Media release - Conserving Tropical Biodiversity
Despite Climate Change [18 November 2008]
A meeting of world leaders in the field of
biodiversity and climate change is being held in north
Queensland’s Daintree region this week. The meeting has been
convened by A/Prof Steve Williams, Director of the Centre for
Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change (CTBCC) at James Cook
University, which is rapidly becoming a nationally and
internationally significant research centre on climate change
impacts.
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| Cassandra Nichols, Site Manager for the
MTSRF-funded Australian Canopy Crane, studying the impacts of
climate change on the Daintree rainforest. |
Twenty-one international and Australian experts
are working to help address the significant threat that climate
change poses for biodiversity worldwide - including
Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, which is
recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot.
Conservation of this biodiversity is essential
if these ecosystems are to be resilient to climate change, and to
continue to provide goods and services – like clean air and
drinking water – to the communities that depend upon
them.
“We already know that climate change is
increasing the risk of extinction for many species, even here in
north Queensland where they’re relatively protected from
other human influences,” said Steve. “What conservation
managers need now is a way to quantify this extinction
risk.”
“Our role as scientists is to determine which species,
habitats and ecosystems will be most vulnerable, and exactly which
aspects of their biology determines their vulnerability. The next
step will be to come up with options to manage this vulnerability -
things we can actually do to help adaptation and minimise climate
change impacts on our irreplaceable biodiversity.” [read
more]
Climate change heats up a lively debate at a
community event in Port Douglas.
The effects of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef sparked
a lively, public debate at Port Douglas Community Hall on Saturday
night (October 25th), as part of the International Year of the Reef
Festival.
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John Connor from the Climate Institute opens the
climate change discussion panel
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John Connor, CEO of the Climate Institute,
launched the forum with a keynote presentation (pictured) on future
climate projections for the Great Barrier Reef and was joined by a
panel including expert scientists shortly thereafter to discuss the
future of the Reef with concerned community members and industry
representatives. Panel members included Jos Hill (Managing
Director, Reef Check Australia), Phil Laycock (Senior Regional
Liaison Officer, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority), Dr Tony
Ayling (Principal Consultant, Sea Research) and Hayley Gorsuch
(Research Manager, Reef and Rainforest Research Centre).
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Above: Mellissa Jess and Hayley Gorsuch
at the RRRC Stall, IYOR Festival 2008.
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Above: Doon McColl and Alex Mateer participating
in the Beach Clean Up at Four Mile Beach, IYOR Festival 2008.
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The public forum concluded the two-day festival
which was hosted by Undersea Explorer in partnership with GBRMPA,
Low Isles Preservation Society, Douglas Shire Sustainability Group,
tourism operators and various other community and local groups.
The Saturday had begun with a community beach
clean up of Four Mile Beach on the Saturday morning (pictured),
followed by a range of activities and presentations held Port
Douglas Community Hall to celebrate the Great Barrier Reef and
increase awareness of the potential impacts of climate change.
Information stalls were set up from a variety of management
agencies, tourism operations, environmental non-profit
organisations and many more (pictured).