About the Forum

Launch of Rotary’s New Area of Focus – The Environment in the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands region (ANZPI)

The ANZPI regional chapter of ESRAG – the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group invite you to be part of the launch of the Environment as Rotary’s new and 7th Area of Focus.

This event was held on Zoom on Friday June 4th (World Environment Day eve)

During this 75 minute event we crossed to interviews in:

• NSW with renowned Climate Scientists Prof. Lesley Hughes
• Victoria with RI Past President Ian Riseley and PDG Juliet Riseley
• New Zealand with Dr. Roger Blakeley

There were also showcased videos of environmental projects from around the region and a Zoom speed networking event to meet like minded people in your district/region.

So watch the videos and be part of the celebrations !

Program

N.S.W.: DGE Jeremy Wright – MC

Vic: Dr. Jessie Harman Director, Rotary International 2021-2023.

N.S.W.: Professor Lesley Hughes interviewed by Dr. Thelma Raman

Victoria: Ian and Juliet Riseley interviewed by Dr. Pat Armstrong

New Zealand: Dr. Roger Blakeley interviewed by Rob Anderson

Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands

Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands

Dr. Pat Armstrong (ANZPI Chair) interviewed by Jeremy Wright

About the Speakers

Professor Lesley Hughes

Professor Lesley Hughes is a Distinguished Professor of Biology and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Integrity & Development) at Macquarie University. Her research has mainly focused on the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems.

She is a former federal Climate Commissioner and was the former Lead Author in the IPCC’s 4th and 5th Assessment Report. She is a founding councillor with the Climate Council of Australia, a director for WWF Australia, and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

Ian and Juliet Riseley

Ian was Past President of Rotary International 2017/18.

Juliet is a past district governor of D9810 and Charter President of RC Hampton.

The Riseley’s are Major Donors and Bequest Society members of the Rotary Foundation. They live on seven hectares at Moorooduc, where they practice their personal philosophy of sustainable and organic living. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Roger Blakeley

Roger is a councillor at the Greater Wellington Regional Council. He has a doctorate in earthquake engineering from Canterbury University. 

He was Secretary for the Environment for New Zealand from 1986 to 1995. During that time, he launched the New Zealand Climate Change Programme in 1990. He was a New Zealand representative to the First Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 1) in Berlin in 1995. He was the Chair of the Paris-based OECD Environment Committee from 1992 to 1995.

As Chief Planning Officer of Auckland Council from 2010 to 2015 he was responsible for developing ‘The Auckland Plan’, a blueprint setting out the long-term vision and framework for development of the Auckland ‘SuperCity’ over the next 30 years.

Extended Interview with Ian and Juliet Riseley

Projects and Project  Videos

If you enjoyed the project videos check out other ANZPI projects 

You can also see other 90 second videos from around the world at www.IFixThePlanet.org – a video competition initiative held by ESRAG with winners announce June 5th 2021 for World environment Day.   Here’s a video intro

Supported by the organising committee:

• Dr. Pat Armstrong: Chair of ESRAG ANZPI and RC Doncaster, Victoria, D9810
• Jeremy Wright: DGE D9675 and RC Sydney Cove, New South Wales, D9675
• Dr. Thelma Raman: RC Sydney, New South Wales, D9675
• Rob Anderson: RC Canterbury, Victoria, D9800
• Malcolm Chiverton: PDG D9810, RC of Box Hill, Victoria, D9810
• Karen Loblay AM: RC Sydney, New South Wales, D9675