date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 12:07:43 -0000 from: "Asher Minns" subject: Re: Chairman for Nuclear Debate to: "Mike Hulme" Dear Mike, If this debate is truly aimed at the 'general' public, then I would recommend a popular chairperson from the telly, if affordable. If the debate is for attentive and invited audiences, then someone less well-known is fine, as recommended by the RI person (and the person who best-knows the RI audiences). My first nomination that meets the least expense criteria and is known to attentive audiences is Sir Crispin Tickell. Sir Crispin is interested in the debate and was recently involved with a Government task force on the topic. At the moment, it is likely that he is free in early May. ct@crispintickell.net Tel: 01285 740566 Professor Andrew Goudie from Oxford Geography used to be a non-executive Director of BNFL and is a good speaker. andrew.goudie@geog.ox.ac.uk A pro-nuclear possibility is Dr Peter Hodgson p.hodgson1@physics.ox.ac.uk - he edits Nuclear Issues, which is published by A Power for Good Ltd. Last year he debated renewable vs nuclear with Dennis Anderson from Imperial, in Physics World. Nick Hartley might make an interesting and knowledgeable chair. He is an economist and Senior Advisor at OXERA. He was Team Leader at the UK Cabinet Office for the energy PIU. 01865 253000 or enquiries@oxera.co.uk For more mainstream people, I agree that Alex Kirby would make a good job and is probably first choice. He would certainly come cheaper than Humphreys or other broadcaster. However, people from the telly do draw a crowd, which I guess is why they charge so much. I had an interesting lunch with Roger Harrabin last week about developing the comms strategy. I will be away from Saturday 21st for one week, and then at home until Monday 6th January. During the second week of the holidays I will be at home in Enstone on 01608 677613 Season's greetings, Asher ----------------------------------------------------- Mr Asher Minns Public Affairs Officer Environmental Change Institute University of Oxford OX1 3UB www.changingclimate.org www.eci.ox.ac.uk Tel: 01865 281182 Fax: 01865 281202 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Hulme" To: Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 2:02 PM Subject: Fwd: Chairman for Nuclear Debate Asher, Hope you don't mind me forwarding you 1 or 2 items before you arrive. Just so you know of some up-coming initiatives. This one is a public debate on climate change and nuclear power that Tyndall and the RI will co-host in early May. Brian Launder is leading on this one. Any thoughts - send to me for now. Mike >From: "Prof B.E. Launder" >To: M.hulme@uea.ac.uk >Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 08:12:14 -0000 >Subject: Chairman for Nuclear Debate >Reply-to: brian.launder@umist.ac.uk >CC: S.Stubbs@umist.ac.uk >Priority: normal >X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v3.12a) >X-Scanner: exiscan for exim4 (http://duncanthrax.net/exiscan/) >*18OZJL-0006kr-00*/ndRyPCBga.* > >Dear Mike: > >First let me warn you that this will be the first of several >communications over the next few days as I try and get as many >items related to next May's debate tied up or at least embarked >upon before Christmas (as I'll be out of circulation until January 7th). > >This particular item mainly relates to selecting a chairman for the >debate. The Royal Academy of Engineering had suggested getting >someone with a very high media profile but my co-organizer at the >RI is emphatic that that's a great waste of money; that rather a >more anonymous figure with a reasonable grasp of the background >would be much more appropriate. I too am inclined to follow that >route (for, in any event, to book John Humphreys or someone of >that ilk will cost several thousand pounds). I'm therefore writing to >seek a suggestion or two. The person who chaired the debate at >the Tyndall Launch would be OK. Do you have his contact details >and information on what you may have paid him? Please feel free >to suggest in addition one or two other names you feel worth >considering. > >I had thought of offering each of the four speakers a gross fee of >£250 (from which tax would be deducted) or to donate £250 to a >charity of their choice. I would have been inclined to offer the >chairman the same terms. Again your observations would be >welcomed. > >One final idea I'd float here (but I'm putting printed material in the >mail to you today) is that the Tyndall Centre should become a >corporate member of the Royal Institution. You mentioned at our >meeting on Monday the drawback of not having a London base for >the Centre. In my view there could be no better "London base" than >that offered by the Royal Institution. It has an excellent reputation >for being able to adopt an independent position (since it receives no >funds from the Treasury), of attracting a young membership wishing >to contribute to the major concerns of our age and - of course - it >has a very strong link with John Tyndall who ran the place for a >good many years. If you agree with me, I'd be amenable to >contributing to our membership fee if it was felt inappropriate to >spend RC funds on this. Anyway, take a look at the brochure and >let's talk in the new year. > >All the best to you and the Tyndall Centre team, > >Brian > > >Prof B. E. Launder, FRS, FREng >Regional Director, Tyndall North >Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research >UMIST, PO Box 88, >Manchester M60 1QD, UK > >Tel: 44-(0)161-200-3701