09/12/2005 - A new report into Australia’s climate activities highlights Australia’s contribution to international climate science research, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said today.

The report, Climate Activities in Australia 2005, produced by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) summarises Australia’s role in the international climate change effort and demonstrates the significance of Australian research in understanding climate science.
“Understanding the science associated with climate change is essential if countries are to develop the means to mount an effective response to climate change,” Senator Campbell said.

“I am distributing this report at the climate change meeting in Montreal, Canada, today as an illustration of Australia’s contribution to the global climate change effort.”

Senator Campbell said the report covered a range of science activities including climate monitoring and data archival; using climate data in decision making; climate change research and understanding the impacts of and response to climate change. He said BOM had extensive links with international meteorological services, particularly through the World Meteorological Organization. The report is the seventh report in this biennial series which BOM started in 1993.

Senator Campbell said BOM placed high priority on making research data accessible to the Australian people so it may be applied to a variety of economic, social and environmental purposes.

“Australian scientists are held in high regard and this report demonstrates the extent of national collaboration that been undertaken to monitor and measure our climate change conditions,” Senator Campbell said.

“I am particularly grateful to the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Greenhouse Office for assisting the Bureau in the preparation of the report.”