Not everyone agrees on climate change. Quadrant Online’s Doomed Planet questions global warming publishing Andrew Gilkson’s argument that there is a “widening gulf between scientific observations around the globe and public perceptions of the nature and origin of climate change”. They’ve wagged a finger at the Deakin Lecture Series for the event’s lack of climate change skeptics.
We think they’ve missed the point. The Deakin Lecture series in 2010 is not about debating climate science - there are plenty of bloggers already discussing that. Rather the Deakins are taking on board one of the pressing issues of our time and considering the impact that discussion is having on different spheres of modern life, from business and industry to our cities and farms.
Our speakers have been chosen for their track record of working within the context of the present debate, not because of any fixed political position on that debate. Speakers like Prasad Menon who heads up India’s largest power company are difficult to pidgeonhole as warmist. Engineer Stephen Joseph is looking at ways of re-tooling farms and industry for the future. And while speakers like Baroness Valerie Amos may upset Gerard Hendserson, they come to climate change with an international perspective on how Australia measures up.