Saturday Morning for Saturday 5 June 2021

This week’s show hosted by Julian Wilcox

8.12 Shell Dutch Oil told to cut emissions by 40 percent

In a landmark decision, Royal Dutch Shell has been ordered by a court in The Hague to drastically reduce its global carbon emissions. The oil giant was told it has a duty of care, and that the level of its emission reductions should be brought in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Shell now needs to cut emissions by 45 percent - compared to its 2019 levels - by the end of 2030.

David Tong is a former litigator and a Senior Campaigner at Oil Change International. He joins the show to discuss the case and its wider implications.

8.25 World first concussion study underway in Dunedin

Around 700 rugby players in Dunedin are getting hi-tech mouthguards as part of a world-first study into concussion, funded by World Rugby with assistance from NZ Rugby. The mouthguards - which cost $300 each - collect and wirelessly transmit data about load, location, direction, motion every time there is a collision between players.

Over the last few years a lot of research has gone into concussion at the professional level, but not at lower levels. This is one of the first studies to dive into community clubs, and will help develop concussion prevention programmes.

New Zealand Rugby research scientist Danielle Salmon joins the show to discuss the study.

8.40 Atamira Dance Company marks 21st anniversary with Te Wheke

When Atamira Dance Company formed in 2000 there was no Māori TV or radio. Young urban Māori felt unseen and unheard, and so sought platforms within which to explore themselves, while growing up in the city within the context of capitalism. For some, dance was that platform.

Now celebrating its 21st anniversary, Atamira Dance Company is poised to unveil a collaborative new work Te Wheke, which means the Octopus, and is based on the Te Wheke model of hauora created by the legendary Dr Rangimarie Rose Pere, who passed away last December.

Jack Gray is a globally recognised contemporary dancer, choreographer and teacher. He was born in Auckland and is a founding member and artistic director of Atamira Dance Company.

Te Wheke is showing for two nights only at Auckland’s ASB Waterfront Theatre on 11 and 12 June, and then for three nights at Kia Mau Festival in Wellington from 17-19 June. 

 

9:05 Prof Shanna Swan - How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts 

Falling sperm counts and changes to sexual development are barrelling us towards a fertility crisis according to Professor Shanna Swan.

The environmental and reproductive epidemiologist predicts that most couples may have to use assisted reproduction by 2045.

In 2017, Swan and her team of researchers completed a major study which found that over the past four decades, sperm levels among men in Western countries have dropped by more than 50 percent. They came to this conclusion after examining 185 studies involving close to 45,000 healthy men.

Her new book Count Down lays out the ways in which chemicals in the modern environment are implicated in changing and endangering-human sexuality and fertility and provides practical guidelines for reducing exposure, both as individuals and societies.

Professor Shanna Swan is based at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

 

9.35 Cameron McLaren: the challenge of capturing stillness

Photographer Cameron McLaren has a knack for capturing humans in intimate or unusual moments. McLaren’s immersive style has seen him embedded within the Gloriavale Christian Community on the West Coast, and with the New Zealand Police - to the point of accompanying them on a drug bust on a Wellington property. 

But when the country went into level four lockdown last year, McLaren was presented with a new challenge - to shoot what wasn’t there. 

As New Zealand became a worldwide fascination for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, McLaren was commissioned by Washington Post photo editor Olivier Laurent to highlight what was happening here.

McLaren's works are on display on Auckland's waterfront as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography until 16 June. McLaren and Washington Post’s Oliver Laurent will also share thoughts on their collaboration in Talking Culture on 13 June.

10.05 Peter Cooper: from Kaitaia boy to Californian billionaire

Peter Cooper is a billionaire and global investor who is perhaps best known for the transformation of Auckland’s CBD through the redevelopment of Britomart. He was also pivotal in the creation of brewing giant Lion Nathan, and some people will be familiar with The Landing, a luxury retreat, winery and heritage project in the Bay of Islands - where Barack Obama stayed while visiting New Zealand. 

Cooper is currently based in California, but at heart he's a proud Kaitaia boy who turned his humble beginnings into an incredible portfolio of works, donations, and assets.

This week Cooper received the supreme award at the Kea World Class New Zealand Awards, which recognises people whose achievements are driving the country’s prosperity, development, and international reputation.

 

10.35 Michael Moka: building big business with Indigenous Growth

Michael Moka (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine and Mangaia of Cook Islands) left home at the age of 15 with his girlfriend Toria, the pair living in their car or staying with relatives and working multiple jobs to put themselves through school.

When Moka headed to university, he was connected with the First Foundation, who paired him with a mentor. At first he couldn’t see how someone so different from himself could possibly understand him. But what followed was a friendship that taught him to dream big.

Now, Moka is the founder of Indigenous Growth, working with companies like SkyCity and Fletcher Building to develop employee programmes based on indigenous values. And he is now also a First Foundation mentor himself.

 

11.05 Jenn Abbott: the unfortunately necessary sequel to The Corporation

Initially, director Jenn Abbott was opposed to the idea of making a sequel to 2003’s eye-opening, award-winning film The Corporation. It seemed too mammoth a task, and she already had another documentary underway. But eventually she realised it was - unfortunately - a necessary sequel.

Working alongside co-director Joe Bakan, Abbott picks up where The Corporation left off 17 years ago  - charting the rise of corporate power to an all-time high. But now corporations insist they are more caring and conscientious. They want to save the planet, and profits aren’t the end all. But can we trust them?

The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel is screening in theatres in Wellington and Auckland this month as part of the DocEdge festival. It is also screening nationwide online. Visit the DocEdge website for more details.

 

11.30 Canterbury rūnanga team up to create aerospace company

Two Canterbury rūnanga are teaming up with the government to build a rocket launch facility on Kaitōrete Spit, near Banks Peninsula.

The government is contributing $16 million to help Taumutu Rūnanga and Wairewa Rūnanga buy 1000 hectares on the spit, a long finger of land which is ideal for space launches and aerospace testing. It is also hoped the project will allow opportunities to tap into the multi-billion dollar aerospace economy.

Kaitōrete Limited spokesperson David Perenara-O’Connell joins the show to discuss how an aerospace facility on Kaitōrete Spit can generate a sustainable industry for hapū and the wider Christchurch community.

 

Music on this week's show:

VBS: Lucy Dacus

Love On The Run: Sons of Zion

 

Books mentioned in this show:

Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race 
by Shanna H Swan with Stacey Colino
ISBN: 9781982113667
Published by Simon & Schuster