All eyes will be on Dubai this week as 70,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries meet at the United Nations backed climate summit, known as COP28.
The annual event comes as the UN warns the planet is on track to warm by 3 degrees by the end of the century – double the target of 1.5 degrees agreed to at COP21 in Paris.
Australia’s Climate Change Minister, Chris Bowen has said he will push for “stronger practical outcomes, not just maintain the status quo.”
The University of Queensland has a range of researchers available to offer expert analysis.
Dr Matt McDonald, School of Political Science and International Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Expertise: international politics of climate change, with a particular focus on the security implications of climate change.
Contact: matt.mcdonald@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3365 3042.
Associate Professor Justine Bell-James, Law School, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: environmental and climate change law. Her work has had a significant influence on climate law and policy in Australia, including through the inclusion of coastal ecosystems in Australia’s Emissions Reduction Fund framework.
Contact: j.bell-james@law.uq.edu.au, +61 423 339 054.
Professor Stephen Wilson, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Expertise: energy policy, energy security, energy supply, environment, resources, and nuclear power. He led a study that aims to answer the question, what would be required for nuclear plants to be operating in Australia from the 2030s? “We are not promoting or opposing nuclear energy. The study answers a research question as factually as possible with the best available information.”
Contact: stephenjwilson@uq.edu.au, +61 467 600 607.
Professor Andrew Griffiths, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: how organisations deal with the impacts of climate change, and how executives and employees can transform organisations to better manage sustainability issues. Professor Griffiths can also provide information on how local and global organisations can apply new knowledge.
Contact: a.griffiths@bel.uq.edu.au.
Dr Andrea La Nauze, Australian Institute for Business and Economics, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: alternative policies to reaching agreed targets and the impacts on households. How households respond to policy changes, particularly in terms of technology adoption and energy consumption.
Contact: a.lanauze@uq.edu.au, +61 422 792 468.
Dr Saphira Rekker, UQ Business School, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: Dr Saphira Rekker is an expert in sustainable finance. She can comment on carbon reduction schemes as they relate to the Australian business sector.
Contact: s.rekker@business.uq.edu.au, +61 406 612 196.
Professor Paul Gauthier, Centre for Horticultural Science, Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)
Expertise: food sustainability, protected cropping and indoor vertical farming as a long-term solution to feed the world’s populations.
Contact: p.gauthier@uq.edu.au, +61 467 561 462.
Associate Professor Simon Smart, School of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
Expertise: Net Zero, clean energy, minerals and water, decarbonised economy. His research is centred around the sustainable production and use of energy and chemicals – including the development of enabling technologies and processes for the production of clean energy, materials and water. Can provide comment on renewable energy.
Contact: s.smart@uq.edu.au, +61 407 745 878.
Professor Hurriyet Babacan, Australian Institute of Business and Economics, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: creating resilient and inclusive low-carbon cities, environment/sustainability policy, energy, regional economic development, housing, workforce, (employment) education and training, agriculture, water, innovation, and health.
Contact: h.babacan@uq.edu.au, +61 7 336 54211, +61 413 819 884.
Professor Kristen Lyons, School of Social Science, Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Expertise: global carbon markets have come to occupy an increasing place in global decarbonisation efforts, and have been supported via Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Considering the human and environmental impacts of carbon markets, including voluntary carbon markets, and their efficacy in meeting targets as set out at COP.
Contact: kristen.lyons@uq.edu.au, +61 437 332 732.
Professor John Quiggin, Professor of Economics, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
Expertise: a wide range of policy topics related to the economics of climate change and renewable energy.
Contact: j.quiggin@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3346 9646, +61 400 747165.
Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, School of the Environment, Faculty of Science
Expertise: Lead Author for the ‘Oceans’ chapter for the Fifth Assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, AR5) and the Coordinating Lead Author on the Impacts chapter of the IPCC Special report on 1.5°C (SR1.5). Impacts of climate solutions to rapid climate change.
Contact: oveh@uq.edu.au, +61 401 106 604.
Professor Anthony Richardson, School of the Environment, Faculty of Science
Expertise: uses mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to investigate human impacts on oceans – and to find solutions. His research aim is to better understand key system drivers, conserve biodiversity, and ensure productive fisheries under climate change. He is working to design marine protected areas to be robust to climate change.
Contact: ajr@maths.uq.edu.au, +61 467 771 869.
Associate Professor Linda Selvey, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine
Expertise: health physician, infectious diseases, protecting human health from the impacts of climate change.
Contact: l.selvey@uq.edu.au, +61 412 072 168.
Professor James Watson, School of the Environment, Faculty of Science
Expertise: impacts of climate change on species, ecosystems and ecosystem services and on the effectiveness of conservation strategies to abate biodiversity loss.
Contact: james.watson@uq.edu.au, +61 409 185 592.
Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +61 429 056 139.
