Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Wednesday 07 May
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM
Few contemporary issues present us with so much information, speculation and polarity of opinion as climate change. While many in the scientific community argue that the planet is headed for environmental disaster, equally determined sceptics dismiss such concerns. Elected officials and the media have taken sides and fiercely defend their often contradictory positions.
As part of the Weather Stations initiative, the Wheeler Centre presents an event that provides, you the audience, a chance to ask experts in the field what’s really going on. All five of the Weather Stations writers in residence from around the globe, including our own Tony Birch, will be amongst a participatory audience. The writers will reflect on their residencies and grill a panel of climate specialists.
Guests on the panel include Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council, the independent body that was crowdfunded after the Climate Commission’s government funding was withdrawn; Environment Defenders Office CEO Brendan Sydes; and David Karoly, a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Melbourne.
This is your chance to ask the real experts, so come armed with questions – and stay on to chat with Weather Stations writers and panellists in the aftermath. Nibbles provided, drinks available for purchase.
The final half hour of the published event time is set aside for informal conversation and drinks.
Featuring
Amanda McKenzie
Amanda McKenzie is the Founder and CEO of the Climate Council, a non-for-profit organisation, launched when legitimate climate-science institutions were endangered due to the dismantlement of the Climate Commission ...
Brendan Sydes
Brendan Sydes has been a lawyer for 18 years after graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1995 with degrees in Law and Science. Brendan is CEO of Environmental Justice Australia, a non-profit legal practice dedicated to environmental protection. He led its predecessor, the Environment Defenders Office (Victoria), from 2005.
Throughout his legal career Brendan has been involved in a range of organisations dedicated to social and environmental justice, including Darebin Community Legal Centre, the Tenants Union, Marrickville Community Legal Centre, and the Federation of Victorian Community Legal Centres. He also lectures in environmental law at a number of universities.
Robert Purves
Robert Purves is a businessman and an environmentalist. He is currently president of WWF Australia and is a former board member of WWF International. Robert is also a founding member of The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a director of Earth Hour Global, a director of Climate Council of Australia, a patron of the Lizard Island Research Station, and a governor of Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
Robert has a long career in public companies, including being chairman of a public listed company, DCA Group Limited.
In 2004 Robert established the Purves Environmental Fund, which funds numerous environmental initiatives.
In 2008 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to conservation and the environment, and made an honorary fellow of the University of Sydney.
David Karoly
David Karoly is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Melbourne’s School of Earth Sciences.
David completed his BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Mathematics in 1976 from Monash University, and was awarded his PhD in Meteorology from the University of Reading in England in 1980.
From 1995 to 2000 he was the Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology at Monash University, and during 2001-02, he was Professor of Meteorology and Head of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Monash University.
From 2003-07 he was the Williams Chair Professor of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. He returned to Australia in 2007 as an ARC Federation Fellow and Professor of Meteorology at the University of Melbourne, which finished in May 2012.