Events

17 April 2008

Consumption and Happiness

Lecture

This is a rare opportunity to hear from a leading European academic and policy advisor as he visits New Zealand. A biologist, whose main current research interest is in the area of sustainable consumption and production and environmental policy, Professor Sir Brian Heap, works with the British Government's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He also chairs a group of European academics working on the future of energy in Europe, including studies on managing energy use and demand, with long term research projects on the generation of power using nuclear fusion.In this lecture, he will address the problem of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production; the Western drive to consume despite the relatively low impact such consumption has been shown to have on individual well-being and happiness. While acknowledging today's complex political, social and economic environment, he will discuss risks, challenges and possible strategies for sustainability, exploring new approaches which emphasise efficiency, renewal and repair.

Organisation:

Auckland Museum, in Association with the RSNZ