USQ helping to establish international climate change research links

USQ is once again at the forefront of climate change research after Director of the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC) at the University Professor Roger Stone, recently helped establish links between two of Britain's leading institutions and the Queensland Government.

Professor Stone travelled to London with a group representing the State Government, including Premier Peter Beattie, to have discussions on climate change.

'I facilitated a collaboration between the Queensland Government and key UK scientific research organisations,' he said.

'These institutions were the Walker Institute for Climate System Research, the University of Reading and the Hadley Centre for Climate Change.

'We formatted future projects between us and them on climate change and climate variability.'

Following the discussions an Agreement for International Research Cooperation between the new Queensland Climate Change Centre for Excellence (QCCCE) and the Walker Institute was signed.

'The agreement will explore a few issues and will also involve some key projects,' Professor Stone said.

'One of the things we want to look at is clean coal as a way of generating power and what affect it will have on the environment.'

An agreement was also reached with the Hadley Centre for Climate Change, which will formalise links between the QCCE and the Centre to foster joint research and development into climate applications, systems analysis and modelling.

'Premier Beattie and the Director General are keen to see that there is some good work been done,' Professor Stone said.

'This is a great opportunity for USQ and the Queensland Government to be involved in this important industry research.'

His latest trip to London ends a busy month for Professor Stone, who has only recently returned from an International Climate Workshop in Tokyo and took up the role of Director of the ACSC just a few weeks ago.

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628