Doctors for the Environment Australia is privileged to publish the text of this symposium with permission from Manning Clark House, Canberra. For future symposia and publications we recommend that you bookmark the Manning Clark House site www.manningclark.org.au

The Symposium was held in honour of Barry Jones on 11-12 June 2008. The abstracts are Co-edited by Bryan Furnass, member of DEA. Professor Tony McMichael, member of DEA Scientific Advisory Committee and Dr Bryan Furnass contributed papers which I commend to you.

The Symposium commences with a compelling letter from Professor James Hansen, chief climate scientist, Goddard Institute of Space Science, NASA, to Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia. Let me whet your appetite with two quotes from the letter.

“Your leadership is needed on a matter concerning coal-fired power plants and carbon dioxide emission rates in your country, a matter with ramifications for life on our planet, including all species. Prospects for today’s children, and especially the world’s poor, hinge upon our success in stabilising climate”

“If Australia halted construction of coal-fired power plants that do not capture and sequester the CO2, it could be a tipping point for the world. There is still time to find that tipping point, but just barely. I hope that you will give these considerations your attention in setting your national policies. You have the potential to influence the future of the planet.”

Download the conference program and abstracts via the link to the right.