Join us Thursday August 20, 8pm AEST for a panel discussion exploring how individuals can take effective action to reduce carbon emissions.
Who’s behind the panel?
Kate Selway
Organiser
Dr Kate Selway is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow at Macquarie University. As an Earth scientist, Kate’s research in Greenland and Antarctica helps improve our understanding of how quickly the ice sheets are melting.
Kate compiled this panel because, despite working in climate science, she counts herself in the large proportion of Australians who don’t know how they as an individual can most effectively take action to help reduce carbon emissions. Kate is a 2019-2020 Science and Technology Australia Superstar of STEM.
Lee Constable
Presenter
Lee Constable is a farm girl turned city slicker and the host of new online streaming climate change talk show, ‘Climate Australia’ (Cimpatico TV). As a freelance factual TV presenter and science communicator, Lee is best known for hosting national kids science TV show, Scope (Network 10) for four years.
Meet Our Speakers
Lesley Hughes
Expertise: Science
Professor Lesley Hughes is Distinguished Professor of Biology and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Integrity & Development) at Macquarie University. Lesley is an ecologist by training and has worked for more than 20 years to research and communicate the science of climate change.
Lesley is a former federal Climate Commissioner, Lead Author in the IPCC’s 4th and 5th Assessment Reports, a councillor with the Climate Council of Australia, a Director for WWF Australia, and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. In 2014 Lesley was awarded the Eureka Prize for changing the way we talk about the science of climate change.
Greg Bourne
Expertise: Business
Greg Bourne is a councillor with the Climate Council of Australia and an expert in the interplay between climate change, energy, business and policy. Originally trained as a chemist, Greg worked in the energy industry for over 30 years, including as regional president of BP Australasia.
Greg spent two years as Special Adviser on Energy and Transport to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Greg was CEO WWF Australia for six years and later a non-executive director of Carnegie Wave Energy. He is the former Chair of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has been awarded the Centenary Medal for services to the environment.
Tennant Reed
Expertise: Policy
Tennant Reed manages Climate, Energy and Environment Policy at the Australian Industry (Ai) Group.
With more than a decade of experience in climate and energy policy design, Tennant has published on topics including natural gas supply, energy prices, energy efficiency, business energy use, manufacturing and innovation. Prior to joining the Ai Group, Tennant worked as an adviser in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, working on fiscal policy, stimulus and infrastructure.
Caroline Fisher
Expertise: Media
Associate Professor Caroline Fisher is the Deputy Director of the News & Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra and co-author of the annual Digital News Report-Australia.
Katerina Gaita
Expertise: Community Change
Katerina is the Founder and CEO of Climate for Change, a community organisation that aims to help everyday people understand the problems and challenges we face with climate change, and to inspire and empower them to make a difference.
Katerina’s expertise is in behaviour change and climate communication, and through the Climate Conversations of Climate for Change she has helped reach 8000 people, including many in the ‘wavering middle’. Originally trained as a lawyer, Katerina is also an Advisory Board Member of the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute and was a 2010 Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellow.
Submit a Question
Do you have a question for the panel?
We would love to your questions about how we can take action on climate change. You can use our form, email us directly, or even better submit a video question for the panellists.
Try to keep the question to maximum 30 seconds in duration
- Try to avoid loud background noise
- Film in landscape mode by turning your phone on its side
- Try to keep your phone or camera steady by resting it on a shelf or table, or ask someone to film you
- Film from your shoulders up and try to leave space above your head
- Please leave a pause at the end of your question before you stop recording
- The maximum video upload size is 25MB
The majority of Australians accept the science of climate change and think that it is important to reduce our carbon emissions. However, it is difficult as an individual to know how to take effective action to help bring about these changes. This panel discussion will explore the opportunities and obstacles for reducing carbon emissions, with the aim of finding concrete actions that individuals can take.
