About Peter Newman

Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University, Perth, Australia. In 2001-3, Peter directed the production of Western Australia’s Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. It was the first State Sustainability Strategy in the world. In 2004-5, he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning issues. In 2006/7, he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville where he completed two new books, Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change and Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems. In Perth, Peter is best known for his work in saving, reviving and extending the city’s rail system. Peter invented the term ‘automobile dependence’ to describe how we have created cities where we have to drive everywhere. He has been warning cities about preparing for peak oil since he attended Stanford University during the first oil crisis, 30 years ago. He was a Councillor in the City of Fremantle from 1976-80 where he still lives.

Most important publications:

• Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming automobile dependence (with J. Kenworthy) 1999
• Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems: Principles and Practices (with Isabella Jennings) 2008
• Resilient Cities: Responding to peak oil and climate change (with Timothy Beatley and Heather Boyer) to be published 29 November 2008