Dr Chris Mitchell is the CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. The CRC is assisting Australia to meet its greenhouse challenge on the land through world-class capability in greenhouse accounting.

Before his appointment to the CRC in October 2001, Chris coordinated CSIRO’s Climate Change Research program. The program spans several divisions of CSIRO, Australia’s largest science agency, is coordinated from CSIRO Atmospheric Research and produces over 100 peer-reviewed papers, conference papers and consultancy reports each year.

Since June 1999 and 2001 Chris also worked at CSIRO Energy Technology where he is responsible for the development of new programs directed towards the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

He has worked at the science–policy interface on global Climate Change for the past ten years. In this capacity he is a Member of the Consultative Group of Experts on non-Annex 1 (developing country) National Communications, established by a decision of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He was a member of Australia’s delegation to the fourth Conference of Parties, held in Buenos Aries, and has provided scientific advice to Ministers, Australia’s Ambassador to the Environment and senior industry leaders.

He has a strong commitment to the public communication of science — particularly the science associated with the climate change issue — and has given many talks to community-based organisations.

In addition to his work for CSIRO, Chris has served on Victoria’s Land Conservation Council and prior to that contributed to a number of state government environment committees.

Chris trained as a plant physiologist. His PhD research investigated photosynthesis and carbon metabolism of Antarctic sea-ice microalgae. After completing his post-graduate research, Dr Mitchell worked as a policy analyst at the Greenhouse Unit in the Victorian Office of the Environment, where he began development of an inventory of greenhouse gases associated with land use.

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