Monday 16th April 2018

Although climate change seems to be an alarming new problem without precedent in pre-industrial civilization, maybe historians can help us.  What can we learn from them?


Sunburnt Country

Dr Joelle Gergis talks to Vivien Langford about her new book “Sunburnt Country”. It is subtitled “The History and Future of Climate change in Australia” and won the Eureka prize for interdisciplinary research. She is a climate scientist but has delved into the diaries and weather records of early settlers as well as the ice cores and tree rings of thousands of years ago to tell us where we are going. It is like an episode of “Who do you think you are?” With Australia’s climate as the subject.

 

 

 

 


The Reef

Professor Iain Mc Calman’s “The Reef “ takes us through 12 historical tales of centred around the Great Barrier Reef, we learn how the reef has become transformed in the popular consciousness from nautical obstacle, to location of refuge, to subject of art and study. The final phase of the reef is imperilled natural wonder and Kurt talks to Iain about the lessons in history we can bring to ensure the long-term survival of the Reef. His interactive website is here: http://thereef.iainmccalman.com.au

 

 

 

 


Tom Griffiths

Professor Tom Griffiths talks to Vivien about his fascination with environmental history. We have drawn on his work on the tall Ash Forests in “The land of the Lyrebirds podcast” .Now his book “Slicing the Silence” takes us to Antarctica, where we have actually made leaps in awareness, reserving it as a place for peace and science(not mining) before it is all too late. He says people expect historians to help us navigate the future we are creating for ourselves.

 

 


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