From Craig Macaulay, CSIRO:

While recent political activity has centred on the passing of the Clean Energy Bills, 170 delegates from 50 countries were meeting (http://www.csiro.au/news/Securing-energy-supply-in-changing-variable-climate.html) away from the limelight in conversations centred on a closely-related subject, energy and climate.

With Australian science heavily engaged at the research coalface in all forms of energy generation, CSIRO has sought to bridge the international gap at the interface with climate through its support of the first International Conference on Energy and Meteorology on the Gold Coast last week.  (http://www.icem2011.org/ICEM2011_Final_Programme.pdf)

The conference brought together scientists, engineers, planners, and insurers to review  the scope for related lines of research that will re-enforce risk management and energy security in weather, seasonal variability and global and regional climate change, as outlined broadly in this interview with the ABC’s World Today program – http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2011/s3358909.htm

The pace of growth in renewable energy and community attitudes towards it, food and biofuel production, forecasting to maximise energy generation, and support for decision-making were common themes in a week that the International Energy Agency also released its 2011 report.

CSIRO Energy Group leader, Bev Ronalds, provided an opening keynote, outlining what she described as a ‘rainbow’ of options for Australia’s energy mix through to 2050, and the conference closed with a keynote from Energy Tansformed Flagship Director, Alex Wonhas.

Convenor, CSIRO’s Alberto Troccoli, said he hoped that from among the extensive range of presentations given, there would be a wealth of seeds sown to generate collaborations and relationship to further bridge the energy and climate sectors, with CSIRO as a potential leader in the process. The Climate & Atmosphere theme of CSIRO was a major sponsor of the event.