Universities Australia Chair welcomes climate snapshot

Universities Australia

Universities Australia today welcomed the release of the State of the Climate Snapshot co-authored by the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.

“This important statement from the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology confirms the clear view of top Australian scientists, expert in the field, that Australia’s climate is changing,” said Professor Peter Coaldrake, Chair of Universities Australia and Vice-Chancellor of Queensland University of Technology.

The snapshot has been produced to update Australians about how their climate has changed and what this means using data that both organisations have been collecting for 60-100 years.

“Science has been under unprecedented attack over the last few months and climate science has borne the brunt of the attack. Now is the time to stand up for the quality of Australian science and research and to emphasise the need for evidence-based policy outcomes that recognise the lessons from science,” Professor Coaldrake said.

On Thursday of this week (March 18) Universities Australia, the peak body of Australia’s universities, will host a forum on climate change and the role of scientific knowledge in public debate at Parliament House in Canberra.

“A panel of leading researchers will present the evidence of change, and the projections for the future. The Forum will also consider the challenges of communicating complex science and of bridging scientific knowledge and public policy,” Professor Coaldrake said.

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Reposted by Science in Public for Universities Australia

For media inquiries contact:
Professor Peter Coaldrake
Universities Australia Chair
Ph: 07 3138 8086 • Mob: 0418 642 375

Rebecca Harris
Universities Australia Director of Communication & Government Relations
Ph: 02 6285 8106 • Mob: 0400 166 691

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Comments from other experts can be found in the rapid round up provided by the Australian Science Media Centre:  http://www.aussmc.org/CSIROandBoMstatementonclimate.php

CSIRO and BOM’s State of the Climate snapshot is here: http://www.csiro.au/resources/State-of-the-climate.html