James Hansen will be touring New Zealand next month, giving a public lecture entitled “Climate Change: a scientific, moral and legal issue” in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Dunedin, Gore and Christchurch (schedule below the fold). Coal and lignite will be a major focus of his visit, and he’ll be participating in a symposium on “the future of coal” in Wellington on May 17th. Solid Energy’s CEO Don Elder will also be there, which should guarantee an interesting divergence of opinion. Hansen will also visit Southland to see the site of Solid Energy’s proposed lignite developments. Hot Topic and The Climate Show hope to be able to catch up with Jim at some point on his tour. I want to ask him about the Eemian… 😉
Hansen’s tour is being sponsored by a number of groups, including 350.org, Greenpeace, Organic Systems NZ, Oxfam, The Pure Advantage (business leaders group), the Institute of Policy Studies, and a number of interested academics and individuals. Announcing the tour, Jeanette Fitzsimons, spokesperson for the coalition bringing Dr Hansen to New Zealand said “Dr Hansen will explain why we cannot get climate change under control and preserve a decent future for our grandchildren unless we leave most of the remaining coal in the ground”. Amen to that.
Hansen’s NZ Tour, May 2011
Thurs 12th May: Auckland: public lecture 6pm, University of Auckland Business School, OGGB4, Level 0, Owen Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road.
Fri 13th May: Palmerston North: public lecture 1.30-2.45pm, Japan Lecture Theatre, Massey University.
Mon 16th May: Wellington: public lecture 5.45pm, Rutherford House, welcomed by Mayor Celia Wade-Brown.
Tues 17th May: Wellington: 8.45 am – 5.30 pm IPS Symposium on the Future of Coal (pdf) Victoria University: (he will speak 10.20 to 11.30, on panel 4pm -5.30pm).
Wed 18th May: Dunedin: public lecture5.30 – 7pm, St David’s Lecture Hall.
Thurs 19th May: Gore: 2 pm public meeting hosted by Mataura Landcare group, Gore District Council.
Friday 20th May: Christchurch: public talk 5.30 pm, hosted by Kennedy Graham, MP, venue to be confirmed.
Saturday 21st May: Auckland: Daytime event to be confirmed.
I’ll update this schedule as further information becomes available.
I am so glad to hear he’s coming to Southland. There are some staunch contrarians down here, but it will be great to have a scientist to present the facts.
Although many locals are keen to see lignite-mining go ahead – “more jobs for the district” – Solid Energy have said there will only be 12 people employed intially, not even as many as the supermarket employ! And it’s also been made clear that land will not be restored to the state it can be farmed again, but we might get a new lake. Yep, that will be handy.