The Vital Transitions in Energy Beyond Electrifying Everything: Tim Fisher on sun, surf & sympathy

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Tim Fisher is the eldest son of the late Professor Frank Fisher. You’ve heard Frank’s name a bit on this podcast, legendary systems thinking educator in Australia – and good mate over the last dozen or so years of his life. Twice my good fortune was meeting Tim, and keeping in touch over the years. Tim is a wealth of experience, grace and salience in his own right. So, returning to Melbourne to see family for the first time in years, it seemed a good time to visit this extended family of sorts, and press record on a long-awaited chat about his fascinating life, dice with death, and vital work.
Tim has run publications across media platforms, government agencies and non-profits. He’s edited and written for the ABC, SBS, The Age, Broadsheet, Smith Journal, Surfing World, Surfer, Triple J, White Horses, Patagonia and more. As a board member of Psychology for a Safe Climate and a member of Surfers for Climate, he devotes much of his time to storytelling and communication around climate change. Especially on the bigger and often unseen picture of energy transition – including the opportunities and needs beyond electrifying everything. To that end, he’s currently Head of Communications at the Energy Efficiency Council, with the ear of the federal government, and a major conference in May featuring international keynote Amory Lovins.
We talk about all this – life, death, growing up with Frank, surf, media and energy transitions – and emerge with some consistent threads of success, and possibilities to go on with. You’ll hear some listener mail at the end too.
Head here for automatic cues to chapter markers (also available on Apple and some other apps, and the embedded player on the episode web page), and a transcript of this conversation (the transcript is AI generated and imperfect, but hopefully serves to provide greater access to these conversations for those who need or like to read).
Recorded on 24 February 2024.
Title slide: Anthony & Tim.
See more photos on the episode web page, and to see more from behind the scenes, become a member via the Patreon page.
Music:
Green Shoots, by The Nomadics.
Regeneration, by Amelia Barden, from the film Regenerating Australia.
The RegenNarration playlist, featuring music chosen by guests (with thanks to podcast member Josie Symons).
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챕터

1. Music, Preview, Introduction & Supporter Thanks (00:00:00)

2. Growing up with Frank Fisher - & now as a dad himself (00:03:30)

3. Defying death, in common with the old man (00:09:30)

4. Tim’s background – starting with the surfing life & media beginnings (00:14:30)

5. Reflections on how the old man may have struggled with engaging more people (00:19:55)

6. How Tim’s gone about this – including how the surfing community has engaged & changed (00:23:25)

7. ‘Car park conversations’ & 'Climate cafes': Navigating Climate Conversations and Media Trends (00:27:39)

8. What still consumes Tim’s waking hours: What to do with media (00:32:50)

9. Energy transitions beyond renewables and electrifying everything (the demand side) (00:41:29)

10. Conversations with the federal government (00:47:00)

11. The Great Opportunity (& Need) in Energy Efficiency and Climate Action Discussion (00:51:27)

12. The Upcoming Conference in May (00:54:30)

13. Music Stories (00:56:30)

14. Music, Concluding Words & Listener Mailbag! (00:58:40)