What do MPs and mayors, the heads of the Adelaide Festival, Fringe, and Emergency Services; dozens of students, and a bunch of scientists have in common? They are all part of a remarkable Fringe event to communicate the reality of climate change.
Stars from the arts world are aligning with science leaders, industry and government during the Fringe special event – 1.5 Degrees Live!
The future of Planet Earth is in the spotlight as more than 100 concerned Australians present key findings from the milestone Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report at three locations around Adelaide.
Staged over 5 days at 3 venues, 100 guests will read the most important climate change report in the world. From 5-9 March, popular entertainers and arts industry leaders will unite with key identities from government and business, as well as scientists, conservationists, activists, students and others to highlight what needs to be done on climate change.
“The increased frequency of extreme weather events and record high global temperatures mean that climate change is now at the front and centre in public discourse,” says Flinders University Vice-Chancellor Professor Colin Stirling, who will open the event at Flinders University on 5 March.
“The 1.5 Degrees Live event will help to further highlight the impact we can expect if the rate of increase in our planet’s temperature continues.
“At Flinders University we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint to zero and reducing our impact on the environment in a range of other ways.
“A shift in the global energy economy is coming and so we must decide whether we will lead or simply follow; we choose to lead.”
Scientific experts will expand on the best way to achieve these environmental targets.
Another Flinders 1.5 Degrees Live! speaker, Professor in Global Ecology Corey Bradshaw, is warning average global temperatures will exceed the 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels forecast in the 2018 IPCC report.
“Many events predicted from an increasingly warm and variable climate are hitting the headlines at an increasing rate, and governments and industry need to step up their collective actions to reduce the probability of catastrophic events,” Professor Bradshaw says.
“As the world temperatures continue to rise, the incidence and severity of extreme events that destroy native plants and wildlife, expensive infrastructure, and even human lives, are on the rise,” he says. “There is really no indication that these trends will decline or even level off soon.
“In my research field of global-change ecology – how human endeavours and climate fluctuations alter past, present and future ecosystems – we are already reporting mass extinctions as species respond to climate change, disease and inadequate conservation measures.”
The IPCC report warned of long-lasting and irreversible impacts such as loss of habitats and species, increased mean temperatures in most land and sea regions, higher likelihood of drought and precipitation deficits in some regions, and heavy rainfall and other disasters in other regions.
Based on the first such event at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, organisers expect Adelaide’s 1.5 Degrees Live! to influence both those involved and echo the need for action on the major policy agenda of our times.
Associate Professor in Public Policy Cassandra Star says the event highlights the role the arts plays in “mediating between science and its publics”.
“In particular, it helps to create personal and emotional connections between the science and the action that needs to occur,” she says.
Flinders University is teaming with the City of Adelaide, Adelaide Fringe 2020, WOMADelaide and the Garden of Unearthly Delights to present the five days of 20-minutes readings at three venues:
Day 1 – Flinders University, Student Plaza, 9am – 5pm
Day 2 – Garden of Unearthly Delights, 10am – 4pm
Day 3 – Garden of Unearthly Delights, 10am – 4pm
Day 4 – WOMADelaide, 11am – 6pm (included in purchase ticket price)
Day 5 – WOMADelaide, 11am – 6pm
Join a big cast of speakers – ranging from comedian Tom Ballard, Fringe director Heather Croall and Circus Tricktease, to Members of Parliament, scientists and environmentalists, and mayors from the Resilient East group of councils – see the full list of speakers – over five days at Flinders University, the Fringe’s Garden of Unearthly Delights (6-7 March) and WOMADelaide (8-9 March) for readings and learnings from this important reform document.
• Artists and arts leaders – Rob Brookman, Heather Croall, Christie Anthoney, Mitchell Butel, Susannah Sweeney, Helen Sheldon, Ebony Bott, Karl Winda Telfer, Liz Hawkins, Olivia Power, Kate Moskwa, filmmaker Damon Gameau, comedians Tom Ballard and Lewis Garnham, Kyle Raftery (CircusTrick Tease), Claire from Kagools.
• Academics and students reps – Flinders Vice-Chancellor Prof Colin Stirling, Prof Vanessa Lemm, Prof Karen Reynolds, Prof Corey Bradshaw, A/Prof Cassandra Star (whose research is referenced in the IPCC report), Prof Craig Simmons, Prof Adrian Werner, A/Prof Beverley Clarke, Dr Frederick Saltre, Prof Veronica Seobarto, A/Prof Doug Bardsley, Dr Michelle Lim, Dr Ali Baker. Flinders Student Union reps Josh Rayner, Jesy Murphy, Amy Tschirn, and Adelaide Botanic High School students, and more.
• Environmental experts, activists – Mark Anderson, Craig Wilkins, Mellissa Bradley, Ann Gibbons, Michelle English, Khadija Gbla, Milou Albrecht, Steve Kern, Robyn Waite, Matthew Wright Simon, Peter Owen, Jeanette Gellard, Wayne Boardman.
• Emergency and other services – Chris Beattie and Dermot Barry (SES), Cristel Chambers and Rose Rhodes (Red Cross), Penny Wright (Children’s Guardian), John O’Brien (Deloitte), Lee Sauerwald (Uniting Communities), Nicola Spurrier, etc
• Mayors and MPs – Senator Sarah Hansen-Young, Mark Parnell MLA, Mark Butler MP, Tammy Franks, Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, Michael Hewitson (Unley), Kevin Knight (Tea Tree Gully), Ann Monceaux (Burnside), Jill Whittaker (Campbelltown), Amanda Wilson (Holdfast Bay), Heather Holmes-Ross (Mitcham).