WOMADelaide - The Planet Talks

How can Australia navigate its way to a low-carbon future in a way that builds a more inclusive economy and just society? The challenge is ensuring fairness so that workers, communities and everyday lives are supported through change, not sacrificed to it. Sharan Burrow, Karrina Nolan and Rebecca Huntley join Tory Shepherd to explore what a just transition really means and how we can seize the cha...

Pacific communities have long led the global climate fight with courage, wisdom and moral clarity through advocacy, innovation and deep cultural knowledge. Although Australia’s hopes in hosting COP31 have been dashed, what opportunities remain to stand alongside the Pacific in genuine partnership? In what is bound to be a powerful and energetic conversation Moemoana Schwenke, Salā Dr. George Carte...

In a world tilting toward ecological collapse and digital saturation, how do we hold fast to hope, justice, and our connection to the living world? Brave New Futures brings together Grace Vegesana, Richard King, and Claire Marshall for a dynamic conversation led by Lee Constable on envisioning positive futures and imagining them into being. From radical storytelling to ecological activism and spec...

At a time when global crises demand collective action, public trust in traditional media and public institutions is eroding. In this timely panel, journalist Marian Wilkinson, author Don Watson and political scientist Christian Downie explore how disinformation, corporate influence, and identity politics are deepening polarisation. What does it take to rebuild trust, reclaim facts, and foster unit...

The Southern Ocean is calling, and its voice carries stories of change, resilience, and reckoning. In this evocative session, we explore the cultural memory, ecological shifts, and climate urgency shaping one of Earth’s most powerful oceans. From historical narratives to devastating modern algal blooms, and from polar expeditions to the futures of our coasts, this conversation invites us to reckon...

Water is alive; with memory, voice, and rights. In this powerful session, Dan Hikuroa, Leah Barclay, and Grant Rigney explore how we can and must transform our relationship with rivers. From Indigenous law to ecological soundscapes to frontline water justice, they share stories, sounds and strategies for protecting waterways through more-than-human perspectives and First Nations leadership. Modera...

Speakers: Andry Sculthorpe, Cissy Gore-Birch, Katherine Moseby Facilitator: Andrew Lowe The earth is experiencing its sixth mass extinction event, with approximately one million species of plants and animals at risk of extinction globally. How can we stop this, and find a path towards a wilder world where nature returns? This session will explore rewilding, and what it could mean in Australia. Lea...

Saturday 8 March Speakers: Belinda Noble, Simon Holmes à Court, Ebony Bennett Facilitator: David Morris Greenwashing is on the rise, undermining our efforts to tackle big issues like climate change and biodiversity loss. How do we know that the positive stories we are told by companies and governments are genuine and not just a smokescreen for inaction, or worse? This session will explore what gre...

Saturday 8 March Speakers: Rachel Perkins, Tim Winton Facilitator: Natasha Mitchell What is the role of stories and storytellers in tackling the big issues?  Two of Australia’s best storytellers will explore how stories can be told in new ways to help Australia reckon with its past actions and attitudes towards the environment and First Nations people. How can storytellers help us imagine possible...

Monday 10 March Speakers: Helena Norberg-Hodge, Peter Martin, Warwick Smith Facilitator: Tory Shepherd Has globalisation made us healthier and happier? Has the global era of capitalism finally reached its end point and, if so, what comes next? This session will explore localisation movements around the world and how economic systems can be reshaped to be better for people and planet. This session...

Monday 10 March  Speakers: Dr. Kumi Naidoo, Professor Naomi Oreskes Facilitator: Sarah Martin Despite governments around the world making commitments to climate action and investments in renewable energy, investments in fossil fuels are still at a record high. How can we chart a future that breaks from fossil fuels, and with the urgency that is needed? This session will explore the ways in which t...

Sunday 9 March  Speakers: Bhiamie Williamson, Elizabeth Mossop, Emma Bacon Facilitator: Julia Lester Extreme floods, storms, heatwaves and bushfires are on the rise in extent, intensity and frequency. How can Australian communities be better equipped to deal with a future of extremes as climate change gains momentum? Can our cities and towns be radically redesigned and retrofitted to cope? What is...

SPEAKERS Darryl Jones, Sheryn Pitman, Sarah Bekessy FACILITATOR Chris Daniels Imagine a world where cities are homes to thriving ecosystems of plants, animals and other life, and not just concrete metropolises. Australian cities have the potential to transform into nature wonderlands, but how can nature be better integrated within our towns and cities? What role do individuals, neighbourhoods and ...

