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USC to host Climate Change forum
The University of the Sunshine Coast will host a workshop on Tuesday 14 April that could help determine how well Australia responds and adapts to the effects of climate change.
USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM said the Climate Change Adaptation Skills for Professionals workshop would be the first in as series of USC-hosted climate change skills workshops.
“The events will bring together strategic partners with the aim of working collaboratively to enhance the professional development of climate change practitioners,” he said.
Participants will include representatives from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Australian Homeland Security Research Centre, the National Climate Change Research Facility, the Environmental Institute of Australia/New Zealand (EIANZ), the Local Government Association of Queensland, Australian Architects Association, Energex, leading consultancy firms and universities.
It also will include organisations involved in the design, delivery, teaching, development and employment of professionals contributing to Climate Change Adaptation strategies in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Pacific Island countries.
Professor Thomas said the workshop would help integrate climate change into education and training for those professionals who are likely to be involved in developing planned adaptive responses to the impacts of climate change.
USC Associate Professor in Environmental Science Peter Waterman said the Department of Climate Change had helped fund this important forum.
“This workshop will increase collaboration between institutions for the delivery of accredited postgraduate professional development programs and undergraduate courses and non-accredited short courses,” he said.
“With our combined efforts and skills, we should be able to achieve a far more comprehensive outcome with increased flexibility of delivery of professional development courses.
“Most importantly, we’ll be acting as a cohesive, integrated body, able to deliver ‘needs-driven’ courses relevant to our target groups.”
The workshop on Tuesday will begin with Professor Thomas and EIANZ president Bill Haylock signing an agreement to work together on climate change adaptation education and research. This will be followed by a keynote address by National Climate Change Research Facility director Professor Jean Palutikof.
Associate Professor Waterman led the team that was instrumental in USC developing Australia’s first fully-articulated program in Climate Change Adaptation that extends from undergraduate to postgraduate qualifications.
He said the program had already gained a strong international reputation, with students coming from as far away as Tanzania, Guyana, Kiribati and Indonesia this semester.
— Terry Walsh