Australian National University vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt has urged governments to listen to science and expert advice to head off "cataclysmic climate change" at a high-level Climate Adaptation Summit event.

Professor Schmidt gave a keynote address overnight along with other Nobel Prize laureates at a side event for the international summit which is being hosted by the Netherlands government.

The ceremony was used to launch a statement from more than 3000 scientists calling for urgent climate adaptation action.

"As a member of the world's scientific community, I'm here to tell you that science, as always, stands ready to serve the people of the world," Professor Schmidt said.

"Renewing our trust in science and other forms of knowledge is vital. In recent times, that trust has been undermined.

"'Science', 'expertise', 'evidence' ... The purveyors of doubt have tried to devalue these powerful weapons in the fight against climate change. We can't let them succeed."

Read the full article on The Canberra Times website, featuring ANU Vice-Chancellor Prof Brian Schmidt