Climate tipping points – the science and risk

Climate change projections often focus on gradual trends—steady warming, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events. But could abrupt and irreversible shifts in the climate system, known as tipping points, disrupt this and produce dramatic shifts to the entire climate system?

Join the Climate Systems Hub as we explore the current state of knowledge around climate tipping points, the risks they pose to Australia, and how they might be considered in decision-making.

We’ll hear from climate projections scientist, Dr Michael Grose and behavioural scientist Professor Ben Newell as they discuss the science behind tipping points and how individuals and institutions can respond to these emerging risks.

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• Free

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Eliza Keck

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Speaker bios:

Michael Grose is a climate scientist at CSIRO in Hobart. His research focuses on our changing climate, mainly in projections of future climate change for Australia and the region, but also in attribution of past change and the translation of climate change information for decision making. Michael was a Lead Author on the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, and led a workshop report on assessing our understanding of risks to Australia from tipping points. He has previously been a researcher in the NESP Climate Systems hub, but is now working collaboratively with the hub, delighted to be partnering with the Uncharted Climate Futures project.

 

Ben Newell is Professor of Behavioural Science in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney, and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR). His research focuses on the cognitive processes underlying judgment, choice and decision-making. His role in the Institute is to drive an interdisciplinary research agenda bringing together expertise from behavioural science, climate science, economics, law and governance to address the risks and opportunities of climate change. He has published multiple articles at the intersection of psychology and climate change, with particular focus on the understanding of uncertainty and risk. Ben is lead author of the books Straight Choices: The Psychology of Decision Making, and Open Minded. Ben is a member of the Academic Advisory Panel of the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), and was part of the Chief Medical Officer's advisory group for the National Health and Climate Strategy. He also serves on climate and behavioural advisory panels for CBA, AON, and the Actuaries Institute.