Celebrate and Explore Antarctica with Victoria University
Antarctic Seminars Monday-Wednesday 14-16 April, evenings.
Victoria University invites you to three free Antarctic discussions on the evenings of Monday to Wednesday 14-16 April.
We will celebrate and explore the unique qualities of Antarctica and then move to discuss issues currently facing the
continent and Southern Ocean and solutions. The discussions are part of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s Exploring Antarctica Festival in Wellington between 12 and 20 April 2008. There is a wide range of Antarctic events.
Fantastic Antarctica: Ilott Theatre, ground floor of the Wellington Town Hall, Monday 14 April, 7.30-9.00pm
What's so special about Antarctica? Chaired by Kim Hill, the seminar brings writer Bill Manhire, painter Dick Frizzell, science communicator Lloyd Davis and ecologist
Vonda Cummings explore their experiences and perspectives on the world where longitude and latitude, night and day,
heaven and hell, converge. Abode of miraculous extremophiles and extravagant landscapes in a thousand shades of white.
Exquisitely sensitive barometer of climate change. Antarctica is more than sublime geographical oddity; we may need to
preserve it to survive. Held in partnership with the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Protecting Antarctica: Paramount Theatre, Courtney Place, Tuesday 15 April, 5.30-7.30pm
Antarctica’s environment is relatively pristine and isolated – but what threats does it face? Who and what protects it?
You might be surprised by the fantastic and fragile nature of the Antarctic environment. Panelists will discuss efforts
to ensure that the unique qualities of Antarctica are not undermined by human activities. Panelists include Joanna
Mossop (Antarctic governance); Neil Gilbert (issues facing the Antarctic environment); Cath Wallace (the role of the
public and NGOs in protecting Antarctica); Michael Donoghue on whales and the Southern Ocean, and Peter Cozens (security
issues).
Cool Antarctica: Paramount Theatre, Courtney Place, Wednesday 16 April, 5.30-7.30pm
It’s not cool to heat Antarctica. Hear about Antarctica as the driver of global oceans and atmospheric systems, the
climate change negotiations and what New Zealanders can do to play a part in the solution. Panelists include Martin
Manning (Climate Change-what is settled and what is uncertain-an international perspective); Nancy Bertler (climate
change in Antarctica);Peter Barrett (Antarctic climate past and future); Jonathan Boston (international efforts to
address climate change); Ralph Chapman (New Zealand action on climate change).
Other events in the Festival include a special concert by the NZSO, an Art After Dark event at Te Papa, an exhibition at
The New Dowse, and a screening of Scott of the Antarctic. The full festival programme can be found at www.nzso.co.nz.
Exploring Antarctica: Public Discussion – Fantastic Antarctica, Protecting Antarctica, Cool Antarctica.
Session and ParticipantsLocation, Chair or Speaker DesignationTopic titlesFantastic AntarcticaIlott Theatre, Monday 14 April, 7.30-9.00pmKim HillBroadcasterFacilitatorSpeakersTopicBill Manhire, Professor, writer and Director, International Institute of Modern Letters, Victoria University.Ideas of Purity: Antarctica in the Human Imagination.Dick Frizzell,Painter of noteAnxious, exhilarated and exhaustedLloyd Spencer Davis Professor, scientist, writer and Director of the Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago The Antarctic through penguin eyes Vonda CummingsMarine ecologist, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchCoastal Antarctica; a vibrant underworld Protecting Antarctica Paramount Theatre, Courtney Place, Tuesday 15 April, 5.30-7.30pmDavid McDowellFormer Director General of the World Conservation Union – IUCN, distinguished diplomat and Ambassador to Japan for New
Zealand, former head of the Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Director-General of the Department of Conservation,
former New Zealand Ambassador to the UN.FacilitatorJoanna Mossop Faculty of Law, Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic GovernanceNeil Gilbert Environmental Manager, Antarctica New Zealand and Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection of the
Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic TreatyTackling Antarctic environmental issues.Cath WallaceSchool of Government, Victoria University, and Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZAntarctic environmental protection: too important to be left to governments. The roles of civil society.Michael DonoghueSenior International Relations Adviser, Department of ConservationWhaling and the Southern OceanPeter CozensExecutive Director, Centre for Strategic Studies, School of Government, Victoria University.Issues of security. Cool Antarctica Paramount Theatre, Courtney Place, Wednesday 16 April, 5.30-7.30pmJudy LawrenceDirector Policy and Strategy Consulting Ltd, former Director of the Climate Change Office, Ministry for the Environment. FacilitatorMartin ManningProfessor of Climate Change, the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, School of Government, Victoria
University.Climate Change - what is settled and what is uncertain –an international perspectiveNancy BertlerSenior Scientist , Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University & GNS ScienceClimate change - what is happening in AntarcticaPeter Barrett,Professor of Geology: Antarctic Research Centre, and the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, School of
Government, Victoria University of Wellington.Antarctic climate – past and futureJonathon BostonProfessor and Director, Institute of Policy Studies, School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington. International efforts to address climate change.Ralph ChapmanDirector, Graduate Programme in Environmental Studies, School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria
University. New Zealand policy action on climate change.
ENDS