Special guest Dr Bert Drake speaks at final Energy Security session
Special guest Dr Bert Drake speaks at final Energy Security session
Dr Bert Drake with his experiment into plants' ability to store CO2
After a packed house for the Energy Security session on renewable energy, the Institute is delighted to welcome Dr Bert Drake, from the Smithsonian Institute to present the final session in this exciting series.
Dr Drake, from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre in the USA, has been conducting the world's longest running field trials - since 1985 - to measure the effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants. His research commenced long before climate change became a global headline.
At the forum, Dr Drake will provide an insight into how plants respond to increased CO2 and explain how their reaction in a climate changing world may impact the planetary ecosystem and humanity's own survival.
"Plants play a vital role in the planet's carbon cycle. Around one third of carbon dioxide emissions - all those from transport and agriculture - are absorbed by terrestrial plants," says Dr Drake, who is a plant physiologist.
Studies, such as Dr Drake’s project in Maryland and the Hawkesbury Forest Experiment recently commenced at UWS, expose plants in the field to elevated carbon dioxide under controlled conditions.
"Long term experiments - conducted over many decades - are vital to understanding the effect of higher concentrations of CO2 and climate change on individual plants' and ecosystems' abilities to store carbon dioxide.
"If carbon sequestration in plants is compromised because of drought or frequent fires then atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will accelerate and climate change will intensify," he says.
When Dr Drake commenced his research more than two decades ago, this field of science was barely discussed even among scientists. Today, Dr Drake is at the centre of a global scientific and social challenge.
"Biologists could see climate change coming for years," he says.
Also speaking will be Dr Lorraine Stevenson, the National Climate Change Leader at Ernst & Young and there will be extra time available for questions.
Highlights of the session, and the speakers' presentations, will be available on our website shortly.
