It’s hardly surprising that Emeritus Professor Mark Howden AC (Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Sciences) ’90) loves gardening. The environment and helping things grow are his passion. But the challenge of making sure climate change doesn’t blight future generations means that sometimes his own patch goes neglected. “Looking out at the garden and the rainforest I am a steward for, I can see that I’ve failed to get out and do this week’s jobs!” he admits.
As an environmental scientist, Howden has dedicated his life to protecting the natural world. His work continues even though he’s semi-retired—and it’s driven by optimism. “I’m a glass half full type. I think we can solve climate change. It’s just a matter of will and priority. The enthusiasm of young people in particular gives me hope.
“And I see a huge number of good options that could give us the great lives that we want to lead: high-value, high-quality lives for humans, and good outcomes for the environment and the other animals we share the world with—but with a hugely lower environmental footprint.”
While Howden thinks Australia has to some extent dropped the ball on responding to climate change, particularly on climate adaptation, there is good news. “For example, more than 500,000 home batteries have been installed in a year, which is extraordinary. Australians overwhelmingly get climate change, and given the opportunity they’ll respond sensibly, effectively and en masse.”
Green shoots
Howden’s longstanding passion for protecting the world around him started on Sydney’s northern beaches and was encouraged by his school teacher parents. “I spent my childhood basically outdoors, climbing cliffs, surfing, swimming or fishing from the rocks, riding my bike, and learning about the natural world and gardening from my mum.”
This upbringing had such an influence on Howden that he switched to environmental science from a chemical engineering degree after just two weeks. “Looking decades forward, I saw that the environment and human development would be in fundamental conflict. It would need science to help resolve some of that conflict. Looking back, I think I was pretty much on the money.”
Howden landed at Griffith in 1983, enrolling there to undertake a CSIRO PhD scholarship. He was able to carry out his PhD externally, working in Townsville on a project looking into the ecology and management of tropical grasslands.
“I brought my ecosystem frame to that study and did something that was pretty unusual at that time, which was to think about humans as an integral part of the ecosystem rather than outside it,” he says.
Climate connections
Since then, his work has gone on to have many real-world impacts for local agriculture, the environment and climate science. While working at Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries, he and his colleague, alumnus Dr Greg McKeon (Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Sciences) ’79), and others were the first to recognise and demonstrate how the then emerging climate science around El Niño could be used by decision makers in many domains—such as agriculture and water resources—to better manage climate risk and make progress on the newly coined idea of sustainability.
Based on that discovery, the pair got funding to develop the world’s first drought alert system in the early 1990s. “It’s still going now and it’s still probably one of the best drought alert systems globally,” Howden says proudly.
In 1991, he began working with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “IPCC science has been instrumental in some of the biggest policy decisions ever made, such as the Paris Agreement, and has informed conversations on effective climate action across the globe,” he says. “But it has been slow-burn impact.”
Working in climate science can feel like swimming against the tide, says Howden. “I feel that society could have progressed further and at a much lower cost if more people had listened to the science, the economics and the engineering instead of some of the politicians and vested industry groups. It’s been a challenge. But when things are important, you find a way to do them anyway.”
Global impact
His persistence has been rewarded. He’s been appointed to the fellowship of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering and was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia. “A huge surprise!” he says.
Howden’s work has also been globally recognised. He was part of the IPCC group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 along with Al Gore. “I still remember when I got that phone call and was told I and the rest of the IPCC had won a Nobel peace prize. I had no expectation or indication. It was a beautiful surprise and a wonderful thing.”
Recognition like this is also recognition for environmental science, the groups he’s worked with and the sacrifices his family have made, Howden says. “These sorts of recognitions say that what we are doing matters and that it has helped. That’s important and rewarding.”
Now, Howden is the co-recipient of the Overall Outstanding Alumni Award for his research excellence and unwavering commitment to sustainability. “It was lovely to hear that I was the science alumni award winner, because Griffith does have a really good reputation in environmental science and its application,” he says.
Future focus
Howden continues to be in great demand for his expertise, often speaking about climate, energy and food security to community, industry and policy groups, and giving interviews to media outlets around the world.
He is also still very much a part of the global discussion on environmental and climate policy with the IPCC. As the longest-serving IPCC contributor, Howden is Vice Chair of Working Group II for the Seventh Assessment, where he oversees the intense work synthesising global knowledge on climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerabilities.
He plans to continue this work until 2030, when this IPCC cycle finishes. Will he then have a chance to tend his veggie beds, garden and forest patches? Possibly not. “Having put my head over the parapet for decades and making the case and providing options for more effective and faster responses on climate and sustainability, I can’t turn my back on it. The job is not yet done!” So it looks like Howden’s garden will have to wait a little longer.
Image captions (top to bottom):
- Mark Howden with delegates from Australia and the South West Pacific region, 28 Jul 2023.
- Mark Howden.
- Mark Howden, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Bureau members, Bhopal Special Report Cities.
Published 29 October 2026
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