A group of ANU Experts were recently asked what advice they would give to the incoming Government - here are some remarks on Climate Change from Emeritus Professor Mark Howden.

The evidence for accelerating and worrisome climate change impacts is clear and current trajectories of emissions and consequent future climate change indicate a substantially altered decision environment for Australian governments, business, communities and families.

The economic, human, environmental and other costs to Australia of climate change impacts are not well-documented but are likely large (much greater than $10B per year) and growing. And yet, in this election we see very little attention paid to these impacts nor the benefits from taking a pro-active and strategic approach to climate adaptation.

The related and fundamentally important issue of the energy transition using firmed renewables has become muddied by the mirage of nuclear fission – a proposition which makes little sense in the Australian and climate change contexts.

If we are flirting with nuclear, why not do so with nuclear fusion where there have been substantial gains made recently with research reactors – a system without many of the drawbacks of fission but alas, also decades away from being operational here.

Even then, the focus on emission-reduction from the electricity sector which is responsible for only 30% of the national emissions, has taken our gaze from the many opportunities associated with reducing the other 70% of emissions.

Future generations will not thank us for taking such a fragmented and inadequate approach to these issues.

Emeritus Professor Mark Howden
The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS)