Three Wollongong scientists have lashed out against major job cuts to the CSIRO’s climate change division.
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Professor David Griffith, Associate Professor Stephen Wilson and Associate Professor Clare Murphy from the Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Wollongong agreed the organisation’s move to downgrade their department was a “devastating blow” for climate science not only in Australia, but the world.
“The recent Paris conference on climate change highlighted the need for increased efforts to monitor and measure atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases to verify emission levels,” they wrote in a statement.
“We can expect massive international protest from our scientific peers. Australia's role is pre-eminent in characterising the atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere - that is half of the total atmosphere!”
Up to 350 scientist positions may be dissolved from the Oceans and Atmosphere and Land and Water divisions, as the organisation “changes the focus” of their work program.
CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall released a statement on Monday firming their commitment to climate measurement, but said it was “one piece of a much larger puzzle”.
“As we balance our broad portfolio of investments from Digital to Agriculture we must weigh up where we can have the greatest impact and where Australia has the greatest need,” he said.