Scientists v Environmentalists

SCIENTISTS VERSUS ENVIRONMENTALISTS: WHICH IS THE BIGGER OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS ON SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

THURSDAY JUNE 9th

Mark Lynas is an environmental campaigner and journalist specialising in climate change and author of the acclaimed book High Tide: News from a Warming World.

Dr Myles Allen is head of the Climate Dynamics Group at the Oxford University Department of Physics and is a leading specialist in climate change modeling.

Both are passionate and highly entertaining speakers and a stimulating debate is guaranteed with full audience involvement.

7-9pm THE VAULTS, rear of the University Church of St Mary’s on Oxford High Street. Seating is limited, so early arrival is recommended. Organic food and light refreshments are available from 6.30.

Price £2 / £1 concessions on the door

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This meeting is part of a series being organised by Oxford's Climate Outreach Information Network (COIN).

"Is what we know useful? And, if not what would be?"

Professor Stuart Pimm

Doris Duke Chair of Conservation Ecology, Duke University , USA and

Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria , South Africa

"Is what we know useful? And, if not what would be?"

Thursday 2nd June @ 4.30pm

Lecture Theatre A, Dept of Zoology

Human actions are now driving species to extinction hundreds to thousands of times faster than geological background rates. This large and irreversible process begs our asking what we can do to prevent future losses. The novelty of the problem means that there are many solutions; some involve science.

Professor Pimm will review case studies of animal conservation, including a sparrow and a panther from the Everglades of Florida, a suite of bird species in the Atlantic Coast forest of Brazil , and a congressman in Washington DC , to see if useful, general lessons can be deduced.

Talk by Earthwatch scientists at R.G.S.

Thursday 23rd June, 7.00pm – 8.30pm.

Earthwatch Lecture at the Royal Geographical Society, I Kensington Gore, London.

South American Forest Birds – Ecotourism, Enterprise & Extinction.

Talks by Earthwatch scientists Dr. Dusti Becker & Dr. Donald Brightsmith

From the stunning bird biodiversity of Ecuador’s Loma Alta cloud forests to the beautiful and highly prized macaws in the Tambopata region of Peru - how best can local communities conserve their environmental heritage?

Admission is free but by ticket only.

Contact Earthwatch on (01865) 318856; events@earthwatch.org.uk;

www.earthwatch.org/europe/events/index.html#eee

Ciclonudista : nude cycle protest

Thanks to James at Cyclox for passing on the following press release:

2nd CICLONUDISTA (WORLD NAKED BIKE DEMONSTRATION)

SATURDAY JUNE 11, 2005

NAKED BEFORE THE TRAFFIC! JUSTICE ON THE STREETS!

Justice on the streets, this is what we claim with a strong conviction and in earnest, but cheerfully as well, having a good time. Cars impose their law and order on us: speed, high-handedness, fumes and violence. That is why when we move day by day on our bikes we transform our mobility into an everyday disobedience act. If, on top of that, we demonstrate naked on our bikes we turn disobedience into an exemplary protest.

The Cyclenudist Group Committee (Coordinadora de Colectivos Ciclonudistas, CCC) in Aragón (Spanish State) makes a call to organize Ciclonudista (Naked Bike) demonstrations in the cities all over the world, on Saturday June 11, 2005, with an aim to extend to your home town those already held in Zaragoza in last 4 years and in 30 cities all over the world on 2004.

We denounce that our streets have been kidnapped by privately used cars which collapse cities and degenerate these into a hostile and dangerous land. Cars kill and we are shocked at their impunity. If we question them, so many transnational war interests in petrol and car industry are at stake. We propose a model of a city where people get back their space, where moving needs are reduced and where there is a commitment to pedestrians (all of us are) and to less polluting and more effective means of transport.

Why cycling? The bicycle is a reliable, healthy, ecological and amusing means of transport. It is an icon, a symbol of freedom and a practical instrument to transform society. It does not pay taxes, does not waste oil, does neither cooperate with a destroying development nor with global war.

Why naked? Because we feel we are naked before the traffic owing to the drivers' lack of respect and the apathy of our rulers. Thus we make it visible that our bodywork is fragile. Moreover, we show our body naturally, not feeling ashamed, toppling taboos regarding our physical appearance which are imposed by fashion and the greediness of the textile transnational industry. To sum up, we face urban traffic with our naked body on our bikes as the best way of defending our dignity and of living the social struggle.

Visit our website: www.ciclonudista.net

Contact us for more information.: info@ciclonudista.net

Visit: www.worldnakedbikeride.org

Coordinadora de Colectivos Ciclonudistas de Aragón (CCC)