Public Seminar: Fact and Fantasy in the Science and Politics of Climate Change

Date: 23 March 2010

Venue: S.1.05

Time: 1-2pm

Dr. Barry Smit
Professor of Geography
Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Change
University of Guelph

This presentation addresses the physical and human forces underlying climate change and its implications for the environment and development. The roles of science and politics in national and international policy responses are outlined – mitigation and adaptation. Examples are given of adaptation initiatives in regions ranging from the Arctic to Bangladesh and Nigeria to Chile. The needs and opportunities for truly interdisciplinary science and practice are presented.

Barry Smit is internationally recognized for his work on climate change impacts and adaptation. He is a scientist-practitioner whose interdisciplinary research explores the relationships between socio-economic systems and physical-biological systems. His work has been applied in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Samoa, Fiji, Chile, Ghana, Uganda and the Arctic. He has advised governments and organizations across Canada and internationally. He has served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and is a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

This talk is sponsored by the Association for Canadian Studies in Australia and New Zealand (ACSANZ) and the Government of Canada.