Call to act by pioneer on climate

Courier Mail
Tuesday 5/8/2008 Page: 11

THE scientist who coined the term acid rain says the world is close to a climate change tipping point and Australia must show leadership in dealing with the problem. American scientist Professor Gene Likens, who in the early '60s was among the first to link the increasing acidity in rain with the burning of fossil fuels, said Australia had to act now.

"Does the climate change problem exist? Yes," Professor Likens said. "The scientific consensus is so strong and so universal there are just a handful of doubters on this. "Yet (those doubters) get such high media attention and a lot of support." He argued Australia needed to provide leadership now rather than waiting for other countries such as China, Russia and the US to move first. "You are sticking your head in the sand if you think you should just wait for the US and Russia to do their bit," he said.

"There has to be leadership so I applaud Australia for its attempts to provide leadership." Professor Likens will be speaking today to policy makers and politicians at the Australian Rivers Institute, based at Griffith University's Nathan campus, on the problems being faced around the globe with drought and climate change.

Expected at the invitation-only talk were Queensland Minister for Climate Change Andrew McNamara, National Water Commissioner Chloe Munro and water commissioners from Queensland and NSW. Professor Likens said climate change was causing a change in rainfall patterns and while Australia appeared to have plenty of rain, water was not falling "where people are living and extracting it through irrigation."

He said he had researched the effects of acid rain in 1963 but it took almost 30 years for politicians to act. "I think we are approaching from a scientific point of view a tipping point on climate change and we are going to have to take action sooner rather than later," Professor Likens said. The Australian Government has so far pledged to cut national emissions by 60 per cent compared with 2000 levels by 2050.

The Government has also set a target of a national greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme by 2010, although ministers have hinted that timeframe could slip. "We certainly can't wait until 2050 to cut emissions." Professor Likens warned.