Australia establishes national climate research centre in Hobart

CSIRO will establish a national Climate Science Centre in Hobart, CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall announced on Thursday. The focus of the centre would be climate modelling and projections for Australia.

Marshall says the creation of the centre is part of CSIRO’s Strategy 2020 which focuses on collaboration, global connection, excellent science and innovation. These four pillars would be at work in the Climate Science Centre.

It would be part of CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere with a guaranteed research capability for 10 years. Marshall adds the announcement culminates “ongoing consultation and feedback we’ve had from our staff and stakeholders, and this new Centre is a reflection of the strong collaboration and support right across our system and the global community.”

An independent National Climate Science Advisory Committee would also be established with representatives from CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology and other Australian and foreign experts. The minister for Industry, Innovation and Science agreed to establish the committee which would report at ministerial level.

The centre would have 40 full-time CSIRO scientists who would work closely with researchers from Australian universities and other stakeholders. At the same time, CSIRO would deepen its current partnership with the UK Meteorology Office.

The day before, Marshall was asked in a Senate committee hearing CSIRO’s plan to cut 350 jobs in the agency, many of the positions within climate change, reports The Sydney Morning Herald. He told the committee 40 of the scientists would be deployed to the Climate Science Centre, while the jobs to be axed would be reduced to 275.