WOMADelaide today released the full schedule for The Planet Talks, a program of stimulating six one-hour sessions dealing with our sustainable relationship with the planet, to be held between 8-10 March.
The dynamic ‘ideas festival within a festival’ returns to the stunning surrounds of Speakers Corner in Adelaide’s Botanic Park with a line-up of 18 stimulating and inspiring speakers from around the world including Tim Flannery, Polly Higgins, Annabel Crabb, Tanya Ha, Chris Daniels and Peter Garrett.
Hosts Robyn Williams and Bernie Hobbs from the ABC will lead two panel discussions with overarching themes of Our Environmental Reality, Perception and Action. The theme will frame each day of The Planet Talks, with Saturday’s session exploring Our Environmental Reality, Sunday’s Politics, Media, Law and Merchants of Doubt and Monday’s speakers looking at The Future of Positive Change.
Session topics include: The Three Great Threat to Biodiversity: Climate Change, People and Habitat Loss, Transforming Society, The Captain Kirk & Dr Spock of Communicating Climate Change, Climate Change & 100 Million Person Cities, Gen Zed and Distractions vs Action and a fascinating meeting of minds titled When Polly Met Peter & Tim featuring Tim Flannery, Peter Garrett and Polly Higgins.
Festival Director, Ian Scobie, said that The Planet Talks are focused on further encouraging positive and intelligent discussion around the current state of the environment.
“With such a wide and distinct breadth of discussions being presented during The Planet Talks this year, there is truly something everyone can engage with, from the regular home owner to international leaders.
“The Planet Talks are aimed at discussing how we can progress to ensure we maintain a healthy and positive planet for not only our generation, but others that follow.”
Led by some of the leading academics, activists and researchers from across the world, The Planet Talks will be a positive melting pot of ideas and discussion on how to ensure the longevity and sustainability of our planet.
The full program of speakers is –
• Peter Ward – internationally renowned US geobiologist and author
• Chris Daniels – Director of UniSA’s Barbara Hardy Institute and Professor of Urban Ecology
• Peter Owen – one of South Australia’s leading environmental campaigners
• Paul Gilding – environmentalist, consultant, author and former head of Greenpeace
• Simon Holmes à Court – Founder of Hepburn Wind, Australia’s first community-owned wind farm
• Richard Slaughter – author, social innovation academic and one of Australia’s most respected futurists
• Annabel Crabb – South Australian-born writer and broadcaster with the ABC
• Tory Shepherd – award-winning Australian journalist and political columnist
• Tanya Ha – award-winning environmentalist, best-selling author, science journalist, television presenter and sustainable living advocate
• Polly Higgins – barrister, author and founder of international Ecocide campaign
• Peter Garrett – former Federal Minister, ACF president and Midnight Oil frontman
• Tim Flannery – paleontologist, explorer, environmentalist and Chair of the Copenhagen Climate Council
• Tom Wigley – one of the world’s leading climate scientists
• Steffen Lehmann – internationally renowned Professor of Sustainable Design and director UniSA’s Zero Waste SA Research Centre for Sustainable Design and behaviour
• Amie Albrecht – mathematician and UniSA sustainable transport expert
• Tim Hollo – former Australian Greens Communications Director, environmentalist, musician and founder of Green Music Australia
• Simon Sheikh – former National Director of advocacy group GetUp and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition
• Ane Brun – Norwegian musician and creator of the No More Lullabies Concert, which raised awareness of global warming before the UN Climate Change Conference in 2009.
The Planet Talks have been generously supported by David & Claire Paradice and presented by the University of South Australia
For the comprehensive list of session times and speaker biographies, please visit www.womadelaide.com.au
WOMADelaide will be held from 7-10 March 2014 in Adelaide’s Botanic Park.
For tickets and more information go to www.womadelaide.com.au
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