Dr Simon Kingham will lead an insightful session on how the urban environment and strategies for transport effect community and well-being – from the local level to global warming.

What would it look like if science, sustainability, safety and social justice are at the centre of transport policy? Are we headed in the right direction or going backwards? Why do we kill people on our roads at 2-3 times the rate of many of the countries we like to compare ourselves to? Why are we have in the top three countries of the world for our rates of obesity? Despite the best efforts of our dairy cows, transport is responsible for 40% of our greenhouse gas emission and is among our fastest growing source.

Simon Kingham is a human geographer, primarily focusing on the impact of the urban environment (including transport) on health and wellbeing. He is Ahorangi o te Matawhenua/Professor at the School of Earth and Environment in Faculty of Science at University of Canterbury. Since 2018 until this year he was also Chief Science Advisor to the Ministry of Transport, and gained popularity as an expert interviewee on RNZ National.

As usual, following the conversation, we can continue the discussion over dinner at a nearby restaurant (less than two blocks away), for those who enjoy kai with their korero.

This seminar is part of a monthly series of Spirited Conversations sponsored by Durham Street Methodists, as part of our commitment to bringing critical thinking, and ethical & spiritual insights to important issues of the day for the city and its diverse people https://aldersgate.org.nz. There is no charge, and parking & bike racks are available at the Chester Street West entrance. For further information, contact: stewards@aldersgate.org.nz.