Climate change Expo helps reinforce USQ as industry leader

Professor John Cole (L) and the ACSC's Professor Roger Stone caught up with with Fiona Wain, CEO, Environment Business Australia and the Hon Kate Jones MP

With the issue of climate change dominating global headlines in recent times, managing and offsetting the effects of this worldwide concern has generated an entire industry.

In an effort to place itself at the forefront of this industry, USQ this week took part in the second annual Australasia Carbon Market Expo on the Gold Coast.

Australasia’s premier Trade Fair and Conference for carbon market participants and service providers, the University attended the Expo to network with key domestic and international carbon market players.

'The Expo allowed industry, companies and government to come together to discuss the business of climate change and the importance of providing clean technology for lower emission industries,' Director of the USQ-based Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development, Professor John Cole, said.

'This year there was over 1000 representatives in attendance so it was a fantastic chance for USQ to explore new business opportunities.'

In particular Professor Cole said that there was a large representation from accounting groups, creating business prospects for the University.

'There was a big group of accounting technology companies, which were looking for help in assessing the cost of carbon emissions.

'This is one of the ways in which USQ has an opportunity to get involved in this industry and show that we are a University relevant to the issues of tomorrow.'

With three of USQ’s key research centres, the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC) and Australian Centre for Sustainable Business and Development as well as USQ’s Office of External relations also involved Professor Cole was confident that the University was well positioned.

'I felt that we were the best profiled University at the Expo and with involvement from the three research centres we have an integrated approach that appealed to many of the companies and government.

'We were also approached from people interested in the science of climate change including Hon Kate Jones MP, State Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, who spent some time talking with us about what we are doing at USQ.

'The University wants to be a leader in this area and provide technology solutions and this was an important step towards doing this.

'I am confident that USQ will benefit in business development as an outcome of this Expo.'

Contact Details:
Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2559 or 0400 025 429