In Conversation with: Professor Tim Flannery

Humans are a species of problem-solvers. It's in our nature to reach for solutions, and that instinct is exactly why we have the power to act on climate change.

But that same instinct can be exploited. Too often, we're being sold clever climate fixes that happen to let the fossil fuel industry off the hook.

So what's the real path to a cleaner, safer future – and how do we tell the genuine solutions apart from the distractions?

That's the question at the heart of Professor Tim Flannery's new book, Climate Folly – and the conversation we'll have when he joins Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie for a warm, wide-ranging virtual fireside chat:

Webinar: In Conversation with Prof. Tim Flannery

Date: Tuesday 28 July

Time: 6–7pm AEST

Where: Free online Zoom webinar

For more than two decades, Tim has been one of the most trusted voices in Australian climate science – a paleontologist, explorer, and Climate Council co-founder who has spent his life in the field and at the centre of the climate conversation.

This is a rare chance to step back from the headlines and spend an hour with someone who has seen the long arc of the climate fight – and is still fighting.

Together, Tim and Amanda will explore:

Humanity’s long history of trying to alter the climate – from Cold War plans to nuke the Arctic ice cap, to plans to dam the Mediterranean – the wild, often absurd history of humans trying to engineer the weather, and what it teaches us

Today's "miracle fixes" – sulphur injections, carbon capture: what the science actually says, and why the promise of a future fix is so convenient for coal, oil and gas corporations

What actually works – the grounded, achievable solutions already underway, from Indigenous land management to the clean energy shift, and why cutting pollution remains the foundation

Reasons for hope – including Tim's recent expeditions to New Guinea in search of species thought lost, and what this moment is asking of all of us
 

Come ready to listen, reflect, and reconnect with why this work matters. Register now to join the conversation and pre-submit your questions to Tim.

Register today and go in the draw to win a signed copy of Tim's book, Climate Folly.

SPEAKER: 

Professor Tim Flannery, Councillor, Climate Council

Professor Tim Flannery is one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change. An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, Professor Flannery was named Australian of the Year in 2007.

Professor Flannery has held various academic positions including Professor at the University of Adelaide, director of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum and Visiting Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.

A well-known presenter on ABC Radio, NPR and the BBC for more than a decade, he has also written and presented several series on the Documentary Channel and in 2013 co-founded the Climate Council.

FACILITATOR: 

Amanda McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Climate Council

Amanda is a prominent Australian environmental leader and one of the best known public commentators on the climate crisis in Australia. She co-founded the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and has served on renewable energy expert panels for the Queensland and Northern Territory Governments.

Previously, she was the Senior Communications Advisor at the Climate Commission and in 2013, alongside Professor Tim Flannery, co-founded the Climate Council following Australia’s largest crowdfunding campaign at the time.

Amanda has led the organisation as CEO since its inception in 2013