Climate Conversations

Here at Climate Conversations we are unable to comprehend why it is many people can't understand the threats implicated in climate change - is what we are seeing wilful ignorance or actual ignorance? The rush to buy the rather expensive Lamborghini sports cars must, surely, be a combination of both actual ignorance and wilful ignorance - read the story " Sold out: Lamborghini cars out of stock unt...

Joëlle Gergis writes about " Humanity's Moment: A climate scientist's case for hope " and the publication of that new book coincides, coincidently, with Pakistan's devastating new floods, discussed in the SBS story: " ‘Climate dystopia at our doorstep’: Tens of millions battle Pakistan floods as death toll rises ". Other climate crisis stories are: " ‘Extremely dangerous’ heat will be much more co...

Tatura Transition Towns' annual Film Festival on August 27 in the town's Victory Hall had a fascinating vibe about it as about 40 people listened to an array of speakers talk about their role in helping people enjoy a more sustainable life. The City of Greater Shepparton's environment manager, Sharon Terry, explained the council's Climate Emergency Action Plan ; Tatura man, Royden James, talked ab...

Jennifer Uchendu (pictured) is the Nigerian woman behind the South African TEAP movement and here launches the program with the aid of Sarah Jaquette Ray from the Cal Poly Humbolt. Uchendu is also behind the Sustyvibes movement and Ray's latest book, " A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet " discusses many of the issues considered by "TEAP" and Sustyvibes. Wat...

Jonathan Barnett and Matthijs Bouw joined the Smart Growth Network to outline how adaptation and preventive measures can address climate-related threats, including flooding along coastlines and rivers, flash floods from extreme rain events, drought, wildfire, long periods of high heat, and food shortages. Between them, Barnett and Bouw wrote the book: " Managing the Climate Crisis: Designing and B...

Professor Greg Marston (pictured) from the University of Queensland is the co-chair of the 2022 Basic Income Earth Network three-day congress coming up at the university's St Lucia campus on September 26-28. A host of information can be found on the congress website - BIEN 2022 Congress . Professor Marston has urged those from beyond academia to come along to the congress and hear about what the b...

New Zealand's PM, Jacinda Ardern discusses the challenges of climate change in The Guardian story " New Zealand’s flood-prone areas not ready to cope with climate crisis, Ardern says ". It's been 30 years since Al Gore's book, " Earth in the Balance: Forging a New Common Purpose " (pictured) was published and it's still relevant and important reading. Other climate links are: " Cycling Like the Du...

The David Suzuki Foundation tells us that Quebec has set the standard for the world by banning all future fossil fuel developments - " Quebec climate wins ". Australia's Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance has set out to help the country's journalists better report on climate change through the webinar: " Climate reporting - every journos round ". Other climate links are: " City of Sydney to con...

Cambridge University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen J. Toope (pictured), talks here about his institution's world-leading divestment plans . Other climate links for today are: " World's first 'sand battery' can store heat at 500C for months at a time. Could it work in Australia? "; " Better than Buckleys: a real plan to tackle energy prices, climate and the Budget to boot "; " Hidden 'Hunger...

A trio of authors, James Dyke, Robert Watson and Wolfgang Knorr, wrote an award-winning piece for The Conversation that was headed; " Climate scientists: concept of net-zero is a dangerous trap ". Renowned climate activist, Greta Thunberg, heaped praise on the acticle saying it was one of the most important texts she had ever read on the climate and ecological crisis. You can listen to the article...

Lisa Cliff (pictured) is optimistic about Australia's future with regard to the climate crisis and believes that optimism will be evident at next month's Better Futures Australia Canberra forum. As the Program Director of Better Futures Australia, Ms Cliff urges people to explore the program and seriously contemplate being a part of the forum, either in person or virtually. Details of how people c...

Eighteen-year-old Jean Hinchliffe and lead singer with "Midnight Oil" and former politician, Peter Garrett , were co-guests at the 2022 Gandhi Oration organized by the University of New South Wales . And U.S. writer, Mary Annaïse Heglar shows how white supremacy is the throughline between the gun crisis and the climate crisis.  Other climate links are: " Irreversible declines in freshwater st...

A critical care doctor, Anna Gunz (pictured), is exploring the emotional pressures of climate change and discusses eco-anxiety in the CBC story - " Climate change is hurting our mental health. These researchers want to help ". The rise of Neoliberalism equates with the worsening of climate change and that is explored here on a " Crazy Town " podcast. Other climate links are: " For 110 years, clima...

Dr. Manasa Saripalli (pictured) is a Critical Care Resident at Melbourne's St Vincent’s hospital and, along with that, the convener of the 2022 national conference for Doctors for the Environment . The conference, " iDEA 2022 ", will be held soon at the University of Melbourne . "We know this (climate change) is a problem, but it's a massive problem and the best way for us is to tackle it together...

The Western U.S. is experiencing a period of dryness so extreme that some experts say it no longer qualifies as just a drought. Rather, it might be described as a more transformative trend of “aridification” — the most significant drought to descend on the American West in 1,200 years, according to Zore Teirstein (pictured) from Grist magazine. Other climate links are: " Europe’s heatwaves, drough...

Dr Brigitte Knopf (pictured) is the Secretary General of the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change and here discusses the group's " Carbon Clock ". Other climate links are: " Ice Covering Swiss Mountain Pass Since at Least Roman Era Will Soon Be Gone "; " Energy ministers power up renewables transition with new deal "; " IAG chief says climate change is adding to rising...

John Cook (pictured) created ' Sceptical Science ' and through the story " Shocked By Climate Change Denial? How To Deal With Misinformation " gives us a better grasp of what climate denial is and what form it takes. People from around the world talk frequently about net-zero, but eight authors have combined their skills to encourage us to think seriously about what happens once we have achieved n...

Climate activist shareholder groups have slammed Commonwealth Bank’s new fossil fuel targets for failing to rule out lending for oil and gas extraction projects, according to a story from today's Melbourne Age by Simone Fox Koob. Her story - " ‘Smoke and mirrors’: CBA climate lending targets under fire " - helps us understand how the climate crisis will never be resolved using existing economic to...

Bill McGuire (pictured) is a Professor of Geophysical & Climate Hazards at the University College of London and has written many books, the latest being " Hothouse Earth: an inhabitant's guide ", and he has agreed to chat with Climate Conversations just as soon as he has navigated fallout from the book. Writing in the Melbourne Age, Ben Cubby tells us about " Nation in clean car traffic jam af...

Ian Dunlop (pictured) is the chair of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group and leads listeners through a webinar during which they hear about the unfolding challenges of climate change. The webinar was entitled " A Nation at Risk ". The Melbourne Age newspaper published an editorial today (August 8) pointing out that arrival at a position to tackle climate change will be "messy" - it says...

Miki Perkins (pictured) reports about climate matters for both The Sydney Morning Herald and The Melbourne Age and was on of a trio of speakers on a webinar organised by the Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance . The webinar was entitled: " Climate Reporting - Every Journo's Round " And Climate One talks wonders: " Can We Get Clean Energy Without Dirty Mines? ". Other climate links are: " How flo...

Helen Haines (pictured) has always campaigned on climate matters and was delighted to hear that the Lower House of Australia's Federal Parliament had adopted the Labor Party's Climate Change Bill, particularly because that move had included four amendments for which she had been the prime mover and had effectively written them. The Independent for the Seat of Indi was, sadly, not in Canberra, for...

Adam Bandt (pictured), leader of the Australian Greens Party, received a rock star-like reception when he spoke on Wednesday, August 3, at the Canberra National Press Club . Bandt argued that his party is the only true social democratic party in Australia and is the only party truly concerned about the quickly unfolding climate crisis. During his address that he said: "Our house is on fire and it...

Dr Kate Wylie (pictured) is a South Australian General Practitioner who, in colloquial terms, has "stepped up to the plate" to do what she can to combat the world's ever-worsening climate crisis. She sees climate change as a massive global problem that can only be resolved if we are "all in", that is with each of us doing what we can, using our skills to make the world a safer and more secure plac...

Sam Birrell (pictured) as the newly elected Member of Nicholls has delivered his maiden address to the 47th Parliament of Australia and confronted climate change head on, but then deftly stepped around the issue in which was a smoke and mirrors-like denial. The former Independent Member for Indi, Cathy McGowan, was one of four speakers at the Shepparton campus of La Trobe University and heaped pra...