Professor Mark Howden
Contacts
Professor Mark Howden is the Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at The Australian National University. He is also an Honorary Professor at Melbourne University, a Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and the Chair of the ACT Climate Change Council.
Mark has worked on climate variability, climate change, innovation and adoption issues for over 30 years in partnership with many industry, community and policy groups via both research and science-policy roles. Issues he has addressed include agriculture and food security, the natural resource base, ecosystems and biodiversity, energy, water and urban systems.
Mark has over 420 publications of different types. He helped develop both the national and international greenhouse gas inventories that are a fundamental part of the Paris Agreement and has assessed sustainable ways to reduce emissions. He has been a major contributor to the IPCC since 1991, with roles in the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and now Seventh Assessment Reports, sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with other IPCC participants and Al Gore.
Water resources in Australia and our region are under threat from a changing climate. The IWF research will help open new climate adaptation pathways to this vital resource.
Research interests
My overall goal is to connect science with decision-makers in industry, policy and the broader community and strengthen the links between these groups through inter-disciplinary research and engagement. My experience in climate adaptation in Australia and internationally initiates and informs new ways of thinking particularly in how we can adapt to climate change but at the same time as meeting other goals such as sustainable development. The intent of the IWF strongly aligns with my personal goals in paving new and better ways forward for resource management.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.