Free Public Event with David Karoly, Tony Press, Susan Wijffels, Tom Trull and Ian Allison

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 6-7.30 pm
Stanley Burbury Theatre, UTAS

The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  (IPCC) “Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis” was released at the end of September. This confirmed with greater confidence the key conclusions on climate change; that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, most of the observed global warming since 1950 is very likely due to the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, and that continued emissions will lead to substantial further global warming.  This talk will review the science of climate change, including regional impacts in Australia. It will also describe the global emission reductions that are needed to meet the globally agreed target of limiting global warming to less than two degrees above pre-industrial levels.

In October 2013, the Climate Change Authority released its draft Targets and Progress Review, assessing progress in Australia in terms of greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 and recommending targets for reductions in Australian greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the two degree warming target. The key recommendations from the CCA will be discussed, as well as some of the opportunities that are readily available for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

A panel discussion will follow the presentation, and the public is invited to ask questions of the panelists.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER AND PANELIST

Professor David Karoly
Professor of Atmospheric Science in the School of Earth Sciences
and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, University of Melbourne

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

Dr Tony Press
CEO of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre

PANELISTS

Dr. Susan Wijffels
Leader, Dynamic Oceans Theme, CSIRO and co Chair of International Argo Science Team

Prof. Tom Trull
Leader, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Carbon Program, and the Integrated Marine Observing System Southern Ocean Time Series Facility.

Prof. Ian Allison
Honorary Research Professor at the University of Tasmania, and
Associate of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC