There’s an international transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy and energy efficiency, being led by Denmark, Germany, China (by air pollution necessity), and some states of the US. Closer to home, New Zealand, South Australia and the A.C.T. are leading with progressive policies. By and large though, fossil fuel dominated economies such as Australia and Canada have been intractable.
What are the drivers for change, how have these changed, and where does Queensland (and Australia) sit in this unfolding technological, economic, social and political shift?
This talk, featuring energy and sustainability experts Professor Ian Lowe and Trevor Berrill will clarify just where Australia, and in particular Queensland, is now in relation to renewables and energy efficiency, and what it would take to transition Queensland to a clean energy future. It will identify a range of barriers that need to be addressed, including political aspects of this transition.
Free event 6pm – 8pm, Thursday November 26th
Griffith University EcoCentre,
Building N68, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan
RSVP essential.
Light refreshments provided. Free parking available – pick up a parking slip from EcoCentre reception.
Ian Lowe is emeritus professor of science, technology and society at Griffith University and holds adjunct appointments at two other universities. He directed Australia’s Commission for the Future in 1988, chaired the advisory council that produced the first independent national report on the state of the environment in 1996 and was president of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 2004 to 2014.
He has filled a wide range of advisory roles to all levels of government in Australia, is author of 12 books and over 100 other publications, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. He has been a reviewer for the IPCC and the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme.
He has received many local awards for his contributions to environmental science and in 2009 the International Academy of Sciences, Health and Ecology awarded him the Konrad Lorenz Gold Medal for his work on sustainable futures.
Trevor Berrill is an award winning, private consultant in sustainable energy (SE). He has worked for almost 40 years in both renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE), including in system design and installation, energy auditing, research at UQ, QUT and GU, product development, RE education and training, and policy.
Trevor was branch president of the Australian Solar Council in the 1990s and a founding member in Queensland of FOE, the Alternative Technology and Wind Energy Associations.
His work in the policy area began at this time with a realisation that “techno-twits” needed to engage in the political process, if they wished to see the clean energy technologies they promoted adopted. Trevor is trained in mechanical engineering and energy auditing at QUT and has a Master of Environmental Education degree from Griffith University.