 |
Sir Prof Brian Hoskins deliver
the Miegunyah Lecture at
the Carrillo Gantner Theatre
in Melbourne. |
The United Kingdom’s
plans to limit carbon dioxide emissions were explained at last night’s
Miegunyah Lecture at the University of Melbourne.
Sir Prof Brian Hoskins told a near full Carrillo Gantner
Theatre that it was now law in the UK to restrict emissions with the goal of
reaching 80 per cent of 1990 emissions by 2050.
That law, he said was implemented with overwhelming support
with just three parliamentarians voting against what was proposed and 450
voting in support.
Targets taking the country to that goal have been
established and now a working part of government at all levels.
He said the goal provides a 50/50 chance of staying within
the two degree limit, but admitted that by the end of the century the earth
could warm to 3.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Prof Hoskins’ presentation was sweeping, illustrating his
broad and deep understanding of climate change and its manifest complications
with him admitting, several times, that many outcomes were something those in
his position were unsure of, both in terms of timing or their gravity.
He came to Melbourne with a reputation and resume almost
without equal and was introduced to those in the theatre by Prof David Karoly,
of the University of Melbourne’s School of Earth Sciences, who said the visiting
professor and he knew each other well as he had been his PhD supervisor.
 |
The near full Carrillo Gantner Theatre for
last night's Miegunyah Lecture - 'Climate
change: are we up for the challenge?' |
Prof Hoskins is recognised as one of the world's leading
atmospheric scientists. He became the first Director of the Grantham Institute
for Climate Change at Imperial College London in January 2008, and now shares
his time between Imperial and Reading University, where he is Professor of
Meteorology.
His research is in weather and climate, in particular the
understanding of atmospheric motion from frontal to planetary scales. His international roles have included being
President of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric
Sciences and involvement in the 2007 IPCC international climate change
assessment.
He is presently a member of the UK Committee on Climate
Change and the science academies of the UK, USA, China and Europe and has
received a number of awards including the top prizes of the UK and US
Meteorological Societies. He was knighted in 2007 for his services to the environment.
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