TEDxWWF

William Winram, Ocean Environmentalist / Shark Publicist/ Photographer / Videographer

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:23:00 +0200

William Winram is noted as an Ocean Environmentalist, Shark Publicist, Underwater Model, Photographer and Videographer. He established himself as one of the few freedivers in the world who can excel in pool and depth competitions, earning several medals at World Championships. After three years of competitive freediving and countless Pan-American records, William started using his breath-hold talents in aid of the world’s oceans.

Today, while William still competes at an international level, he volunteers a significant amount of his time to assist scientists in their research on sharks. He is considered an expert in shark behaviour, using his breath-hold diving skills and knowledge of sharks to do fieldwork by tagging, photographing, filming and taking tissue samples of various species of sharks. He also gives public presentations on shark behaviour and conservation, and also teaches speciality courses on breathing and breath-hold for public and corporate groups, and coaches other freediving competitors.

Synopsis of presentation:

Sharks have been maligned in the media and because of this the world does not seem to care about the ongoing slaughter estimated up to 100 million individuals a year.

William will be giving a personal account of his first shark encounter and the turning point in his life with regards to sharks and how they have been portrayed. This will include his close encounters with the tiger shark as well as the great white shark.

William will also touch on the critical role of the shark in the marine ecosystem and what we, as individuals, can do to lessen the pressure on the over fishing of these magnificent animals.

Darrel Webber, Secretary General, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:16:00 +0200

With prior working experience in an international environmental NGO and the private sector, in January 2011, Darrel Webber became Secretary General of RSPO. A not-for-profit association that unites stakeholders from seven sectors of the palm oil industry – namely oil palm producers, palm oil processors or traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation NGOs and social or developmental NGOs – RSPO’s goal is to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil.

Darrel was previously Senior Associate of Global Sustainability Associates, a role that put him in an advisory role to companies and organizations on issues pertaining to sustainable agricultural development, including sustainable palm oil.

Prior to this, he was a Senior Manager for Palm Oil Sector Engagement at WWF-International, where he was tasked to engage with corporations and NGOs within the international palm oil supply line, working towards the production and procurement of sustainably developed palm oil.

Darrel started his career in the private sector, with stints as regional manager for companies such as Permanis Sandilands, Sdn. Bhd. and Shell Malaysia, Ltd. He graduated with a civil engineering degree from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Synopsis of presentation:

Demand for palm oil is increasing and has become central to the economies of the developing countries where it’s grown. Palm oil is found in around half the products on our supermarket shelves, and it could soon be used as a biofuel that runs our cars too. But there is a price to pay that doesn’t show up on the till receipt. Deforestation. The loss of species. Indigenous people being forced off their land. Pollution. Climate change.

Producing palm oil sustainably is one of the biggest challenges we face. Darrel’s presentation covers the beginnings of sustainable development for palm oil and what that means for the environment and people. He will also share what has been achieved thus far, along with the future for RSPO and sustainable development of palm oil.

Sudhanshu Swaroop, Human Rights Barrister

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:10:00 +0200

Sudhanshu is a London-based barrister, who has worked on human rights and environmental issues around the world, including in India, Colombia, Afghanistan, Syria and Darfur. He has a particular interest in the relationship between multinational corporations and the environment and is the Vice-Chair of the Human Rights Committee of the Bar of England and Wales.

The Legal 500 has recommended him for his work in Banking and Finance, Shipping, Public International Law and Human Rights. The Lawyer Magazine has chosen him as one of its “Hot 100” Lawyers, noting his “flourishing commercial practice” and “impressive and worthwhile work in the field of international human rights”. He has acted in numerous International Arbitrations (under various rules, including those of ICSID, the LCIA, the ICC, GAFTA, FOSFA and the FCC), in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. He has also drafted amicus briefs for foreign courts, including the US Supreme Court.

Sudhanshu has been lecturing in international law at King’s College, London. In addition, he has also given lectures at the Damascus University in the Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan’s Kabul University, Colombia and Sudan, in topics such as Bilateral Investment Treaties, international law and the International Criminal Court, and the Rule of Law and Human Rights. He has also worked in Darfur, assisting victims of torture and other human rights abuses.

Synopsis of presentation:

The framework for holding accountable those that damage the environment requires urgent re-appraisal. In this context, what rights exist, to whom do such rights belong and how should they be enforced? Sudhanshu offers some ideas.

Irshad Mobarak, Founder, Natural History Tours

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 +0200

Irshad is one of Malaysia’s most celebrated naturalists with over 26 years experience in the field. A former banker, Irshad is based in Langkawi where he runs a successful bird watching company – Natural History Tours - and is a strong advocate for the conservation of Langkawi’s fragile natural heritage. A self-taught naturalist and outdoor buff, he conducts interpretive walks for The Datai Resort, a leading hotel. This gifted and passionate speaker is entertaining but serious and insightful and his walks always inspire his audiences.

In his 20-year career, Irshad has helped with and appeared in many documentaries such as Mysteries of the Malaysian Rainforest on National Geographic Channel and The Wedding Ceremony of the White Bellied Sea Eagle on Discovery Channel. With the NGC filming crew, he witnessed the first-time recording of the courtship of the Great Hornbills where three young males clashed beaks to court one female. He hosted Ian Wright from Globe Trekker, which was aired on the Travel and Living channel. His most recent TV appearance is with Toby Amies of The Rough Guide in “Trips of a lifetime”. His docu-advertisement for Tourism Malaysia is also currently being shown on Star TV channels.

