Project Save the World's Summer 2021 Talk Shows

All the video talks on this list can be seen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone at Project Save the World’s website: tosavetheworld.ca. At the top of our home page, just type into the search bar the title of a show or the name of a speaker. These conversations are also accessible on the page as audio podcasts and (often) as transcripts. There is also a comment column where you are invited to discuss the show, after watching it, hearing it, or reading the transcript. If someone replies to your comment, we will let you know.

271 World Citizenship René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens. His loyalty is to the whole of humankind, as opposed to particular subgroups such as nationalities.

272 Brighten the Clouds Stephen Salter would slow the melting of sea ice, by increasing the bright clouds that reflect light away. Paul Beckwith and Peter Wadhams discuss the evidence.

273 Civil Resistance Tactics Michael Beer has updated Gene Sharp’s 1973 book, now listing 350 tactics for nonviolent action. He notes ethical issues in choosing methods of resisting.

274 Please Frighten Us All Richard Denton, Gordon Edwards, Doug Saunders, and Adam Wynne worry that other people don’t worry enough about nuclear weapons. Is it about emotions?

275 Net Zero…When? Wiliam Fletcher’s book was published a year ago, so Metta asks him what he would change if he were writing it now. He sounds more optimistic than she does.

276 Green Economics Robert Pollin has co-authored a book with Noam Chomsky about the economics of the climate crisis. He believes that economic growth can continue while green.

277 Unpredictable Russia Alexander Likhotal, formerly Gorbachev’s press secretary, and now a professor in Geneva, remains in close touch with democratic and peace-oriented political figures in Moscow. He calls the current tensions an “imaginary war” and foresees no new nuclear arms reductions.

278 The World in June 2021 Andre Sheldon, Robert Read, Erika Simpson, and Mike McNamee talk about small modular reactors, argue about whether pumped water storage is too expensive.

279 COVID, Animals and Us Laura Kahn is an epidemiologist who specializes in zoonotic diseases. She says that some types of viral research should not — but are — being done.

280 Reunion of Peace Oldsters Derek Paul worries about the Permian extinction; Mary-Wynn Ashford enthuses about a book she’s read, and Trudy Govier worries about finding successors.

281 Farms and Nature Jackie Milne is a farmer living among First Nations people in the NW Territories of Canada and teaching regenerative agriculture. She blends her new technological insights with ancient practices and beliefs.

282 Self-regulating Biodiversity Jim Laurie and Phil Bogdonoff work to restore the ecosystems. Mixing all kinds of biological organisms in a single pool will enable that pool to purify itself.

283 The Millennium Project Jerome Glenn co-founded and runs The Millennium Project and Paul Werbos is a member, addressing existential threats, wanting UN agency to coordinate work.

284 When Soviet and American Scientists Worked Together Roald Sagdeev led scientists in Gorbachev’s USSR; Frank von Hippel was his counterpart in the US. They worked together to reduce the risk of nuclear war.

285 Genomics and Epigenetics Michel Duguay studies the human genome and is impressed with the rarity of errors or mutations, yet he worries that we may destroy it with nuclear weapons.

286 Drawdown Toronto David Burman, indigenous people, and Drawdown work on climate change and cultural awareness. He leads us through meditative reflections.

287 India’s Agricultural Policies Richa Kumar explains the dilemmas facing farmers and the government alike today; constraints in the market for their products make needed changes difficult.

288 Afghanistan…and Nonproliferation The Afghanistan war has changed quickly since the US and Nato troops withdrew. Corey Levine, Tariq Rauf, Erika Simpson and Richard Denton expect a Taliban win.

289 Why Can’t Nuclear Power be Safe? Gregory Jaczko headed the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Obama. He found that lobbyists’ political pressures make it impossible to keep nukes safe.

290 Extinction Peter Ward is an expert on extinction events. He and Paul Werbos worry that global warming may calm and stratify the oceans, leading to hydrogen sulfide poisoning.

291 Can Tourism be Sustainable? Edward Manning’s job is to help localities negotiate with travel agencies to develop into destinations where tourists will protect the culture and environs.

292 TV Dramas to Save the World William Ryerson and Richard Stratton both produce TV serial dramas. Ryerson’s shows are designed to influence the public opinion and behaviour of cultures.

293 Is Nuclear Winning? M.V. Ramana and Susan O’Donnell work on nuclear risks. Both seriously dispute statements Doug Saunders made in a column about Fukushima.

294 Russia is Waiting Victor Kogan Yasny is a political analyst with Yabloko Party. He says that young Russians are aligned with Putin because they know nothing else.

295 Chimneys for Cold Water Peter Wadhams and Paul Beckwith say that thermohaline currents distribute heat around the world, starting from “chimneys” cold water down the oceans.

296 Nationalism Nigel Young and Lawrence Wittner disagree as to whether nationalism is diminishing around the world and, if so, why.

297 The World in July 2021 Town Hall meeting talks about extreme weather, Covid, food waste, eating insects.

298 Sustainable Energy Mark Winfield directs a York program in sustainable energy. We talk about it and affordable alternatives (i.e. not nuclear), and the politics of adopting it in time.

299 Today’s Global Conflicts Maria Puerta, James Ranney, Doug Saunders, and Robert Schaeffer discuss the conflicts in Latin America, with China, and whether arbitration can work.

300 Protecting Civilians in War Zones Timothy Donais describes the difficulty of the UN’s protecting of civilians in enclaves in African conflict zones, such as Mali, Congo, and South Sudan.

301 Taxing Wealth Angella MacEwen is an economist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. She favors taxing wealth and corporate capital gains.

