11 August 2015

The Anthropocene turnaround: how humanity can create a sustainable future – panel discussions

In the age of the Anthropocence – the epoch when humanity has irrevocably altered the planet, can societies use their ability to change the planet for the good? Can economics drive positive change for the climate? Can justice systems ensure that each country shares the burden of climate change fairly? These are some of the questions that will be explored at upcoming public panel discussions on climate change and society, entitled ‘The Age of Resilience.’

As momentum builds towards an international climate change agreement at the UN COP 21 conference in Paris, the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Embassy of France and Radio New Zealand have invited three French visitors to join six New Zealand speakers to discuss humanity’s capacity to adapt and become resilient to the greatest challenge posed to human existence.

The panel discussions, to be held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, will be chaired by Kim Hill and broadcast on Radio New Zealand.

President of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Professor Richard Bedford, says that rather than looking at the science of climate change, these panel discussions will explore how society can adapt and respond to climate change using existing structures and systems such as economics and the justice system.

“Even if humanity stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will result in the planet warming. The hope of the UN COP 21 negotiations is for countries to commit to take enough collective action to keep warming within two degrees. Even so, societies will need to adapt to the changes a warmer global climate will bring, and, more importantly, figure out how to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for a sustainable future.

“Can some of the structures already existing in how we run our societies be used to assist in this transformation? It’s an urgent and fascinating question that these panel discussions will address.”

Cultural and scientific counselor for the Embassy of France to New Zealand, Raynald Belay agrees.

“As human activity is challenging ecosystems on an unprecedented and global scale, new practices and norms must arise to cope with the processes we have unleashed. The idea behind these talks is to look at the long term impact of climate change on human society and from the different angles brought by the fields of environment, economics, law and ethics. Our French and New Zealand speakers will bring their expertise and research to shed a new light on what is being increasingly acknowledged as the single most important issue of our time.”

The panellists have diverse backgrounds as government and think tank advisors, economists, business people, lawyers and academics. New Zealand panellists include 2013 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond and former New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer.

The three panel discussions will cover societies, economies and justice.

• An Economic Conundrum – Auckland, 26 August

• Climate in-justice? – Wellington, 27 August

• The Anthropocene Challenge – Christchurch, 1 September.

All three talks are open to the public. For more information or to book a ticket, please visit: www.royalsociety.org.nz/resilience. General admission $10, RSNZ/Students free.

The talks will be recorded by Radio New Zealand for broadcast as part of the Talking Heads series.

The panel discussions were made possible thanks to the generous support of the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, the Institut Francais, New Zealand European Union Centres Network and the European Delegation in New Zealand.

An economic conundrum

6pm Wednesday 26 August

AUCKLAND | Events Centre, Auckland Museum, The Domain, Parnell

Economic production systems and consumption patterns are both the problem and the solution to climate change. A resilient economy is not just about reducing our ecological footprint through producing and consuming less – economics can be used to drive change: aligning incentives, sparking innovation and encouraging transformation throughout the production/consumption chain. Human-kind has irrevocably altered the planet’s natural systems – can we use that same human power to unleash true “Green Growth” and achieve a high and sustainable level of human well-being? Panel members include Pierre Ducret, Dr Suzi Kerr, Professor Catherine Larrère and Fraser Whinerary.

View Economic conundrum flyer.

Climate in-justice?

6pm Thursday 27 August

WELLINGTON | Paramount Theatre, 25 Courtenay Place

The age of the Anthropocene has heralded inequity concerns both within and between nations. What is the tradeoff between development and high emissions? Who is responsible for the environmental disasters in impoverished countries caused by climate change? Should developing nations be expected to leap frog traditional growth to be green economies and who should help them? For many experts, the way out of this gridlock involves proposing new models of climate justice. Panel members include Pierre Ducret, Sarah Meads, Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Lucile Schmid.

View Climate in-justice flyer.

The Anthropocene challenge

6pm Tuesday 1 September

CHRISTCHURCH | Jack Mann Auditorium, College of Education Campus, Solway Avenue, University of Canterbury

Experts argue that we are living in the age of the Anthropocene – the epoch when humanity has irrevocably altered the planet. Predictions of climate change impacts are dire – mass extinction of species, acidic oceans and extreme weather events. But can we turn our influence around and steer our global impact in a new direction towards a more sustainable future? Panel members include Professor David Frame, Professor Catherine Larrère, Dame Anne Salmond and Lucile Schmid.

View Anthropocene challenge flyer.

ABOUT THE PANEL MEMBERS

Pierre Ducret, special advisor for climate change at the public investment group Caisse des Dépôts, France

Professor David Frame, Director, New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute (Victoria University of Wellington)

Dr Suzi Kerr, Senior Fellow at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research and adjunct Professor at Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Catherine Larrère, Professor of Philosophy (Sorbonne University, Paris), and President of the Foundation for Political Ecology

Sarah Meads, Development Consultant and former Advocacy Manager, Oxfam New Zealand

Dame Anne Salmond, Distinguished Professor of Māori Studies and Anthropology (University of Auckland) and 2013 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year

Lucile Schmid, French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry and Deputy President of the think tank “La fabrique écologique”

Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer, New Zealand Prime Minister (1989-90) and Distinguished Fellow of the New Zealand Centre for Public Law

Fraser Whineray, Chief Executive, Mighty River Power

ENDS

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