analysis: exclusive research to understand our seas and skies

Dr Kenneth Lee, Director Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship

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Research at CSIRO equips policy makers, industries and communities with practical and effective adaptation options to and variability. Here, Dr Kenneth Lee highlights some of the Ocean and Atmosphere Flagship’s impressive successes in this domain, including its international contributions to climate science, understanding of ocean dynamics and cutting-edge marine observing technologies

Could you discuss your background and how it led you to your Furthermore, these investments typically cost less than one-tenth of the current role? benefits that accrue through timely, well-targeted action.

Following my studies in aquatic sciences in both marine biology and How is research in this area translated into planning and chemical oceanography, I have worked as a research scientist for the policy making? past 30 years. In this role I lead multidisciplinary research programmes, involving government agencies, academia, industry and the public, to We communicate our research through various channels to inform provide the knowledge support required for the development and revision decision making. For example, informed by our research, we provide of national policies and regulations, and set international standards for detailed climate change projections and information, in user-friendly the protection of the marine environment. formats, to underpin climate impact studies and support adaptation decision-making to local, state and federal government, and Prior to joining the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research industry sectors. Organisation (CSIRO) in 2013 as Director of the Wealth from Oceans Flagship, I was founding Executive Director of the Centre for Offshore In what respects are the impacts of climate change already being Oil, Gas and Energy Research (CCOGER), a Centre of Expertise in felt in Australia? the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada. The Centre is responsible for the coordination and implementation of research A report on observed changes in long-term trends in Australia’s programmes with industry and academia to provide scientific climate was released by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology in knowledge and advice on the level of environmental risks associated March 2014. State of the Climate 2014 is the third report in the series with the development of Canada’s offshore oil and gas, and ocean and follows earlier reports in 2010 and 2012. Data and analysis from sector. the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO show further warming in the atmosphere and oceans in the Australian region, as is happening Can you highlight the importance of Australia’s marine and coastal globally. This change is occurring against the background of high resources to the country as a whole? climate variability, but the signal is clear. Key points for State of the Climate 2014 for Australia include: Australia is a marine nation surrounded by the ocean; its marine industries are valued at over AUS $47 billion, including offshore • Climate has warmed by 0.9 °C since 1910, and the frequency of oil and gas, fisheries, tourism and shipping. Subject to improved extreme weather has changed, with more extreme heat and fewer understanding to de-risk investment, in a decade’s time the industries cooler extremes linked to Australia’s coastal and offshore resources could be worth more than $100 billion per year. • Rainfall averaged across Australia has slightly increased since 1900, with the largest increases in the northwest since 1970 At present, which environmental issues are taking precedence across Australia? • Rainfall has declined since 1970 in the southwest, dominated by reduced winter rainfall. Autumn and early winter rainfall has mostly From an ocean and atmospheric perspective, we are focusing our been below average in the southeast since 1990 scientific research activities to address environmental issues that will enable the multiple use of our oceans, such as the development • Extreme fire weather has increased, and the fire season has of offshore oil and gas, alongside fisheries and coastal developments, lengthened across large parts of Australia since the 1970s all performed in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner. In addition to monitoring air quality, we are improving our ability to Are you able to reveal any findings from the Flagship’s collaborative predict climatic changes in a timescale that will enable adaption and effort to uncover the mysteries of the Great Australian Blight? mitigation strategies to be enforced. CSIRO, BP, the South Australian Research and Development In what ways is CSIRO partnering with the Bureau of Meteorology Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide and Flinders University to investigate potential impacts and adaption strategies to are working on an $20 million research programme to better climate change? understand the environmental, economic and social value of the Great Australian Bight. The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research (CAWCR) – a partnership between Australia’s leading atmosphere and ocean research Multidisciplinary research teams will study the oceanography, ecology, agencies – the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO – was established biodiversity, petroleum geochemistry and socio-economic value of the in September 2007. CAWCR combines the research capability of both region. This research will increase our knowledge of the region and national agencies in weather, climate and ocean research. help inform decision making for marine resource management and sustainable development in the region Deliverables from this collaborative programme provide policy makers, industries and communities with practical and effective adaption options The project has only recently commenced and oceanographic for climate change and variability. Adaption will help to protect ourselves, expeditions are currently underway. Results from data analysis will our families, businesses and environment against the impacts of these be made available for the benefit of other stakeholders, such as current and future climate risks. In many cases, CSIRO’s research Commonwealth and State regulators, governments and a diverse suggests that up to half of these risks can be removed by proactive range of research, community and environmental groups through investments to increase the resilience of our society and infrastructure. publication in science journals and technical reports.

