The May 2019 Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report highlighted the critical importance of biodiversity to human well-being. The report, so far the world’s largest biodiversity assessment, also concluded, however, that biodiversity is facing unprecedented threat from human activities with a million species facing extinction if we do not fundamentally change our relationship with the natural world.

Date: Tuesday 13 August 2019
Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Location: Adelaide Botanic High School, 1 Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5000

Bookings: Eventbrite

This public forum focuses on the transformative change called for by the IPBES report. The forum brings together a world leading Indigenous Law scholar, a renowned scientist, prominent environmental lawyers (including one of the authors of the IPBES Global Assessment), and representative from the South Australian Government to discuss how to address the overarching questions: “What does transformative change look like?” and “How do we implement it?” Discussions will encompass scientific and commercial interests, environmental concerns, ethics and equity, and considerations relating to international biodiversity law and policy in order to address the cross-cutting issue of unprecedented global scale biodiversity loss.

Each presentation will be 20 minutes long. Presentations will be followed by a 20 minute Q&A session with the audience.

Panel Chair: Dr Nengye Liu, Senior Lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide

• Dr Michelle Lim, IPBES Fellow / co-author Chapter 6 IPBES Report, Lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
• Dr Jessica Melbourne-Thomas, Transdisciplinary Researcher and Knowledge Broker, CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere
• Prof Benjamin Richardson, Professor of Environmental Law, Faculty of Law, University of Tasmania
• Prof Irene Watson, Pro Vice Chancellor Aboriginal Leadership and Strategy, University of South Australia. Professor Watson belongs to the Tanganekald, Meintangk Boandik First Nations Peoples, of the Coorong and the south east of South Australia
• Dr Daniel Rogers, Principal Ecologist, Department of Environment and Waters, South Australian Government

This event is kindly supported by a National Science Week SA Community Grant, Adelaide Law School and the Environment Institute, University of Adelaide