This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Most sustainability talks are about the doom and despair associated with climate change. In his talk, Peter Newman compiles recent trends to show the hope that we could perhaps change enough to meet the global challenges, especially in our cities. Decoupling fossil fuels from wealth and liveability can now be seen with peak fossil fuel investment, peak power consumption, peak car use and peak oil.

There is no room for complacency but we are winning...?

Peter is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and Director of CUSP. He is a Lead Author for Transport on the IPCC and was a member of the Advisory Council for Infrastructure Australia. His books include ‘Green Urbanism in Asia’ (2013), ‘Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change’ (2009), ‘Green Urbanism Down Under’ (2009) and Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence with Jeff Kenworthy which was launched in the White House in 1999.

In 2001-3 Peter directed the production of Western Australia’s Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. In 2004-5 he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning and transport issues. In 2006/7 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville. In 2011, Peter was awarded the Sidney Luker medal by the Planning Institute of Australia (NSW) for his contribution to the science and practice of town planning in Australia.

In 2014, he was awarded an Order of Australia for his contributions to urban design and sustainable transport, particularly related to the saving and rebuilding of Perth’s rail system.

He was an elected Fremantle City Councillor from 1976 to 80 where he still lives.

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