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CSIRO is working with industry partners in other areas. We work • Novel materials for subsea pressure housings: carbon fibre and hand- in-hand with industry, governments at all level and the fibreglass to replace steel and titanium for lighter, stronger housings community to ensure that our research has value for our partners and customers. For example, last month CSIRO and BHP Billiton • Quantitative fisheries research tools, used by our own research teams, Petroleum announced a new marine research partnership for the as well as researchers and industry groups outside of CSIRO World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef, the largest fringing reef in the world. This five-year, jointly funded $5 million research programme Could you underline some of the Flagship’s most outstanding will include both deep and shallow reef research, turtle and shark research contributions? tagging, a PhD scholarship scheme and opportunities to engage the local community in Exmouth, Western Australia. We are also working There are many research successes to point to across our newly formed with the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences on environmental Flagship, including our growing contribution to high-impact science, baseline studies that support Shell and INPEX in the development of evidenced by our recent ranking by the Nature Publishing Index as the operational oil spill contingency plans and oil spill response capability. top Australian institution for publication in Nature Climate Change 2012-2013. To what extent will the cut in federal funding to CSIRO impact on research output? Another example of successful research by our scientists is the cost savings delivered to the fisheries industry. Australia’s fishing zone is The 2014 Federal Budget included appropriation reductions for the world’s third largest, and the $2 billion commercial fishing and CSIRO over the four-year forward estimates. Nonetheless, we aquaculture industry employs over 11,000 people. CSIRO’s research helps will continue to invest in our world-leading atmospheric and keep the industry and the marine ecosystem sustainable. An independent oceanographic science, including further development of the study has indicated that the annual long-term economic impact of our Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator work is more than $300 million, including healthier marine ecosystems (ACCESS) model with the Bureau of Meteorology that will enable and 5 per cent fish stocks growth; secured commercial catch volume; climate impact and adaptation analysis, and weather forecasting. and recreational fisheries benefits. CSIRO’s approaches have had global impact. Most recently, CSIRO was successful in a bid to lead the National Environmental Science Programme (NESP) Earth Systems Hub A team of our scientists was recently recognised at the Australian that will provide approximately $24 million over six years to a Coastal Awards 2015 for improving understanding of how Australia’s consortium comprised of CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology and five coasts and oceans are affected by marine rubbish or debris. Results Australian universities to improve our understanding of Australia’s from this $3 million project – the largest marine debris research survey climate system. ever attempted – will help governments and the community to tackle this major threat to marine wildlife and ecosystems. Can you provide some examples of how the Engineering and Technology Programme is developing emerging technologies? Our researchers are continuing to deliver world-class climate science through their publications, the State of the Climate Report 2014 and the The Programme has a mandate to develop new and innovative solutions recent climate projections for Australia. The projections are the most to answer scientific questions in the marine and atmospheric domains. comprehensive ever released for Australia and have been prepared Some examples of recent successes include: with an emphasis on informing impact assessment and planning in the natural resource management sector. • Sub-sea vision: over the past 20 years we have driven an evolution in capability and technology, pioneering developments in full ocean depth What are the Flagship’s key challenges at present? How are you cameras, video imagery and calibrated 3D stills installations usually seeking to overcome these? allied with other sensing packages In terms of strategic key challenges, CSIRO’s Oceans and Atmosphere • Fish logging tags: miniature heart rate, depth and light data loggers Flagship is unique in the Australian innovation system because of its high-quality research capability that spans the ocean, air and land • Oil and gas: bespoke instrumentation to sample the water column and domains. Our challenge is to meet the growing client and stakeholder the sea floor in a manner designed to maximise the sample acquisition demand for ‘whole of system’ biophysical and socioeconomic information opportunities on research and survey vessels to support the critical decisions that will drive socioeconomic growth

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Structure and strategic priorities

The Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship’s mission is to secure Australia’s future through its seas and skies. The Flagship focuses on five research programmes to enhance the growth, efficiency and sustainability of Australia’s marine sector (fisheries, oil and gas, tourism, port development and marine transport), support the protection of national security, and enable changes in ocean, climate and atmospheric conditions to be predicted. in Australia. Under its new strategy, the Flagship is pursuing Specifically, these include: three themes. First, ‘Protection of the Marine and Atmospheric Environment and Enhanced Security’, which aims to: Ocean and climate dynamics, which delivers globally consistent and authoritative information and services that allow a) Develop a national observing and modelling framework for the Australian governments, industries and communities to predict and sustainable development of Australia’s coastal regions respond to weather, climate and ocean variability and change, and extreme events b) Provide ocean, climate and atmospheric science that will enable Australia and its neighbours to plan for and respond to weather and Earth system assessment, which provides the ocean and climate related natural hazards atmospheric (earth system) science needed for a sustainable, healthy and well-prepared Australia. This is part of a global effort focused c) Carry out scientific research in support of national security through on climate, energy and air quality interactions, and climate, carbon interaction with Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and water feedbacks and Trade Coastal development and management, which supports Second, ‘Emergency response and preparedness’ will provide science to the sustainable development of Australia’s coastal resources by support contingency plans, emergency response operations, monitoring providing decision-makers with integrated catchment-coast- and mitigation technologies for national/international markets. For ocean, biophysical, socio-economic, observational and modelling example, the Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship has a Memorandum of capabilities to assess and anticipate the dynamics and vulnerabilities Understanding with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) of coastal assets to serve as its science provider. Under the terms of this agreement, the Flagship has provided advice from its physical oceanographers Marine resources and industries, which provides scientific to support the search for the MH370; and is currently developing the knowledge and tools to support commercial development of national reference protocol for oil spill analysis at sea. Australia’s marine resources (eg. fisheries, offshore oil and gas), while mitigating environmental impacts and conserving Under the ‘Unlocking the Blue Economy’ theme, the Flagship is marine biodiversity conducting multidisciplinary research that explicitly couples biophysical and socioeconomic considerations in support of social licence to Engineering and technology, which develops and deploys the operating by ensuring sustaining healthy ecosystems, and protecting science tools of the future to underpin and lead research in the coastal assets. This research will reduce both the cost and time for oceans and atmosphere domain regulatory approvals associated with emerging industrial activities such as offshore oil and gas and port development, among others.

Finally, how important is collaboration to the success of your research?

To maintain global leadership in science and the development of innovative technologies, we collaborate with leading science agencies from around the world, including the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Hadley Centre and Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the UK, the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, and the State Oceanic Administration and Chinese Academy of Science in China, as well as numerous academic institutions. For science to achieve an impact it is vital that such collaborations form between scientists and science organisations around the world. www.csiro.au

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