Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation.
He is a Companion to the Order of Canada and a recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for science, the United Nations Environment Program medal, the 2012 Inamori Ethics Prize, the 2009 Right Livelihood Award, and UNEP’s Global 500.
Current Work:
Dr. Suzuki is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and holds 30 honorary degrees from universities worldwide.
He is familiar to television audiences as the host of the CBC science and natural history television series The Nature of Things, and to radio audiences, as the original host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, as well as the acclaimed series It's a Matter of Survival and From Naked Ape to Superspecies. David was the recipient of The Canadian Academy of Cinema and Television's 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award.
His written work includes more than 55 books, 19 of them for children. Dr. Suzuki lives with his wife and family in Vancouver, B.C.
Talking Points
Humans Claim We Are Intelligent, Then Why Are We In Such A Mess?
Virtual Presentations by Zoom or TEAMSHumans Claim We Are Intelligent, Then Why Are We In Such A Mess?
The COVID-19 crisis has had two enormous and related consequences - it brought much of human activity to a halt and its given nature a respite. Both provide an opportunity to reset society's priorities and head in a different direction.
Confrontation with the reality of a new epidemic should have subdued political and economic imperatives to scientific reality and the US and Brazil have shown what happens when science is ignored or brushed aside. In a time of accusations of fake media, deep conspiracies, and relentless trolls, scientists should have regained authoritative prominence, and people have had to confront important questions about purpose, values, opportunities, and constraints in the way we choose to live.
During the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd in the US and Indigenous people and the outbreak of racist attacks against Asians in Canada have revealed deep-seated racism and inequities that must be dealt with in a post-Covid world.
In this exploratory presentation, Dr. David Suzuki touches on some of the stark questions and answers we’ve encountered during this global pandemic, from our impact on the environment and our ability to change it to our dependence on the human creation called the economy and the unfair treatment of our elders, indigenous people, homeless people, etc.
Suzuki puts out a call to action for all of us to rethink our priorities and learn the ultimate lesson in front of us - that nature can be far more forgiving than we deserve. Post-COVID, he says, let us continue to allow her to recover and learn how to put our efforts into living green and building a society that not only restores Earth’s sustainable productivity but also encourages collaboration and humanity.
This virtual presentation can run up to 60 minutes, including a 30-45 minute keynote, plus Q&A.
