Royal Society and Australian Academy of Science are Strongly Supportive of Stern Report on Climate Change -- Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Appears Somewhat  Guarded While Australia's Chief Scientist Maintains Silence. (November 1, 2006)

Following the release of the Stern Report on climate change significant comment was forthcoming from a number of quarters (see October 31, 2006 News and Views).

Kurt Lambeck President of the Australian Academy of Science said bluntly, "Here's the essential message: climate change is real, global and long term. There is increasing risk of serious irreversible impacts from climate change under a 'business as usual' policy."

Martin Rees President of the Royal Society commented, "The Stern Review emphatically points to the need to take prompt and strong action to avoid the worst economic and environmental costs of climate change. This should be a turning point in a debate which has pitted short term economic interests against long term costs to the environment, society and the economy.

"We are facing a global challenge. Our prosperity in the developed world will not put us beyond climate change's far-reaching hand, yet it is likely that it will be the poorest nations that will be hit hardest.

"Here in the UK and internationally, we have a responsibility to take action on a number of fronts. We must place a cost on emissions of carbon dioxide from all sources and address the pressing issue of deforestation. We must accelerate the development of carbon free energy sources, increase our investment in innovative technologies and improve the efficiency with which we use energy in industry, in business, and individually through our lifestyle choices."

One the other hand the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) put out the following statement:

Australia must take Stern Report seriously

Australia must pay serious attention to the Stern Report if it is to play its role in mitigating and adapting to climate change, according to the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).

“Australia must develop a serious and timely response to this report, which presents with clarity the likely results of ignoring climate change,“ ATSE Chief Executive Dr John Dodgson said today.

“The Report notes that what we do now can have only a limited effect on the climate over the next 40 or 50 years, but what we do in the next 10 or 20 years can have a profound effect on the climate in the second half of this century and in the next,” Dr Dodgson said.

“This underlines the urgency with which Australia must address its climate options.

“But it should also remind us that our solutions have to be sustainable in terms of our economy and our environment. The maintenance of our economy is a key to our ability to develop and implement effective policies to minimise the impact of climate change and adapt to its inevitability,” Dr Dodgson said.

The Academy would continue to take initiatives that provided leadership and public policy input in the area of climate change.

And rather disappointingly, Australia's Chief Scientist, Jim Peacock so far has remained silent.