Irshad also educates schoolchildren and trains outdoor instructors on nature and conservation. As part of his job and passion, he regularly participates in scientific expeditions, blazing trails into the wilderness.

Synopsis of presentation:

Irshad will share interesting observations and insights from the wild. Mostly entertaining, and at times, provocative and controversial, these will include interactions and relationships found between plants and plants, plants and insects, birds and mammals. He will also cover aspects of evolution, and the criteria for success in nature.

Lixin Huang, President, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:56:00 +0200

Lixin Huang is well-known for her thoughts on consumption reduction of illegal species in traditional medicine. She has been advocating sustainability in Chinese herbal medicine and has spoken widely on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

ACTCM has led the way in bridging the cultural and communication divide between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and international conservation interests. Under Lixin’s leadership, ACTCM began its efforts to raise public awareness about endangered species when it partnered with WWF to build public support for tiger conservation in 1998.

Lixin has been reporting on proceedings from various educational activities and meetings on the importance of wildlife conservation in relation to TCM, with a vision of a sustainable future to promote healthy people and a healthy planet.

Synopsis of presentation:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) which is composed of plants and animals, originated in China 3,000 years ago. While a crucial part of Chinese culture, the demand for Chinese medicinal materials has risen both in China as well as in international markets. China’s economic growth has allowed Chinese consumers with high purchasing power to seek Chinese herbal medicine and other natural health products. The interest in using Chinese herbal medicine for wellness, medical treatments and longevity by people in other parts of the world has created new markets for TCM products.

The development of TCM depends on natural resources so medicinal wildlife resource conservation is a precondition of sustainable use and continuation of TCM. Unfortunately, medicinal natural resources have declined rapidly, with Chinese manufacturing companies searching for large quantities of supplies inside and outside China to produce old-brand products and to develop new products for profit.

The overuse of resources has caused a number of both animal and plant species to become extinct. The conflict between demand and supply is a big challenge for the development of traditional Chinese medicine and biodiversity conservation.

In her presentation, Lixin will address how the TCM profession views these challenges and addresses them to promote healthy people and a healthy planet? She also discusses strategies that can be developed to bring TCM and conservation communities together to work with a shared vision to protect our one and only planet.

Tim 'Mac' Macartney

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:44:00 +0200

Mac is the CEO and founder of Embercombe, a social enterprise located in Devon, United Kingdom, that seeks to inspire committed action towards a truly sustainable world. He has also co-founded a leadership development consultancy in Poland. Mac has been coaching and developing leaders from the corporate world since 1984 and has recently published his first book Finding Earth, Finding Soul.

Over a period of twenty years Mac has been mentored and coached by Native American ‘Medicine’ people on the cultural and spiritual teachings that once informed the practice of our own British indigenous culture. The values, principles, and wisdom of this tradition inform and guide all aspects of his life and work.

Mac’s work with organisation leaders is motivated by his belief that leadership is one of the areas where we most need to see radical and transformative change, and that sustainability and corporate responsibility need to become integrated and inseparable from the core business of every commercial entity. He also feels that we must reverse the long-standing tradition of rewarding performance even when this same performance has hurt and weakened individuals, communities, and/or the natural environment.

Synopsis of presentation:

Drawing on profound and challenging experiences gained when mentored and trained by a group of metis Native Americans, Mac uses story and powerful imagery to awaken and evoke our innate wild nature.

Speaking to a deeper, more ancient part of our tribal memory, he braids beauty, wildness, and the ‘heathen’ pulse of the human spirit into a single narrative. It is a call, a paean, a heart-song, to the many millions of us who still stand on the sidelines and passively watch as our planet is slowly, systematically, and meticulously tamed, caged, and broken. Clever, we undoubtedly are, but wise we are not. Not yet.

Mac will ask us some beguilingly simple questions and offer an invitation. An invitation which, if accepted, will take us into unknown territory, to the edge of our courage, and perhaps, one step closer to the world of our longing.

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Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:00:06 +0100

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Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:21:23 +0100

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Stuart Orr: Water - The Solvable Crisis

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:36:12 +0100

Stuart Orr: Water - The Solvable Crisis

Isabelle Autissier: Lessons from the Sea

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:34:32 +0100

Isabelle Autissier: Lessons from the Sea

Carlos Drews: The Faces of Conservation

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:32:36 +0100

Carlos Drews: The Faces of Conservation

Rory Sutherland: The New Sweet Spot - And How to Find It

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:31:05 +0100

Rory Sutherland: The New Sweet Spot - And How to Find It

James Alexander: Creativity versus climate change

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:29:24 +0100

James Alexander: Creativity versus climate change

Jane Fulton-Suri: What Nature Can Teach Us About Design

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:27:56 +0100

Jane Fulton-Suri: What Nature Can Teach Us About Design

Jason Clay: Feeding 9 Billion and Maintaining the Planet

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:24:37 +0100

Jason Clay: Feeding 9 Billion and Maintaining the Planet

Mike Barry: A Manifesto for a Sustainable Business Revolution

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:23:04 +0100

Mike Barry: A Manifesto for a Sustainable Business Revolution

Andy Wales: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus - Why Everything you...

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:21:21 +0100

Andy Wales: The Water-Food-Energy Nexus - Why Everything you Consume is Connected

Michael Spencer: Sound and Sustainability

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:19:43 +0100

Michael Spencer: Sound and Sustainability

Justin Hall-Tipping: The Power of the Simple Electron

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:18:03 +0100

Justin Hall-Tipping: The Power of the Simple Electron