The Environment Institute & Fenner School of Environment & Society at the Australian National University present a special presentation by Professor Paul Ehrlich in Canberra on Thursday 21st March 2013.
The talk is titled ‘Avoiding a collapse of civilisation – our chances, prospects and pathways forward.’ Professor Ehrlich will then be joined by leading ecological scientists to participate in an in-depth panel discussion. The panel will extend and discuss Professor Ehrlich’s topics as they relate to sustainability politics in Australia. They will broach controversial topics from food and energy supply to the politics of greed. How much scientific evidence underlies our national decision-making?
Where: Manning Clarke Centre Lecture Theatre 1 Building 26A, ANU, Canberra, Australia
Time: 7:15pm
When: Thursday 21st March 2013
RSVP: This event is free, registration is essential. Register here
Prof. Paul R. Ehrlich
ABSTRACT
Environmental problems have contributed to numerous collapses of civilizations in the past. Now, for the first time, a global collapse appears possible and at the same time avoidable. Population growth supercharged by significantly increasing consumption interacting with our choices of technologies are major drivers. Dramatic cultural change provides the main hope of averting calamity.
Paul and Anne Ehrlich have written a paper on how humanity’s global civilisation is threatened with collapse by an array of environmental problems. In this special presentation, Professor Ehrlich will give a talk about his recent conclusions.
Professor Ehrlich will then be joined by leading ecological scientists to participate in an in-depth panel discussion. The panel will extend and discuss Professor Ehrlich’s topics as they relate to sustainability politics in Australia. They will broach controversial topics from food and energy supply to the politics of greed. How much scientific evidence underlies our national decision-making?
The panel includes Professor Corey Bradshaw from the Environment Institute, Professor David Lindenmayer from ANU, and Professor Graham Pyke from University of Technology Sydney. Professor Stephen Dovers, Director of the Fenner School of Environment will chair the panel session.
About the speaker
Paul Ehrlich is the Bing Professor of Population Studies in the department of Biological Sciences at Stanford University, president of Stanford’s Center for Conservation Biology and Adjunct Professor, University of Technology, Sydney. By training he is an entomologist specializing in Lepidoptera (butterflies), but he is also a prominent ecologist and demographer. Ehrlich is best known for his dire warnings about population growth and limited resources. He became well-known after publication of his controversial 1968 book The Population Bomb.
Download the pdf flyer for this event
Paul Ehrlich in Adelaide
While in Australia, Paul Ehrlich will headline ‘The Planet Talks’ series at WOMADelaide on Monday March 11th.
The Planet Talks is a series of environmentally-focused discussions and panels – a legacy of the WOMAD Earth Station event staged in 2011 and now a part of WOMADelaide. The Talks will focus on the core fundamentals of Food Security & Sustainability, Activism & Change and Population Growth.
Professor Ehrlich will participate in a ‘one on one’ discussion on Population & Consumption with the host of the ABC’s The Science Show, Robyn Williams.
Find out more about Paul Ehrlich at WOMADelaide
