If you have any queries or feedback on this page or would like to add to it, please contact Nick Ward.

Various u3a members are willing to deliver talks to other groups around the country. Mostly this would be via video conferencing such as Zoom but, in some circumstances, speakers would be willing to travel. There would normally be no charge for such talks, but if travel is involved, speakers should be offered travel expenses.

An alternative might be for groups to make use of presentation materials that are available on-line, without the involvement of an external speaker.

Available speakers are listed below in alphabetical order, with their contact details. In addition, there are some presentations previously given by members.

There are of course innumerable potential speakers who are NOT u3a members. Experience shows that when approached most people with a particular expertise are happy to try and accommodate a request to give a talk. Academics, in particular, are often very willing as outreach may be part of their role.

During the pandemic, many people got used to using Zoom and whilst face-to-face meetings are still preferred by most, using video conferencing does open up the possibility of finding willing speakers from much further away.

Presentations available without a ‘live’ speaker:

A number of presentations given by u3a members and outside speakers are available on the u3a Climate Change & Environment Network website. Some of these are recordings of the actual talk, which can be replayed, others are simply a copy of the slides shown, which can be used.

Presentations given nationally (via Zoom) can be found at Talks.

Presentations given to the on-line Climate Matters group (formerly Countdown to COP) can be found at Climate Matters Monthly Meetings

U3a groups can make use of these presentations but should note that they will become dated unless the authors update them, which we cannot guarantee will happen.

Last updated: May 2026

Available speakers from u3a membership

Name (plus email address and background)	Subject(s) on offer	On-line only or willing to travel?
Brenda Ainsley b_ainsley@hotmail.com A u3a member and trained Climate Reality Leader.  Has co-led the online climate group 'Climate Matters' (formerly 'Countdown to COP') and regularly delivers national learning talks for the u3a.	*The Climate Crisis – and Some Solutions	Available on zoom, and in-person in the East Midlands.
John Davies 2 Retired professor of electronic engineering and currently membership secretary of Bearsden and Milngavie u3a, northwest of Glasgow.	Me and my carbon footprint: For how much CO2 is my household responsible each year? Each of us is responsible for the emission of about 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year on average. This is called our carbon footprint and I would like to know how I can reduce mine. However, like planning any journey, you need to know where you are starting before you set off. This talk describes my attempt to identify the main contributions to my household’s carbon footprint. Some of the results were a big surprise to me but I now have a clearer picture that will help us to cut our footprint in future. (This is a broad survey, appropriate for a general audience, rather than exploring any particular issue in great depth.)	Online and in person within the central belt of Scotland
David Dundas david.dundas1@gmail.com Qualified chemist and oil/gas well engineer. Worked in refinery management, energy products marketing & consultant to EU on toxic waste disposal. Fellow of the Lunar Soc: Leader of their Climate Change Working Party	*Our energy future in the UK *Why hydrogen? *What can we do to help stop climate change? *Nuclear power, Fission & Fusion *Tidal power *Fracking oil and gas wells *Why is fossil carbon a problem?   Anaerobic digesters. Fracking oil and gas wells (I was a Schlumberger engineer in a team doing this). Nuclear power Fission and Fusion. Tidal Power. Why hydrogen? Why is fossil carbon a problem? What we can do to stop climate change.	On-line only
Ian Hawker ianhawker101@gmail.com Retired telecoms research engineer now runs the East Suffolk U3A Climate Change group.	*Climate Change Overview (60min), OR… *Specialist topics (45min each): - Adapting to climate change - Regenerative agriculture - Oceans and climate change - Buildings, concrete and steel - World health and climate change - Wind power - Climate tipping points - Energy storage - Biodiversity - Climate modelling - Nuclear energy - Hydrogen - Geoengineering - Net zero economics - Hydro, tide and wave power - Solar energy - Transport - Waste - Geothermal energy - Climate and AI. Climate Change Overview. Climate Change Overview – Adaptation, Human Migration. Energy 1 - Solar, Wind, Energy Storage.   Energy 2 – Nuclear, Hydro, Geothermal. Transport – Road, Shipping, Air, Hydrogen.  Buildings -   Construction Industry, Wider Industry Emissions, Waste Management. Agriculture - Regenerative Agriculture, Water Supply. Oceans - Temperature Tipping Points.   Nature & Biodiversity - Biodiversity Loss. Geoengineering - Climate Modelling Geoengineering Options	Zoom unless in East Anglia or Essex
Ann MacGarry annmacgarry@gmail.com Education officer at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) for 28 years and still does occasional workshops in schools on climate related issues.	*Eco-footprinting The Eco-footprint is a very useful way of measuring our impact on the planet and of the limits of what we can do. It adds some common-sense realism to some of the suggested solutions. *Zero Carbon Britain CAT’s work on this shows a way of approaching decarbonisation and illustrates how we could move to a zero carbon future – lots to discuss about choices to be made.	Either, depending on where it is (based in Machynlleth in Mid-Wales)
Antony Turner antony@realworldvisuals.com Has lectured at major universities, given a TEDx talk, and worked with a wide range of private and public organisations. His visual story-based approach has inspired many people to set strategy, take actions and make a difference.	*Carbon awareness, climate change and how retirees can respond This talk is aimed at the wider U3A membership who may be interested but unaware of the issues.	Zoom unless travel from Teignmouth, Devon makes sense
Linda Wornes & Versha  Jones (joint presentation) sec.ios.u3a@gmail.com Linda is secretary of the Isles of Scilly u3a and Versha is a Climate Reality Leader and coordinator of CR in the UK.	*The Isles of Scilly under threat from climate change Versha: Introduction and a positive message (if we can reach true Net Zero). Linda: The risks posed to the islands from climate change, and proposed adaptation measures.	On-line only

Last updated: May 2026

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