Media Release - 17 January 2003

UK expert here to study how bushfires affect climate change

One of Britain’s leading climate change researchers is spending his summer in Australia to study how large-scale bushfires are affecting the atmosphere and the “Greenhouse effect”.

Dr Richard Betts, 33, is currently working with scientists from Australia’s leading specialist greenhouse research organisation, the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. Part of his time is also allocated to projects involving the CSIRO.

His four months visit to Australia has been funded jointly by the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting, CSIRO and his UK employer, the Hadley Centre for Climate Protection and Research.

An expert in developing computer models of global climate, Dr Betts is aiming to produce an accurate model of the interactions of climate change and global ecosystems.

To achieve this he is collaborating with Australia’s leading bushfire experts and he hopes to gain direct experience at a major fire front.

“I have come to Australia to benefit from your enormous expertise in collating data covering all aspects of large-scale bushfires so this can be included in my future models,” he said.

“There is not much data on this available in the UK – it is too damp and we just don’t have large-scale wildfires.

“This work will be extended to include other areas around the world, such as North America, Russia, Indonesia, Africa and Amazonia so that future computer models will more accurately reflect what is really happening with global warming.

“UK authorities are very happy to be working in conjunction with the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting and the CSIRO on this project and any results will be shared between these organisations”, Dr Betts said.

INFORMATION:

Dr Richard Betts (Mobile 0427 440 367)

Dr Chris Mitchell, CEO, CRC for Greenhouse Accounting (Mobile: 0419 992 914)

Dennis Ringrose, Communication Manager,CRC for Greenhouse Accounting . (02 6125 5593)