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.

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.

John Connor from the Climate Institute opens the climate change discussion panel

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).

Above: Mellissa Jess and Hayley Gorsuch at the RRRC Stall, IYOR Festival 2008.   Above: Doon McColl and Alex Mateer participating in the Beach Clean Up at Four Mile Beach, IYOR Festival 2008.

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).