Generating integrated climate change research
The Griffith Climate Change Response Program leads Griffith University’s research into climate change adaptation and mitigation. As climate change issues cut across many fields of study our research projects are transdisciplinary. The program brings together the wealth of Griffith research expertise from across the University, enabling climate change problems to be addressed in a comprehensive manner and often in conjunction with our international partners.
New Video - Combating climate change in the Pacific
Climate change is presenting an existential threat in the Pacific; with island nation states not only a loss of property, but a loss of culture and identity. The EcoAdapt project identifies ecosystem-based approaches for climate change adaptation in the coastal zone of Pacific island states and territories in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
RESEARCH IN FOCUS - THE BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE VIRTUAL LABORATORY
The Biodiversity and Climate Change Virtual Laboratory (BCCVL) is a “one stop modelling shop” that simplifies the process of biodiversity-climate change modelling. A new infographic has been released about the BCCVL, including its partnership with the ‘EcoScience Research Data Cloud and Data Enhanced Virtual Laboratory’ (aka – EcoCloud).
News from the Griffith Climate Change Response Program
Climate change in the news
- Glencore moves to cap global coal output after investor pressure on climate change - 21 February, ABC
- Townsville homes may become 'uninsurable' due to flooding from climate change - 20 February, The Guardian
- From foil-wrapped glaciers to the Alpine storm cyclist: the artists fighting climate change - 20 February, The Guardian
- Climate change and the Murray–Darling Basin Plan discussion paper - 19 February, MDBA
- 'Summer of disasters' reveals the cost of climate change for Queensland taxpayers - 19 February, ABC
- 'Our little brown rat': first climate change-caused mammal extinction - 19 February, SMH
- Spectacled flying fox declared endangered after Queensland heatwave wipeout - 19 February, The Guardian
- How climate change can make catastrophic weather systems linger for longer - 18 February, The Conversation
- Climate change threatens to wipe out meerkats in the next 50 years - 17 February, Quartz
- Civilization VI: Gathering Storm shows video games can make us think seriously about climate change - 16 February, The Conversation
- 'Climate-change refugees' quit mainland farming in search of greener pastures in Tasmania - 16 February, SBS
- Polar bear 'invasion': How climate change is making human-wildlife conflicts worse - 15 February, SBS
- Climate strike: Schoolchildren protest over climate change - 15 February, BBC
- Australia’s bushfire survivors demand government action on climate change - 14 February, SBS
- Five ways behavioural science can transform climate change action - 13 February, UN
Snapshots from recent activities and meetings
A number of researchers from the Griffith Climate Change Response Program (GCCRP) attended as observers at the UN Climate Change Conference held in Katowice, Poland (COP 24) from 2 - 14 December 2018. Dr Johanna Nalau of the GCCRP provided the High Level Statement on behalf of RINGOs (Research and Independent Non-Government Organisations) at the Plenary. Researchers are also participated in various side events at COP 24.
- See the recording of Needs-based Climate Finance Strategy in Melanesia - initiative led by the Melanesian Spearhead Group with the support of the UNFCCC Secretariat and Griffith University. Dr Tim Cadman, Research Fellow, GCCRP and Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law, moderated the event
- View the presentation from Prof Brendan Mackey, GCCRP Director - The interdependency of forests, ecosystem integrity and biodiversity for climate action - to the Global Landscapes Forum
On 2 & 3 November 2018 the Collaborative Australia-Indonesia Program for Sustainable Development and Climate Change was launched in Jakarta. The two-day event included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Program between Griffith University and Universitas Indonesia, followed by academic discussions in the area of sustainable development and climate change. Prof Brendan Mackey, Director, Griffith Climate Change Response Program (GCCRP) is pictured at the MoU signing. GCCRP will lead efforts to develop, seek funding for, and implement externally funded collaborative multidisciplinary research projects involving Griffith and Indonesian research institutions and government agencies within the broad field of sustainable development and climate change.
On 24 August 2018 the Griffith Climate Change Response Program hosted a Panel Discussion and Book Launch, centered around the theme - Climate change update: Moving forward on adaptation. The eminent panel - Prof Mark Howden (ANU Climate Change Institute), Prof Roger Street (Oxford University) and Georgine Roodenrys (Qld Government) shed light on the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report and shared insights into how the Irish, UK, Canadian and Japanese governments are responding to growing climate risks and the state of play with the Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy. The book, Limits to Climate Change Adaptation, was also launched. Dr Johanna Nalau, co-editor of the book and IPCC 6th Assessment Report Lead Author, presented some of the main findings from the book.
On 23 August 2018, special guest, Professor Seon Ki Park, from the Dept of Environmental Science & Engineering and the Dept of Climate & Energy Systems Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea, presented a seminar, Integrated regional environment/climate prediction system: Coupled modeling, parameter estimation and data assimilation. Professor Park discussed Atmospheric Sciences at Ewha Womans University; Numerical Weather/Climate/Environment Prediction; Sensitivity Studies; Subgrid-scale Parameterizations; Optimal Parameter Estimation; Coupled Data Assimilation; Projection of Local Climate Change; and RECIPE (Regional Environment/Climate Prediction System).
Photo - Dr Serena Lee, Professor Brendan Mackey, and Dr Willow Hallgren from the Griffith Climate Change Response Program with guest Professor Park.
On 21 August 2018, special guest Professor Patrick Nunn, Associate Director, Sustainability Research Centre, University of Sunshine Coast presented a seminar: Improving the Effectiveness and Sustainability of Climate-Change Adaptation Outcomes in the Pacific. The seminar included a discussion about the role of faith/spirituality in contributing to the acceptance of adaptation by affected communities, especially those in rural parts of the Pacific Islands region where environmental governance (and decision-making more generally) is commonly filtered through religious beliefs was the focus of some of the discussion.
Photo - Professor Brendan Mackey (Griffith Climate Change Response Program) and Professor Nunn.
On 15 August 2018 Professor Brendan Mackey, Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program, presented a seminar at the Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science at the James Cook University in Cairns. The abstract for his seminar was: Ecosystems throughout the world are being degraded from modern developments including industrial scale land use and transport infrastructure. At the same time, we are experiencing unprecedented human-forced climate change. Together, they are leading to a break down in natural connectivity and dramatic shifts in ecosystem dynamics and species responses. Large scale connectivity conservation has been proposed as an appropriate and necessary response to these threats to ecosystem integrity and biodiversity.
The Griffith Climate Change Response Program was a sponsor of the Narratives of Climate Change Symposium which was held at the University of Newcastle on 5 & 6 July 2018. The symposium was an interdisciplinary collaboration inspired by the possibility that the gap between scientific knowledge and effective political, legal and social action can be bridged by alternative forms of narrative, incorporated into and developed by artistic creations, works of fiction, social and other media, performances of all types including theatrical, activist and absurdist, visionary planning and innovative litigation such as the Children’s Trust lawsuits.
Dr Esther Onyango (in photo) presented at the Symposium as did Professor Brendan Mackey of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program.