The Amazon, Climate, Biofuels – 2 public talks

Hosted by the Pacific Institute of Resource Management and the School of Geography, Environment & Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington

Presented by international ecologist Peter Bunyard: “The Amazon and climate – Why we neglect the rainforest at our peril” and “Biofuels, will they save or sink us?” on Thursday, 7 February 2008 at Rutherford House, Bunny St, Wellington.

Peter Bunyard was educated at Cambridge and Harvard Universities before becoming cofounder with Edward Goldsmith and editor of The Ecologist in 1969. From 1977 to 1992 he was consultant editor for the Industry and Environment Office, United Nations Environment Programme in Paris. Since 1989 he has conducted field work in the Colombian Amazon, and for the last 16 years has coordinated the International Honors Programme, on Rethinking Globalization: Ecology, Justice, and Society (previous name Global Ecology) at Boston University, USA. He has taken part in many seminars and workshops in France, Brazil, Switzerland, the US, Britain and Colombia. His recent publications include: Extreme Weather (Floris Books, 2006); “Gaia, the Amazon and Climate”, in Scientists Debate Climate (MIT Press, 2004); “Feeling Climate: the Shaman’s Cure”, in Pacific Ecologist, Summer 2007/08. Peter also wrote the script for Paco Peņa’s Requiem: Canto por la Terra, a flamenco requiem commissioned for the Salisbury Festival 2004, performed again in Oporto, Portugal, and in Cordoba, Spain and in 2007 at London’s Festival Hall.

Sustainable cities talk and PIRM 2007 AGM

Tuesday October 30, 5.30–8pm
at Science House (upstairs), The Royal Society of New Zealand, 11 Turnbull St, Thorndon, Wellington

5.30–6.15pm: Talk by Roland Sapsford, Sustainability Solutions Consulting:

Transport for sustainable cities: creating the climate for change
Around 50% of people live in cities but urban activities generate close to 80% of global CO2 emissions (UN-HABITAT). Roland will discuss policy options for cities like Wellington to reduce its contribution, with a focus on transport policy and its effect on urban form.

6.15–7pm: Refreshments

7–8pm: Annual General Meeting

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We The People – Climate Change; What Can I Do?

To be held all day Saturday 19 May, at Rutherford House. $20 payment to be made prior to the day. Organised by Wellington Cathedral and Centre for Strategic Studies. Hear from a very interesting mix of scientists, theologians, and strategists!

view the flyer for full details [200KB PDF]

PIRM Panel discussion & 2006 AGM

Monday October 30, 5.30–8pm
at Science House (upstairs), The Royal Society of New Zealand, 11 Turnbull St, Thorndon, Wellington
Panel discussion “What you can do about climate change”, with Peter Healy (Community worker), Diana Shand (CCP-NZ) and Matthew Bartlett (Publisher).

• Peter has been running a workshop called ‘Restoring a Sense of the Sacredness of Earth’ in small communities and with school groups. The workshop takes a big picture approach beginning with the earth story. People are then invited home to their sense of belonging to a particular place and are asked, What can we do here and now to live sustainably?
• Diana heads NZ’s Communities for Climate Protection programme, a voluntary programme to empower local councils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations and from their communities. The programme aims to reduce fossil carbon emissions and energy costs and improve quality of life.
• Matthew is an early career professional who is thinking about what his generation will have to face, and is concerned about how to motivate ‘mainstream’ New Zealanders on these issues.

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Resource Wars: From the Global Economy to Iraq

Full day forum, 9am – 4.30pm, Saturday 22 March 2003
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Can we survive climate change?

Public meeting: Thursday 4 April 2002, 7pm, Victoria University, Maclaurin Lecture Theatre 3
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Feeding the World in the Global Economy: GE – Remedy or Ruin?

Public Meeting: Wednesday 7 February 2001, 7.30pm, Victoria University, Maclaurin Lecture Theatre 3
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