And allow me one climate change question: among the ‘ambitions’ in the initial report was

Australia’s… ecosystems & species are managed to reduce threats and build resilience to promote adaptation to climate change

What’s your view on the notion that organisms and ecosystems can ‘adapt’ to substantial abiotic change over relatively short timeframes?

Given this great opportunity I admit that I failed to achieve much at 2020. It was virtually impossible to talk about anything but climate change or water in our sessions – so the really long term issues like biodiversity and soil barely got a mention. When did climate change become the only important environmental issue?

As for tying the writers/reporters down to specific quantifiable objectives, and actions that address those objectives – impossible – they didnt want a bar of it. I spat the dummy near the end and that didnt even work. Most of our recommendations ended up being about process and planning to other groups to have meetings and develop plans. If influencing beaurocrats and politicians is a skill, I don’t have it. I apologise to anyone who cares about nature.

One very good recommendation to emerge was a call for credible, popular and independent national environmental accounts/metrics. At least if we count some important things for a while, and we can deliver that to the public in a meaningful and engaging way, the nation may get a better handle on some of the big environmental issues, like extinctions, and want to do something serious about them.

A Boon from Tasmania? She must be related to David Boon!

http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/04/02/guest-post-by-ben-eltham-annotating-the-creative-australia-2020-summitteers/

AFL, Lolcats – SEO dream!

OK, you trying a group blog where the only topics are “look at my kute kid, kat and krap team”.

Hmm..now I think about it…as you were. Please disregard my last few comments. The world is not ready for AFL lolcats.

Some of us have been keeping our heads down and forming our own views.

Glad to hear it, PC. I’ve been bobbing up here and there as an enthusiastic cheer-leader for the weekend-fest – but have been met with the type of derision usually reserved for the teacher’s pet.

(Actually I was a bit of a teacher’s pet come to think of it.) Anyway, I’m still excited by 2020. Wierd?

Kitty?

I thought we all agreed that 2020 was a “wankfest”?

Only those of you who have been repeatedly saying it’s a wankfest. Some of us have been keeping our heads down and forming our own views.

2020 website is hopeless and appreciate Merkel’s research. Started doing it myself the other day. Got up to the third name and then remembered that I only really have about 90 minutes per day to myself and that this was not going to be all that quick.

Surely the papers will do it in time.

Would love for them to webcast the sessions – but suspect they are not up to the task this time.

This thing really needed about a year’s lead up, to be honest.

I’ve dealt with George Pappas a few times over the years and my take on him is that he’s an excellent and razor sharp organiser of other people’s ideas. Which sounds like what this whole summit schmear desperately needs.