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Media Release

September 9, 2005

Climate change threat has Australia “frozen in the headlights” warns environmental expert

Australia must accept a leadership role in sustainable development if it is to avoid a social, environmental and economic breakdown, head of WWF Australia, Greg Bourne will contend in the 2005 Annual Hawke Lecture tonight.

A capacity audience of 1000 will gather in the Adelaide Town Hall to hear this warning, presented by the Hawke Centre at the University of South Australia.

In the face of dire warnings from scientists around the world, Bourne will argue that Australia as a resource superpower is in a unique position to lead the way into a sustainable future.

“If we reject pessimism, there are massively exciting challenges and opportunities for Australia at this time. We need to be in the vanguard of a sustainability revolution.”

He says that adapting to a sustainable future will be the most critical change in Australia’s course since colonisation. “If we continue with business as usual, the ramifications for the Australian way of life will be disastrous.”

Bourne, who heads the Australian branch of WWF, the world’s largest conservation group, said climate change could trigger a progress trap that would threaten Australia’s social and economic development if measures were not taken to manage it.

He said that while governments seemed unwilling to act for fear of job losses and negative ramifications for the economy, all progress made to date would be jeopardised if we failed to manage climate change.

“We seem to be frozen in the headlights when it comes to this. We seem to believe that all progress, all development, all wealth creation will cease if we acknowledge climate change as a threat,” he says.

“The reality is that unless we address this very real threat, all development and wealth creation will truly be threatened.”

Bourne argues that all sectors of the Australian economy and all communities have a contribution to make and a tremendous benefit to receive if we accept the role as leader and embrace the pathway to a sustainable future.

Ms Elizabeth Ho, Director of the Hawke Centre at UniSA has welcomed the blunt warning.

“The Annual Hawke Lecture is about making an important and timely contribution to the national debate. University experts have proven the nexus between our future, our economy and our environment, and Australians look to leaders in all sectors to steer the right course on climate change. The nation needs to rise to this challenge,” Ms Ho said.

“People will be shocked by the facts presented by Mr Bourne, but importantly he maps out a way forward. This is arguably the most galvanising Hawke Lecture message delivered to the nation to date.”

An embargoed copy of the speech is available.

The Annual Hawke Lecture will be held 5.30pm on Wednesday November 9, 2005 at the Adelaide Town Hall. Details: www.hawkecentre.unisa.edu.au

Contacts for Interviews

Greg Bourne is available for pre and post-lecture interviews.
To arrange interviews please contact Louise Carnell or Elizabeth Archer

Media contact

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