Speaking Events

On 22^nd August 2023, I presented the Keynote at the Forum for the Oceans in Cancun, Mexico.

On On 27^th April 2023, I spoke to the Huntsville Lakes Probus Club about the Wondrousness of Coral Reefs.

On 12^th October 2022, I talked about the wondrousness of coral reefs to an enthusiastic audience in Pakenham, ON.

On 5^th October 2022, I spoke about the wondrousness of coral reefs to the South Muskoka Probus Club. For some strange reason we had troubles with the colors of the slides!

On 20th September 2022, I was the keynote speaker at the launch even for Greys for Green, a new climate advocacy group in Alliston, ON, talking about local impacts of climate change. Great crowd!

On 21st June 2022, I finally got the chance to talk about my ‘new’ book, Coral Reefs, to the Muskoka Lakes Probus Club. I’m not sure I convinced them that reefs are utterly fantastic, and deserve to be on this planet. Getting a bit rusty I guess.

On 5th July 2021, I joined Randy Olson’s podcast, ABTtime, along with Dr. Robert Steneck, University of Maine, a long-time coral reef colleague, and other guests. Listen to our conversation about the stories that come from coral reefs.

On 16th May 2021 I spoke in the Sustainability webinar series hosted by the Muskoka Discovery Centre.

Details are here. And my contribution is here (I start at 7 min in). Richard Lammers and I deal with climate change coming to Muskoka, and what that means for our environment and our lives.

I spoke by Zoom in the Reef Matters Seminar Series, organized by the Australian Coral Reef Society at 11.30 am, 9^th December 2020, Sydney time. Click the image for the seminar:

Abstract: With hindsight, it is clear that coral reefs were degrading globally even before reef ecology really got started in 1955. The causes were various and the trajectories differed from place to place. Mostly, reef scientists failed to notice the generality of decline until remarkably recently, while being well aware that reefs were being degraded in some locations, usually for obvious, local reasons. I discuss the attitudes and the paradigms that likely caused this failure to appreciate this human-caused, global deterioration in coral reef condition. I also look forward to a possible future which includes viable, high-diversity, productive, actively calcifying reefs, and to a much more likely future where reefs as we knew them in the 1960s have disappeared entirely. Reaching that desirable, but less likely, future will require substantial innovation in our understanding of the dynamics of complex ecological systems, and a recasting of conservation as assisting and steering rather than preserving or restoring coral reef systems. Achieving this future would be of real benefit to humanity and the planet.  It could also bring opportunities for scientific research on coral reefs that are every bit as wonderful and rewarding as the great discoveries of past decades.

Other Recent Events

1^st November 2020.  I spoke on local climate change impacts at the webinar organized by the Kawartha Highlands and Lakes (KHL) Chapter of the Council of Canadians.

25^th September 2020.  I talked about our changing climate as part of the ‘No Planet B’ webinar organized by Environment Haliburton.

21^st September 2020.  I presented a webinar on Watersheds 101 to the Magnetawan Watershed Land Trust, Magnetawan, Ontario.

15^th August 2020.  I talked via Zoom about local climate change at the annual meeting of the Cavendish Community Rate Payers Association, Cavendish Community Centre, Trent Lakes, Ontario.

6^th July 2019.  I was the guest speaker at the Mary Lake Association AGM, speaking on ‘Climate Change in Muskoka: What it means for our environment and our lives’.

15^th June 2019.  I was the Keynote Speaker at the ‘Climate Change in Muskoka and Parry Sound’ daylong workshop, held at the Active Living Centre, Huntsville, and organized by the Green Party of Canada local organizing committee.  My title was ‘Welcome to the Anthropocene: Climate Change in Muskoka’

 8^th June 2019.  I spoke at the Lake Vernon Association AGM on climate change in Muskoka.

29^th January 2019.  I spoke to the Minnette Steering Committee at the Muskoka Lakes Township offices on climate change in Muskoka, and planning implications.

18^th October 2018.  I spoke at the Barrie Kempenfelt Probus Club in Barrie, ON, on navigating the Anthropocene, and why that should matter to all of us.

5^th August 2018.  I spoke at the Salmon Lake Association’s AGM at Salmon Lake.  My topic: why this is no longer your grandfather’s Kawartha Lakes Region.

21^st July 2018.  I spoke at the Peninsula Lake Association Eco-Forum on how and why our environment is changing in Muskoka.

27^th February 2018.  I spoke at the Muskoka Horticultural Society on the topic of climate change in Muskoka.

4^th November 2017.  I was the keynote speaker at the Green Energy Forum, Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve & Canadore College, Parry Sound.  My topic: It’s No Longer Your Grandfather’s Planet: Climate change impacts in cottage country.

26^th October 2017.  I spoke at the climate change workshop organized by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Barrie, on expected climate change in Muskoka.

8^th August 2017.  I spoke to the Lindsay Ontario Probus Club, topic: Humanity in the Anthropocene – Planetary damage and biosphere repair.

10^th June 2017.  I spoke to the Coalition of Haliburton Lake Associations, at Fleming College, Haliburton on Ontario in the Anthropocene – Planetary damage & biosphere repair.

12^th May 2017, Peter participated in the Muskoka Watershed Council’s Environmental Stewardship Conference, at the Port Carling Community Centre.

3^rd May 2017.  I talked to the Muskoka Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women on the topic, “Humanity in the Anthropocene — Planetary Damage and Biosphere Repair”

22^nd April 2017.  I spoke at the Gravenhurst Lions Club’s Environment Information Day, at the Muskoka Discovery Centre, The Wharf, Gravenhurst.

Watch past performances

In 2015 I gave a plenary talk at the annual Goldschmidt Geoscience Conference held in Prague, Czech Republic. Click the image for the YouTube recording.

On 1 Nov 2020 I Zoomed a talk to the Kawartha Highlands and Lakes Chapter of the Council of Canadians. In this excerpt I talk about the changes in perspective we need to make to be successful in environmental management:

On 8 Dec 2016, I was interviewed by CCTV concerning the mass bleaching then in progress on the Great Barrier Reef. Click the image for the video.

Here are two audio clips of interviews in 2011 on publication of Our Dying Planet. First, on 27 Sept 2011, Ecoshock Radio out of Vancouver.

And second, on 4 Oct 2011 on Ecotopia, KZFR.FM