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Jules Pretty
Public Speaking
Public speaking

I am a regular speaker on the climate and nature crises, on how stories create agency and change, and on the journey to low-carbon living. These draw on my recent books, especially Sea Sagas of the North and The Low-Carbon Good Life.

I offer Story Masterclasses for wildlife, climate and related organisationss and groups. These tend to be half-day or evening events.

For the climate-related talks, we often discuss the many options available to us as individuals. We have calculated the carbon savings made by the average person in the UK by adopting each of these choices. And in 2025, a further leaflet on 30 for 30 ideas for nature recovery.

Download the “30 for 30: 30 ideas for reducing your carbon“.

Here is the 2025 “30 for 30 for Nature Recovery” (see Research Papers page to download):

If you would like me to come to speak to a group or event, please just get in touch by email. In the period from mid-2022 (as we opened up post-covid) to late-2024, I gave more than 100 public talks.

These have been to a wide range of public groups, at dedicated meetings, at arts and book festivals, at conferences, and online. A major focus in the 2020s has been on climate action and story. These talks have been to parishes, councils, schools, bookshops, community and business groups, and U3As.

If you’d like to know more about the context for “Climate Classes” and “Story Masterclasses“, you’ll find a downloadable paper on “What Makes Good Story” in the section on this website called “research papers”. Please get in touch if you would like to talk about these masterclasses.

