Climate Conversations

An American listener, "Tim" from Michigan, quoted Carl Sagan: "Extinction is the rule, survival the exception". Tim has argued, in an email: "If we want to be exceptional we have to move the Overton Window a lot more than Tom Steyer can even imagine". My American friend was commenting on a recent " Climate Conversation s" episode featuring a discussion betwe...

The recent launch of The Shepparton Irrigation Region Land and Water Management Plan for 2050 was a wonderful opportunity to record some impressive speakers, but put to the test, I failed - what I recorded was less than adequate. The event, at Girgarre's Gargarro Botanic Garden Cafe, was attended by more than 100 people and was organized by the " Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Autho...

Tom Steyer (pictured) put himself up for election in America's 2020 presidential race, but unfortunately for America and the world, chance did not fall his way. Steyer was a guest on the interview program organised by Climate One and shared the stage with Greg Dalton, the face, and voice of Climate One. Although Steyer never became the U.S. president, he has not allowed that to discourage him...

A fellow who questions the legitimacy of our economic system and is the convenor of Public Interests before Corporate Interests (PIBCI ), Joseph Toscsano, has a Wattle Day Picnic coming up this Sunday in Melbourne's Parliament Gardens. " Green dreams go bad: Why feel-good investing doesn’t make for good returns "; " Big emitters chase new climate fix: turning their pollution int...

Genevieve Barlow (pictured) was part of a core community group that spent the best part of two decades creating a solar farm for the central Victorian community. Along with others on the Renewable Newstead committee, Genevieve worked with the State Government and ultimately " Flow Power " to make the solar farm a reality. Interest from across Australia in what has happened at Newstead wa...

University of Queensland economist, Professor John Quiggin (pictured), concerns himself with many things, including his fitness by running half marathons and presently training for an Ironman event, but central to his thinking is the economy. Professor Quiggin has long contributed to the public conversation, regularly writing articles for The Conversation and The Guardian . His latest work, a comp...

The idea of net zero by 2050, considered by many, including Adrian Whitehead , to be 'suicidal' is back in the news: " Australia’s window for hitting net zero is ‘rapidly closing’ "; Filmmaker, Damon Gameau, has given viewers something new with " Future Council: The kids talking truth to power "; " Girls in Southern Africa are being married off in exchange for food...

Hard economic and practical evidence dispels misinformation about farming sheep under solar panels - check out the Geni Energy website. The Goulburn Valley in northern Victoria needs a renewable energy hub, but interestingly it already has one, GV Community Energy just needs State Government recognition. The Shepparton Irrigation Region is planning for the future with its soon-to-be-launched 2050...

Adrian Whitehead (pictured) has spent most of life doing what he could to make people aware of environmental issues. Those early concerns have morphed into taking direct action on global warming and saw him play a significant role in the establishment of " Beyond Zero Emissions ". Adrian was one of a small group that worked to see Melbourn's " Darebin City Council " become...

Nobel-Prize winning economist, former World Bank Chief Economist Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz (pictured) speaks on a webinar organised by " The Australia Institute "; " Australian fossil fuel exports ranked second only to Russia for climate damage with ‘no plan’ for reduction "; " Greek officials advise staying in with windows shut due to fires near Athens "; "‘...

Melbourne's Arnold Dix (pictured) is something of a polymath, who is terrified of climate change, but who sees some value in Australia adopting nuclear power and he discusses that in a Melbourne Age story - " The ‘scared’ green activist who is now embracing a nuclear future "; " Magic thinking vs the hard truth of climate change "; " Last summer was so hot on the Great...

The latest webinar from the Maryland Department of Planning during its Climate Resilience Month was entitled: " Community Action for Climate Change ". Unprecedented heat waves, storms of the century, and devastating fires are impacting communities across the country. While large-scale interventions in policy and technology are necessary to preserve the planet, the most impactful adaptati...

