Seizing The Moment
Moderator: Polly Hemming • Alan Finkel, Joëlle Gergis and Murrawah Johnson
The solutions we need to live sustainably already exist. So how do we turn climate paralysis into meaningful action? With experience at the front-line of the climate crisis, these panellists have some ideas.
Presented in conjunction with The Australia Institute
Artist
ALAN FINKEL was Australia’s chief scientist from 2016 to 2020. He is a neuroscientist, engineer and entrepreneur. He led the 2017 National Electricity Market Review and the 2019 development of the National Hydrogen Strategy, and chaired the 2020 panel developing the Low Emissions Technology Roadmap. He is currently special adviser to the Australian government on low-emissions technologies. His latest book is Powering Up.
Artist
DR JOËLLE GERGIS is an award-winning climate scientist and author based at the Australian National University. She is an internationally recognised expert in Australian and Southern Hemisphere climate variability and change who has authored over 100 scientific publications. Joëlle served as a lead author on the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on the Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report, a global review of climate change science. She is the author of Sunburnt Country: The future and history of climate change in Australia and cohost of The Conversation’s podcast Fear and Wonder. Her latest book is Humanity’s Moment: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope.
Artist
MURRAWAH JOHNSON is a Wirdi woman from North and Central Queensland, where the Wiri/Wirdi language dialect ties to the broader Birri Gubba Nation. Murrawah also has ties to Kangalou, Kullilli, Iman, Mununjali and Bigambul Peoples. She holds ties to Wangan and Jagalingou country as a Wirdi Traditional Owner. Murrawah has worked on Aboriginal rights litigation in the Federal Court, Supreme Court of Queensland and the Land Court of Queensland; lobbying State and Federal governments, and international financial corporations; submits to UN agencies and rapporteurs on human rights breaches; and building research and policy agendas. She also works on community-level Indigenous and climate justice strategies; and has facilitated First Nations solidarities in CANZUS countries.
Moderator
POLLY HEMMING is Director of the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy program. She has extensive experience working in policy, marketing and engagement roles in both not-for-profit and public sectors. Her current work focuses on carbon and environmental markets, climate integrity and greenwashing. Having previously led the development of a government eco-label recognising voluntary climate action by the private sector, she maintains a strong interest in non-state climate ambition and the policies and regulation that interact with this. Polly’s previous roles have included academic publishing, remote Indigenous education, refugee advocacy and science communication, bringing a range of perspectives and experiences to her public policy research.