Climate change challenges top of lecture agenda

Climate change challenges top of lecture agenda

Climate change commentator and the United Kingdom’s former Government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, presents lectures at all three of Massey’s New Zealand campuses as part of a public lecture series later this month.

His lecture titled Improving human well-being on a resource-limited planet – can we do it? will address the challenges such as climate change, ocean degradation, maintaining sustainable food, mineral, freshwater and energy supplies at an economically affordable cost.

It precedes the New Zealand Climate Change Conference, being held in Palmerston North in early June. Featuring Massey University and other tertiary institutions as well as Crown Research Institutes, the conference reinforces a message that has been pushed by Sir David throughout a distinguished career.

As part of his address, to be given on consecutive nights from May 27-29 at the Wellington, Palmerston North and Albany campuses respectively, Sir David will discuss 21st century challenges and how they differ from those overcome in the previous 100 years when well being – health, life expectancy and quality of life – took a leap forward for many, especially in developed countries. He will also speak of his time as the UK’s chief scientific adviser and head of the Government office of science, raising the profile for the need for governments to act on climate change.

“The challenges demand innovation, seizing new opportunities for science and technology to work alongside the humanities and social sciences.”

Sir David, who is Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, has published more than 500 papers on his research in chemical physics on science and policy, and has received numerous prizes, fellowships and honorary degrees; he was knighted for his work in science and received the award of ‘officer dans l’ordre national de la Legion d’Honneur’ from the French President for his climate change work.

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