Bert Lobert and his compatriots from " Save our Strathbogie Forest " are eager to keep what remains of the forest intact, especially for all the animals who live there and, of course, the thousands of people who enjoy the amenities it provides. The focus of the original legal case put by the group was the Southern Greater Glider (a young Greater Glider is pictured looking out from its th...

Australia's Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek (pictured), spent almost an hour listening to and chatting with people from all over the country during an online event organised by the Queensland Conservation Council . The event, entitled "An Evening with the Minister, Strengthening our Nature Laws", had the Chief Executive of the Conversation Council of South Australia , Kirsty Be...

The realities of climate change were spelt out with distinct clarity at the Tuesday, August 6, forum, both in person and online, organised by the Australian National University through its Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions . The keynote speaker was the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones. Mr Jones said his government, the Australian Labor Gover...

The Titanic, on its maiden voyage in 1912, is something of a metaphor for the world community today - like those in charge of the ocean liner, we know there's trouble ahead, but we steam into the future, doing nothing or little to make the world, and the people on "spaceship Earth" climate-ready. " Earth broke all-time heat record two days in a row, scientists say "; "...

Professor Joseph Camilleri (pictured) has long believed in the power of conversation. He acted on that belief about three years ago and set up the Melbourne-based group, " Conversation at the Crossroads ". Here he talks about that group, and the power of conversation and alerts listeners to an upcoming series of six, weekly sessions entitled " Ethics in Turbulent Times: How to Bring...

" Living Hot: Thriving and Surviving on a Heating Planet ", co-authored by Clive Hamilton and George Wilkenfeld, tells the blunt truth about our current climate change predicament: it's time to get cracking on making Australia resilient to intensifying climate extremes. If we prepare well, we can give ourselves a fighting chance to preserve some of the best of what we have, build str...

Tim Forcey (pictured) was recently a guest on The Australia Institute's " Australia Biggest Book Club ". He was interviewed and talked about his relatively new book," My Efficient Electric Home Handbook ". Tim has been a guest on Climate Conversations . He spoke recently at " Shepparton's GV Library " a few months ago with the members of Zero Carbon Tatura , a...

Professor Christine Parker (pictured) last month lectured about " Nudge versus Sludge: The Great Greenwashing and the Failure of Corporate Regulation ". And then, coincidently, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) carried a story on its Radion National program, Breakfast, in which corporations were "walking both sides of the street" about alcohol control in the story;...

Here's your chance to be inspired and after hearing from those who know, become an anti-nuclear campaigner enabling you to talk with others about the myths and weaknesses of the poorly thought-through idea the Liberal-National Party Coalition has for using nuclear energy to power Australia. First, you should listen to/watch the recent virtual event - " Don't nuke the climate: How to s...

More than 70 people were recently at Shepparton's GV Library to hear two speakers with an enlightening understanding of how to make your home more energy-efficient - the event, known as the " Home Energy Efficiency Talk " - was promoted by the City of Greater Shepparton through its "Sustainability & Environment Team". The first of the speakers was Tim Forcey, the fellow...

Conversations can be found everywhere about the success and for some the weaknesses, of wind and solar energy. To further confuse the conversation, the Coalition in Australia, the alternative government, is now arguing for constructing and commissioning seven nuclear power stations across Australia. " Refuting myths about nuclear and renewable energy "; " Digging Deeper | Nuclear en...

Working from his off-grid home at Lima East, Shaun Murphy (pictured with his creation) created and built the almost unnoticed lectern used at the recent annual Swanpool Environmental Film Festival . The beautiful, and quiet, lectern is a piece of art, reflecting the caring nature of those behind the festival. Shaun, seen by many as the area's "resident artist" lives with his wife, a...

Sam Birrell's (pictured) nuclear views questioned by Shepparton letter writer. " Sweltering summer days put Arizonans at risk of dangerous burns "; " Chart: The US battery market is on track for its best year yet "; " The Truth about EV Battery Life and Charging Best Practice! "; " Populism Rising - Global Roaming "; " We mapped weather forecast acc...