302 Pakistan’s Neighborhood Pervez Hoodbhoy is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, but this chat is about the various tribal and political groups involved in Pakistan’s dealings with Afghanistan.

303 Asia in the World Jill Carr-Harris, Ellen Judd, and David Webster all are scholars familiar with Asian societies. Jill and David, more than Ellen, see China as a risk to peace.

304 Refugees Lloyd Axworthy, formerly Canada’s foreign minister, now heads an organization with great plans for reforming the world’s management of refugees.

305 News from Project Save the World Metta Spencer and Adam Wynne bring viewers up to date about changes going on in Project Save the World and invite you to a birthday party!

306 Cows Mitloehner studies the emissions of methane from cows. There are now food additives that can reduce it up to 50%. Efficiency of meat production is crucial.

307 Post Covid World Alexander Likhotal is Mikhail Gorbachev’s adviser and spokesperson, He also teaches international affairs in Geneva and works on a post-Covid committee.

308 Peacebuilding in Afghanistan? Tony Jenkins, Doug Saunders, Olivia Ward, and Adam Wynne are all concerned to find possible alternatives to the probable future of continuing war in Afghanistan.

309 Youthful Activism Kehkashan Basu, Andrew Kim, and Rebecca Wolf Gage are young activists. Here they discuss their generation’s views.

310 China’s Nuclear Ambitions Matthew Korda works at the Federation of American Scientists. Recently he discovered sites in China where hundreds of missile silos are being constructed.

311 Lessons of the Cold War Jack Matlock was US Ambassador to the USSR during its final years. He argues that progress in negotiating requires confining contentious issues to private talks.

312 Climate Diplomacy Eddy Perez, who worked in the IPCC in Geneva and now in Climate Action Network, discusses the need for more accountability of states and oil companies.

313 Yemeni Scholars / Taliban Mustafa Bahran worries about the Saudi’s firing of Yemeni professors and with Leon Kosals discusses the Taliban. Aaron Tovish calls at the end from Sweden.

314 Ocean Currents and Our Future Paul Beckwith, Peter Ward, Peter Wadhams, and Paul Werbos are climatologists who worry about the effects of changing ocean currents for humanity’s future.

315 Council for the Human Future Bob Douglas, a retired Australian professor of epidemiology, is a founder of the Council for the Human Future. Their goals are the same as Project Save the World.

316 The New IPCC Report Craig Smith and William Fletcher, authors of a book about global warming, discuss the 48-page summary of the IPCC‘s new report on the ongoing changes.

317 Feminist Peace Work Cora Weiss has been a prominent peace activist since leading a delegation to Hanoi during the Vietnam War. She recalls her career, including as IPB president.

318 Education as Entertainment Arvind Singhal, a professor of communications in Texas, is an authority on social learning, and the impact of fiction and storytelling on culture. We talk about TV.

319 Refugees and Dissidents Andre Kamenshikov, living in Kiev, talks about Navalny and other Russian political events; MacDonald Scott discusses the settlement of Afghan refugees in Canada.

320 Canada and Climate Mike Simpson has long worked in civil society and is now a political candidate in BC, where the heat dome and wildfires make the climate emergency the top issue.

321 Corruption Shaazka Beyerle studies corruption at George Mason University. She says that the safest reform is for civil society groups to make demands without pointing fingers.

322 GPHIN For Health Dr. Ronald St. John is an epidemiologist and co-creator of Canada’s Global Public Health Intelligence Network, which was quicker than WHO at spotting outbreaks.

323 Metta’s Birthday & Global Town Hall Project Save the World’s monthly Global Town Hall coincided with Metta’s 90th birthday party. Over 90 guests blew out candles on cupcakes together.

324 Cruises, Climate and Covid Martin Klein was a lecturer on a cruise on which Richard Denton was a passenger during the pandemic. Metta and Adam oppose cruises for emitting carbon.

325 From Apartheid to Peace Work Rev. Liz Carmichael is a theologian who practised as a physician in the townships of South Africa before negotiating peace and returning to Oxford to teach peace.

326 Choctaws, Hawaiians and the Military Ann Wright was a colonel, then an ambassador for the US until they bombed Iraq and she resigned. We talk about the action of indigenous people to protect Earth.

327 Nonviolence and 9/11 Mary-Ellen Francoeur and Rosemary Keenan belong to Pax Christi, which promotes nonviolence; Robin Collins promotes police actions as alternative to war.

328 Urban Trees and Climate Sandy Smith is a forestry professor who specializes in urban trees. We discuss how to increase the canopy in cities and highways: the social and climate benefits.

329 Diego Garcia David Vine is an anthropologist who has written about the people of Chagos who were expelled from their island home, Diego Garcia, to create a US military base.

330 Disarmament Drama, Backstage Erin Hunt works at Mines Action Canada and attends many disarmament conferences as an NGO. We discuss the numerous upcoming meetings this fall.

331 Health Care Policy Pauline Rosenau, a professor of public health at U. Texas, Houston, studied nursing homes in many countries. She compares the quality of their care systems.

332 Canadians in Israel and Palestine Karen Hamilton teaches courses in Israel and Palestine; Abraham Weizfeld lives half time in Palestine. Both Canadians discuss the relationships in that region.

333 No First Use? John Hallam is an Australian anti-nuclear weapons activist. Here we talk about the No First Use policy, plus US relations with China, and the electromagnetic pulse.

334 US Nuclear Negotiations Gary Samore was “WMD Czar” for Obama; Tariq Rauf works at IAEA in Vienna. They discuss nuclear subs, a post-START treaty, Iran, and North Korean nukes.

335 One Health Revisited Cheryl Stroud is Executive Director of the One Health Commission, which studies and attends to the linked health issues of humans, animals and the environment.