SPEAKERS Abby Barrows, Vanessa Pirotta, Bronwyn Gillanders. HOST Clare Peddie Our oceans are in deep trouble, and facing threats and stressors on multiple fronts. From alarming rises in temperature to the tonnes of microplastics, the health and ongoing integrity of our marine environments are under severe threat. In addition noise pollution from seismic exploration and shipping disrupts the abilit...

SPEAKERS Anote Tong, Yessie Mosby, Tishiko King Facilitator Tiahni Adamson Can Australia shift its global reputation from climate laggard to climate leader, and fulfill its hopes of co-hosting the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference with the Pacific? Although Australia has committed to net zero by 2050, it continues to approve new coal, oil and gas mines. It is now under increasing pressure from wit...

SPEAKERS Bob Brown, Elaine Johnson, Roj Amedi Facilitator Noah Schultz-Byard With protest laws tightening, misinformation campaigns on the rise, and the media landscape changing, what is the future of social and environmental activism? A discussion to explore the myriad ways there are to fight for change, whether it’s in the courtroom, at shareholder AGMs, in online communities or through targeted...

SPEAKERS Andrew Skeoch, Simone Slattery, Anthony Albrecht.  HOST Shannon Evenden The soundscape of the natural world is rich with the voices of birds, insects and animals. What might these species have to say to us? Can listening to them help us learn not only how to care for them, but how to create a ‘culture of care’ for nature? Can listening help create stronger emotional connections between hu...

SPEAKERS Joe Morrison, Kate Andrews, Ariadne Gorring, Martine Maron HOST Andrew Lowe How can our nation transform from being a global leader in species extinction to a global leader in nature regeneration? The term Nature Positive has snuck into the conversation and sounds like a good thing, but what does it really mean? Could it be a game-changer or is it just another buzzword, or worse, yet anot...

SPEAKERS Alice Jones, Steve Meller and Catriona Mcleod HOST Nikolai Beilharz With thousands of kilometres of coastline, a tradition of seaweed use going back thousands of years, increasing demand for sustainable foods and products, and the capacity to contribute to regenerating ecosystems, is Australia ready to take advantage of this opportunity?  In the Blue Economy, something as simple as seawee...

SPEAKERS Eytan Lenko, Polly Hemming and Brynn O'Brien  HOST Maree Lowes  Reaching net zero by 2050 is now law of the land for Australia. But how are we going to get there? With policy slowly or totally failing to make change fast enough, some businesses, industries and financial institutions have started to set the path for themselves, or face pressure from stakeholders to do so. So when it comes...

Planet Talk favourites Fran Kelly and Patricia Karvelas give you the political analysis that matters and explain what it means for you with a live recording of the best political podcast in Australia.  SPEAKERS Fran Kelly, Patricia Karvelas, Penny Wong and Tory Shepherd. Proudly presented by The Australia Institute

People assign themselves rights over nature all the time.  The right to extract, or the right to protect.  But what happens when you give nature its own rights?   What happens when we extend human rights to the earth?      When policy fails, can the legal system step in?  What if rivers had human rights? Join Community leader, advocate and scholar Anne Poelina, legal scholars Erinn O’Donnell and P...

Stealing water, illegal logging, smuggling animals and plants – there are some pretty terrible things that humans do. But who is there to hold them to account?  And who makes the rules? Join water economist Sarah Wheeler, ecologist Phill Cassey and environmental lawyer Emma Carmody with host, Ruby Jones as they delve into how we can fight crimes against nature.    SPEAKERS Phill Cassey, Sarah Whee...

SPEAKERS Alex Bruhn, Amber Brock-Fable, Pantju Nam, Amelia Chaplin, Tiahni Adamson HOST Keira Jenkins What might a renewed relationship to the planet look like? What do we need to regenerate? Form anew? Bring again into existence? We’re joined by six young, engaged and passionate advocates for change who will share their stories about what we should be paying more attention to.

SPEAKERS Anika Molesworth, Bruce Pascoe, Charles Massy HOST Anthony James How might regenerative agriculture change the way our food production system works, so that it’s better for the soils, uses water more efficiently, captures carbon, emits less CO2 and is still profitable for farmers?