Emissions Reduction Targets and the Great Barrier Reef

Hot topics

POSTED: Tue 17 November 2009

ONLINE BRIEFING: Emissions reduction targets and the Great Barrier Reef

NATIONAL MEDIA BRIEFING – Tue 17 November, 10am AEDT at PARLIAMENT HOUSE (Also available online)

BRIEFING DETAILS:
DATE:Tue 17 November 2009
START TIME:10am AEDT
DURATION: 30 min

The Federation of Australian Science and Technological Societies (FASTS) released a statement signed by 13 prominent experts and briefed parliamentarians on the risks to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) from climate change.

According to the statement, the GBR is especially vulnerable to climate change and will be under significant threat if average global temperatures increase above 2°C, a figure often quoted as an acceptable maximum. To achieve a 50:50 chance of avoiding 2°C of warming would require global emissions to peak no later than 2020, and then decline to 80-90 per cent below 2000 emissions by 2050, say the researchers. This has significant implications for emissions reduction targets.

FASTS held a briefing for the media at Parliament House which the AusSMC is making available online.

SPEAKERS:

Chair: Professor Ken Baldwin, President of FASTS | Listen to audio (mp3)
• Professor Amanda Lynch, ARC Federation Fellow, Monash University | Listen to audio (mp3)
• Dr Janice Lough, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Australian Institute of Marine Science | Listen to audio (mp3)
• Professor Terry Hughes, ARC Federation Fellow; Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University | Listen to audio (mp3)
• Professor John Quiggin, ARC Federation Fellow, School of Economics, University of Queensland | Listen to audio (mp3)

See a recording of the full presentation by clicking here (Webex)

For further information, please contact the AusSMC on 08 7120 8666 (note new number) or email us.

	Latest releases \| Archive

	CONTRACEPTIVE PILL NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF DEATH RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts react to new research showing women who have used the oral contraceptive pill are less likely to die from any cause, including all cancers and heart disease, compared with women who have never used ‘the pill’. Fri 12 Mar 10 CHILEAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI RAPID ROUNDUP: An 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Chile, causing major damage and a tsunami. Experts from Australia, New Zealand and the UK respond. Sun 28 Feb 10 CLIMATE CONFUSION - SCIENTISTS ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS RESOURCE PAGE: After conversations and emails from a number of journalists, we have put their most pressing questions about climate change to a panel of climate scientists. Thu 25 Feb 10 TROPICAL CYCLONES AND CLIMATE FEEDBACK (NATURE) RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts comment on a new paper from Nature about the relationship between tropical cyclones and climate - a topic which has been a subject of much debate. Thu 25 Feb 10 BAN ON MEAT FROM BSE AFFECTED COUNTRIES SET TO END RAPID ROUNDUP: From next week countries where mad cow disease has been discovered will be able to export beef to Australia provided they comply with new regulations. Experts respond. Wed 24 Feb 10 NEW RADIOACTIVE WASTE BILL TO BE INTRODUCED RAPID ROUNDUP: Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson has announced the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010. Experts respond. Tue 23 Feb 10 PAN FRYING WITH GAS MAY BE WORSE THAN ELECTRICITY FOR RAISING CANCER RISK RAPID ROUNDUP: New research suggests frying meat on a gas cooktop may be more harmful to health than using an electric cooktop, because of the type of fumes it produces. Experts respond. Thus 18 Feb 10 PROTECTING SPACE HERITAGE SCIENCE BLOG: Dr Alice Gorman (Flinders University) discusses space archaeology and how to protect historic sites such as the moon landing site. Tues 9 Feb 10 LAUNCH OF NATIONAL SCIENCE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY RAPID ROUNDUP: Senator the Hon Kim Carr today launched Australia’s new National Science Communication Strategy, Inspiring Australia. Mon 8 Feb 10 WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE AND TREES SCIENCE BLOG: Professor Derek Eamus discusses the role of trees and tree planting in carbon sequestration and some surrounding issues. Mon 8 Feb 10 WA DROUGHT UNIQUE FOR 750 YEARS (NATURE GEOSCIENCE) RAPID ROUNDUP: New Australian research suggests the past few decades of serious drought in the southwestern corner of Australia may be highly unusual compared with the past 750 years. Mon 8 Feb 10 LANCET RETRACTS WAKEFIELD PAPER ON MMR/AUTISM UK & NZ SMC ROUNDUP: The Lancet has formally retracted the paper in which Andrew Wakefield claimed that the MMR vaccine can be linked to autism - see comments from UK and New Zealand based experts. Wed 3 Feb 10 COALITION'S CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY RAPID ROUNDUP: The Coalition has announced their climate change policy under the leadership of Tony Abbott. Experts respond. Tue 2 Feb 10 STAIN REPELLENT CHEMICAL LINKED TO THYROID DISEASE RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts comment on new research out of the UK linking thyroid disease with exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Fri 22 Jan 10 EXPERTS RESPOND TO GLACIER MELT DOUBTS RAPID ROUNDUP: NZ and Aus SMC round-up of reaction to news The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is reexamining a report it issued that suggests Himalayan glaciers could vanish by 2035. Thu 21 Jan 10 ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY AFFECTS GENE EXPRESSION RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts react to new Australian research showing alcohol consumed during pregancy can effect fetal gene expression Fri 15 Jan 10 EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI RAPID ROUNDUP: A magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti is feared to have resulted in the deaths of at least 170,000. Experts respond. Thu 14 Jan 10 TV TIME MAY CUT LIFE SHORT ONLINE BRIEFING: Australian researchers have tracked the TV viewing habits of 8,800 adults and found that every hour spent in front of the TV each day increased the risk of death. Tue 12 Jan 10