendonça also worked as a freelance sustainability researcher and writer in which he produced two key studies. The first reviewed the first year performance and outcomes of the UK feed-in tariff in 2011, and the second assessed ''The Green Economy in Bristol and the West of England'', which was published in January 2012. The latter examined the size and make-up of the
environmental technologies
Environmental technology (envirotech) or green technology (greentech), also known as '' clean technology'' (''cleantech''), is the application of one or more of environmental science, green chemistry, environmental monitoring and electronic devi ...
sector in the region at that time. His works also surveyed the UK green policy environment, and summarized some of the other key aspects of a
green economy
A green economy is an economy that aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities, and that aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment. It is closely related with ecological economics, but has a more politi ...
, including sustainable design of goods and services, retail, food, and well-being. The report concluded with a call for 'Resilience Planning', an ongoing process of strategic collaboration between actors and stakeholders in the region, with the main purpose of meeting local needs sustainably through investment in local assets. The integration and optimization of food, energy and transport systems were central focuses, and he argued that the development of resilience should merge the agendas of
sustainability
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...
,
economic development
In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and o ...
,
social capital
Social capital is "the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively". It involves the effective functioning of social groups through interpersonal relationships ...
development,
participatory democracy
Participatory democracy, participant democracy or participative democracy is a form of government in which citizens participate individually and directly in political decisions and policies that affect their lives, rather than through elected rep ...
and
emergency planning
Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actuall ...
.
Miguel wrote and co-wrote several books, and numerous articles, book chapters and papers on sustainability and renewable energy policy. He is the author of ''Feed-in Tariffs: accelerating the deployment of renewable energy'', published by
Earthscan
Earthscan is an English-language publisher of books and journals on climate change, sustainable development and environmental technology for academic, professional and general readers.
History
The Earthscan Publications imprint was founded by th ...
in 2007. He is also co-author of ''Powering the Green Economy: The Feed-In Tariff Handbook'' (Earthscan, 2009) and ''A Renewable World: Energy, Ecology, Equality'' (Green Books, 2009).
During this period Miguel held research fellowships at the University of Bristol and at Birkbeck College, University of London. He served on the advisory boards of the Alliance for Renewable Energy, Global Urban Development, Our Future Planet and Raw Foundation.
Fiction writing
His first work of fiction, a collection of 11 short stories and a novella, was published as ''Quick! Act Normal'' in February 2013 under the pen name of Michael Ford. These stories explore human experience, and in particular our relationships with ourselves, each other and the world in which we live.
Consciousness and contact writing
In late 2015, Miguel published ''Meet the Hybrids – The Lives and Missions of ET Ambassadors on Earth''. This non-fiction book explores the subject of ET-human hybrids from the inside, by interviewing eight individuals who understand that they are part-extraterrestrial and part-human. The book is co-authored with Barbara Lamb, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and regression therapist, who has for the last 25 years worked with over 1,700 clients with regard to extraterrestrial encounters.
In the fall of 2016, Mendonça published a people's history of the extraterrestrial subject, titled ''We Are the Disclosure''. Through interviews with 26 people who have been active in the field for a combined total of over 650 years, the books explore the scale and scope of the subject. It was inspired by the findings of ''Meet the Hybrids'', and set out to reflect the more spiritual narrative emerging from that community. The book covers the spectrum of interest in the field, running from the masculine-technological-historical-political aspects, to the feminine-wellbeing-metaphysical-spiritual aspects. Mendonça interviewed a wide variety of subjects, including scientists, journalists and therapists, many of whom claim ET contact in different forms. The book also examined the state of the field, looking at its development since 1947, and traced its connections deep into the human past. The varying opinions of top-down versus bottom-up 'Disclosure' of the ET presence on Earth were discussed. And it opened up a deeper dialogue on what this field tells us about the nature of being and the journey of the soul.
In March 2017, Mendonça published the final part of his trilogy on ET-human interaction, titled ''Being with the Beings – The How and the Why of ET Contact''. It is a study of contact experiences between humans and various kinds of beings, particularly extraterrestrials and interdimensionals. Nine long-term experiencers are interviewed, such as channelers, hybrids, artists and therapists. The key topics discussed are: how and why the contact takes place; how it has shaped their lives; and their ET-contact techniques and safety protocols. It is illustrated with diagrams, representations of the beings they are in contact with, and 'downloaded' images including 'light language' and geometric designs.
Music
In his music production Mendonça's artist name is sokamiru, and he has released three albums: On Out Into, Into Galactic and Hot Wisdom. He produces on modular synthesizer and Akai MPC.
On Out Into is a collection of tracks created as explorations of a wide variety of modules and techniques, principally for his sokamiru YouTube channel. Into Galactic is a concept album about his life beyond Earth, back out among the stars. Hot Wisdom is inspired by his research on art, mystery and wisdom. He continues to find inspiration in the finest qualities of human nature, and the awe-inspiring nature of existence.
Glass work
Mendonça also worked in glass, producing lamps, light catchers and light shades in stained glass, and cast sculptural pieces.
We Are the Disclosure, "Lightworker Glass: Shifting Expression", retrieved May 11, 2018
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Albums
*''Hot Wisdom'', 2022
*''Into Galactic'', 2022
*''On Out Into'', 2021
Books
*''Make/Manifest – A Life in Art and Craft'', 2021
*''Wisdom: Now and Always'', 2020
*''Being with the Beings: The How and the Why of ET Contact'', 2017
*''We Are the Disclosure: A People's History of the Extraterrestrial Field'', 2016
*''Meet the Hybrids: The Lives and Missions of ET Ambassadors on Earth'' (with Barbara Lamb), 2015
*''Quick! Act Normal: 12 Short Stories'' (as Michael Ford), CreateSpace, 2011
*''A Renewable World: Energy, Ecology, Equality'' (with Herbert Girardet), Green Books, 2009
*''Powering the Green Economy: The Feed-In Tariff Handbook'' (with David Jacobs and Benjamin Sovacool), Earthscan, 2009
*''Feed-in Tariffs: Accelerating the Deployment of Renewable Energy'', Earthscan, 2007
Selected writings
*''Orange Deals: Solar Energy Policy Initiatives Worldwide''. 2012, SEEM hapter author*''The Green Economy in Bristol and the West of England''. 2012, Bristol Green Capital
*''The UK Feed-in Tariff: A User Survey''. 2011, Birkbeck College, University of London
*''100%: 100% Renewable Energy in Practice''. 2009, Earthscan hapter co-author*''Wind Energy International 2009/2010''. 2009, World Wind Energy Association hapter co-author
*''Stability, Participation and Transparency in Renewable Energy Policy: Lessons from Denmark and the United States''. 2009, Policy and Society, Elsevier ead author
*''Green Breakthroughs''. 2008, UNEP ontributing writer*''Renewable Energy Global Status Report 2008-2011''. REN21 opical researcher*''Feed-In Tariffs – Boosting Energy for our Future''. 2006, World Future Council
*''Policies to Change the World''. 2006, World Future Council
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendonca, Miguel
British science fiction writers
Sustainability advocates
People associated with renewable energy
1973 births
Living people