Upcoming talks
7 November, 2025 How story creates agency for the nature and climate crises University of Oxford, Environmental Change Institute,
16 October, 2025 Environmental, Climate and Nature Initiatives in Greater Essex The Essex Lieutenancy, Essex Wildlife Trust
Past talks
14 April, 2025 Story for the Climate and Nature Crises Billaricay and Shenfield Women's Probus, Mount Avenue Banqueting Suite in Shenfield CM13 2NS
25 March, 2025 Story and Agency for the Climate Crisis Arts Council SE, Mercury Theatre, Colchester
11 March, 2025 Nayland Conservation Society AGM, Nayland, Suffolk
21 November, 2024 Story Masterclass: Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts RSWT, Newark, 0930-1700
18 November, 2024 How Story Can Reduce Anxiety About the Climate Crisis School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex
29 October, 2024 Story Masterclass: Essex Wildlife Trust 0930 Abbots Hall, Essex Wildlife Trust
26 September, 2024 Billericay and Shenfield Probus 12pm, Hutton, CM13 2NS
24 September, 2024 Wilderness Foundation 1900 Royal Geographic Society, London
22 September, 2024 Walton Arts 1200 Storytelling, Naze Visitor Centre
14 September, 2024 PACE Manningtree 0930 Climate Class
24 July, 2024 St Lawrence Seascape Festival, St Lawrence, Dengie 7pm, Stone Sailing Club
18 July, 2024 Hope Tales 6: Nature Recovery Sussex
17 July, 2024 Colchester Colne Probus Group 10am, Lexden, Colchester
8 July, 2024 All About The Bass conference University of Essex
17 June, 2024 Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab Annual Meeting (Kansas State University) online (pre-recorded video keynote), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
1 June, 2024 World Environment Day, Walton on the Naze Naze Protection Society
9 May, 2024 National Association of Local Councils (NALC): on the Essex Climate Action Commission Online
19 March, 2024 Bird Aware conference, University of Essex
19 January, 2024 Colchester-Cambridge Society Wivenhoe House Hotel
6 December, 2023 This Luminmous Coast LT904 Wild Writing Masters Course, University of Essex
27 November, 2023 Storytelling for Nature Recovery University of East Anglia, Norwich
22 November, 2023 Birkett Long business breakfast: climate action in Essex Chelmsford
31 October, 2023 Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture EC205 Poverty, Community & Development, University of Essex
26 October, 2023 Wickham Bishops parish council: climate action Wickham Bishops village, Essex
19 October, 2023 Dengie Climate Action Partnership, Burnham-on-Crouch Burnham-on-Crouch Town Hall
17 October, 2023 Storytelling for climate and nature recovery Essex Libraries and South Woodham Ferrers School
12 October, 2023 Tim Burrows (author of The Invention of Essex): chair and discussant Launch of new PHAIS School, University of Essex
11 October, 2023 Colchester Cafe Scientifique: climate action Cannock Mill Cohousing (Old Heath Road)
7 October, 2023 Essex Wildlife Trust AGM Online
25 July, 2023 Public Engagement and Fish Ecology FSBI Opening Ceremony, University of Essex
20 July, 2023 Ipswich and Suffolk Club Ipswich
13 July, 2023 Crafting and Communicating Positive Visions of Sustainable Futures University of Swansea (Sustainable Wellbeing Research Group)
22 June, 2023 London Metropolitan University: climate activism Online
14 June, 2023 Madeline Bunting (The Seaside): Chair and Discussant Essex Book Festival, Frinton Library, Essex
3 June, 2023 Hannah Rudd (Britain’s Living Seas): Chair and discussant Essex Book Festival, Harwich Library, Essex
4 May, 2023 Storytelling for Nature The Margate School, online
27 April, 2023 Agroecology for Regenerative Agriculture Schumacher College, Dartington Hall, Totnes
25 April, 2023 Storytelling for climate action Suffolk One college, Ipswich
15 March, 2023 Tendring District Councillors’ Briefing: Climate Action in Essex TDC, Clacton
3 March, 2023 Climate Action for Local Communities Little Baddow Society
25 February, 2023 Regenerative and Sustainable Agriculture (for Marina O’Connell workshop) Stroud
24 February, 2023 Sea Sagas of the North Hawthorn Books, Stroud
15 February, 2023 Sea Sagas of the North Hacheston, Suffolk
13 February, 2023 Sea Sagas of the North Hadleigh U3A, Hadleigh, Suffolk
28 January, 2023 Climate Action for Local Communities: Class Nayland Conservation Society
26 January, 2023 Sea Sagas of the North North Essex and Suffolk EUW, Officers Club, Colchester
25 January, 2023 Story and Climate Action Suffolk One college, Ipswich
18 January, 2023 Story and Climate/Nature Recovery NISD/University of East Anglia, Norwich
8 December, 2022 This Luminous Coast LT904 Wild Writing Masters Course
1 December, 2022 Reflections on the Advances of Sustainable Agriculture Tropical Agriculture Association, London
30 November, 2022 Climate Action for Communities Heybridge Parish Council, Heybridge, Essex
26 November, 2022 Social capital in rural communities New Zealand Social Capital Network, online
19 November, 2022 Sea Sagas of the North Soroptomists International, London & Anglia, Newnham College, Cambridge
16 November, 2022 Story for Climate Action Colchester Institute
9 November, 2022 Rewilding (with Ben Goldmsith and Charles Clover) BLUE Marine Foundation, The Surprise Chelsea, London
8 November, 2022 Storytelling for Climate Action Notley High School and Braintree School Sixth Form, Braintree
7 November, 2022 Sea Sagas of the North Nayland and Wiston Conservation Society, Nayland, Suffolk
26 October, 2022 Sea Sagas of the North Launch (Chair James Canton) Online
22 October, 2022 Essex Wildlife Trust AGM Online
20 October, 2022 St Christopher School: Stories and Climate Action Letchworth, Herts
18 October, 2022 Climate Action for Communities Coggeshall Parish Council and Climate Emergency Committee
14 October, 2022 Chelmsford Cathedral: Sea Sagas of the North Chelmsford Cathedral, Chelmsford
13 October, 2022 Sea Sagas of the North Open Road Bookshop, Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk
29 September, 2022 Schumacher College and Totnes Bookshop: Sea Sagas of the North and Climate Action Totnes, Devon
24 September, 2022 Suffolk Preservation Society: Sea Sagas of the North Bawdsey Manor, Suffolk
7 September, 2022 Blackwater U3A, Maldon: Climate Action West Maldon Community Centre
2 August, 2022 Tollesbury Climate Partnership: Climate Action in Local Communities Tollesbury, Essex
9 July, 2022 Climate Action for Communities The Naze Protection Society, Walton
30 June, 2022 Southwold Arts Festival: Sea Sagas of the North Soutwold Theatre
26 June, 2022 Felixstowe Book Festival: Sea Sagas of the North Felixstowe Museum
26 June, 2022 Essex Book Festival: Sea Sagas of the North Harwich Redoubt, Harwich
18 June, 2022 First Light Festival: The Drowning of Doggerland Lowestoft South Beach, Suffolk
14 June, 2022 Climate Action for AONBs Dedham Vale & Stour Valley Forum 2022
26 April, 2022 Climate Action in Essex Rural Community Council for Essex (RCCE), online
4 April, 2022 Climate Action for Communities Woodham Walter parish council
9 February, 2022 Climate Action for Communities U3A Broomfield, Essex
26 October, 2021 Sea Sagas of the North The Cut, Halesworth
21 October, 2021 Sea Sagas of the North The Margate School (TMS), Margate
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