Major Lincoln focus in second sustainability hui

The hui is the second of three and forms part of the 2020-2021 Aotearoa/Sustainable Development Goals Summit Series, which Lincoln University is co-hosting with the University of Canterbury (UC).

The hui, called Be the Change, is on Thursday 25 March, and offers a reality check about Aotearoa New Zealand’s performance against the SGDs. It also explores how individuals can play a part in meeting the goals.

The first panel session of the hui, which centres on ensuring sustainable food production systems (Target 2.4 of the SDGs), will include several Lincoln speakers.

Dr Wim de Koning (Course Director of Business and Sustainability at Lincoln University, and Executive Director of the campus-based B.linc Innovation), will chair the panel, which brings together a young farmer, the organic industry and regenerative farming research.

Dr de Koning’s extensive experience in the sales and marketing of fast-moving consumer goods has afforded him a strong understanding of global sustainable value chains.

As Visiting Professor in Business & Enterprise Development at Harper Adams University in the United Kingdom and HAS University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, he encouraged innovation and promoted entrepreneurship in the agri-food value chain.

Lincoln University rangitahi Lincoln Roper (a former student of Dr de Koning) will appear on the panel, sharing his perspective as a young grower with Roper and Son Limited.

Lincoln recently completed a Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing and took part in the Future Leader Scholarship Programme, where he first began learning about the SDGs.

He has been involved in the primary industries for years, having worked in cereal production in Western Australia, low input sheep and beef production in the Chatham Islands, and intensive sheep and cropping in Mid Canterbury. He also recently completed an aquaculture internship with Kono Seafoods.

Another panellist is Lincoln University alumnus, Brendan Hoare, Founding of Buy Pure New Zealand and a multi-disciplined practitioner in sustainable organic production systems, integrated resource management and land use design.

A manager of the Biological Husbandry Unit Organics Trust (based on the Lincoln campus) from 1987-89, he has more than 30 years’ experience in the field.

Both the public and private sectors has benefited from his expertise, which involves utilising landscape resource ecology, redesigning productive landscapes and mobilising communities and organisations to create effective change.   

Rounding out the panel is Dr Gwen Grelet, a Senior Researcher in Land Use and Ecosystems at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. She focuses primarily on New Zealand and Australian agroecosystems, investigating practices such as regenerative agriculture.

The hui will also involve other panel discussions, featuring:

• Bronwyn Hayward, professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury and lead author of the IPCC Special 1.5 Report
• Ronja Levers, Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa at Hui E Community Aotearoa and 2019 chair of the first Aotearoa Civil Society Report on the SDGs
• Maria DaRocha, Software Development Lead and Site Editor of Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s SDG.org.nz
• The entire summit series is supported by Ara Institute of Technology, the Christchurch City Council and Christchurch NZ, and includes three online hui and one in-person summit.
  

The first hui of the summit series, called See the Change, was held last November and aimed to facilitate an understanding of the SDGs.

The third hui will look at ways for communities to work together to achieve the SDGs, while the final summit will investigate the role of collaboration and positive systemic change.

• Online Hui #2 – Be the Change, Thursday 25 March 2021, 7-9.30pm. Book at Humanitix.
• Online Hui #3 – Work Together for Change, June 2021, TBC
• Summit Event – Collaboration for Systemic Change, September 2021, TBC

The United Nations has called for a “decade of action” to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the 17 SDGs provide a framework to achieve this.

The Summit Series fits perfectly with Lincoln University’s Sustainability Policy, which outlines the institution’s commitment to be an international leader in promoting and achieving sustainable practices.

Read more about sustainability at Lincoln.