Peter Newman: Environmental Scientist and Sustainable Transport expert

Rare Air with Meri Fatin

"We changed the world to start to see that automobile dependence was not a good thing...we were much hated by the automobile associations, the vehicle companies, the oil companies. They used to run people who would follow us everywhere. And they were given money to write papers attacking us."

Professor Peter Newman reflecting on his work in the US with colleague Professor Jeff Kenworthy

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WA Scientist of the Year in 2018, Peter Newman AO is Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University where he established CUSP, the Curtin Sustainability Policy Institute.

He’s one of those people it’s hard to introduce because of the sheer volume of his achievements.

As well as being a renowned authority on sustainability in WA, and an adviser at a Federal level, Peter’s international work includes being co-ordinating lead author on a number of reports with the IPCC – the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

He’s authored hundreds of publications including over 20 books, some of which are used as texts in the USA. His primary focus is transport and the solutions that would vastly improve the liveability of our cities.

Peter began his career as a foundation lecturer in Environmental Sciences at Murdoch University in 1974 and consequently is a senior knowledge holder and champion in the overarching story of environmentalism in WA.

Recorded at RTRFM, Beaufort Street Mount Lawley Western Australia on August 23, 2022

Mastered by Adrian Sardi at Sugarland

Theme music by Blue Dot Sessions