Western Sydney University and UN Association of Australia NSW Division tackle climate change in series of events
Western Sydney University, in partnership with the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW Division) (opens in a new window), will host a thought-provoking and action-inspiring series of events focusing on climate change and sustainable development in Australia.
The first of three Sustainable Development Pillar events of the series will take place at the University’s Parramatta City campus on Thursday 24 August, demystifying the latest Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific group assembled by the United Nations to monitor and assess all global science related to climate change.
Professor Graciela Metternicht, Dean of Western Sydney University’s School of Science, will join a panel of scientists and experts to discuss the IPCC Report 2023: The Physical Science of Climate Change: Perspective and Adaptations to inform the audience about the latest in climate change science and outlining the latest understanding of current climate conditions and key findings of the report.
“The panel will touch on the IPCC Report 2023 and related Sustainable Development Goals to share our knowledge on the current climate-affected situation in Australia, providing insight through collective voices that explore these distinct aspects in Australia and New South Wales current lands and oceans, and those within Antarctica,” said Professor Metternicht.
“Our guest speakers are dynamic and engaging individuals with expertise and commitment to the sustainability of our environments and we are delighted to bring you their insights and perspectives through engaging presentations, in-conversation panel discussions, and audience Q&A’s.”
The 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (opens in a new window) were adopted by the UN in 2015 and provide a framework for developing the world in a sustainable way.
Professor Metternicht said one of the key messages of the latest IPCC report is that there still is a window of opportunity to enable sustainable, climate resilient development; but that window is narrowing rapidly.
“The choices that we will be making in the next few years will play a critical role in the kind of future we, and future generations, will face. Research that recognises the interconnections between people, animals, plants and their shared environments play a central role in education and policy for tackling the impacts of a changing climate,” she said.
“My research explores the connection between degradation of our lands, climate change and the loss of biological diversity. For ten years I have been working with international experts on what we call ‘land degradation neutrality’, a concept that looks at best practices of sustainable management of our lands to maintain or improve ecosystem services, including healthy and productive soils to enhance food security.
“Over 120 countries around the world have embraced that concept and are developing interventions to avoid, reduce and reverse land degradation”.
Panellists of the IPCC Report 2023: The Physical Science of Climate Change: Perspective and Adaptations include:
- Professor Graciela Metternicht, Dean of Science, Western Sydney University
- Associate Professor Alex Sen Gupta, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales
- Professor Stefan Williams, Director Digital Science Initiatives, University of Sydney
- Andrew Kelly, CEO Antarctic Science Foundation
For the second year in a row, Western Sydney University has been named number one in the world for its social, economic and environmental impact in the 2022 and 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings.
The Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings is the main global ranking system that assesses universities on their commitment to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the University’s work recognised in the following SDG categories in 2023:
- 1st in the world for SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals
- 2nd in the world for SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 15 Life on Land
- 3rd in the world for SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
- 4th in the world for SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing
- 5th in the world for SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- 7th in the world for SDG 13 Climate Action.
For more information about the UNAA NSW Sustainable Development Pillar Event Series, and to register for the IPCC Report 2023: The Physical Science of Climate Change: Perspective and Adaptations event, please click here(opens in a new window).
ENDS
23 August 2023
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