Gecko Talks 22nd May – How Climate Change will affect Living in the Gold Coast and Beyond

The debate on climate change is rightly focused on the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gases. But whatever our success or failure in mitigating emissions, we must now also ask how the harmful impacts of a rapidly-changing climate affect living on the Gold Coast—and beyond.

You can learn more when world-recognised authority on this challenging topic, Prof Brendan Mackey, Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program at Griffith University, updates us at the Gecko Talk on May 22nd.

‘There is now irrefutable scientific evidence that our climate is changing rapidly as the result of greenhouse gas emissions from using fossil fuel and deforestation and degradation,’ Prof Mackey says.

‘It is critical that we start to address the latest scientific findings on how the climate is changing and the impacts these will have on Australia, Queensland and the Gold Coast.’

Prof Mackey will discuss some of the consequences of climate change for people and the economy. He’ll outline what it means for iconic ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, economic sectors including tourism, urban planning and liveability and human health.

Prof Mackey is currently serving as a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report, Chapter 11 – Australasia.