Guest Speaker - Paul R. Ehrlich

Hosted by the Environment Institute & Fenner School of Environment & Society at the Australian National University

The Environment Institute & Fenner School of Environment & Society at ANU presented Professor Paul Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies in the department of Biological Sciences at Stanford University on Thursday 21st March 2013.

'Avoiding a collapse of civilisation - our chances, prospects and pathways forward.'

Download the pdf Flyer

Presentation Materials

Date	Seminar Topic	Downloads
21 March	Avoiding a collapse of civilisation - our chances, prospects and pathways forward.	MP3 Download

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 gave a talk about his recent conclusions.

Professor Ehrlich was then joined by leading ecological scientists to participate in an in-depth panel discussion. The panel extended and discussed Professor Ehrlich's topics as they relate to sustainability politics in Australia. They broached controversial topics from food and energy supply to the politics of greed. How much scientific evidence underlies our national decision-making?

The panel included Professor Corey Bradshaw from the Environment Institute, Professor David Lindenmayer from ANU, and Professor Graham Pyke from University of Technology Sydney.

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.

Paul Ehrlich in Adelaide

While in Australia, Paul Ehrlich headlined '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 participated 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