Leading climate change expert to reflect on local adaptation challenges

Professor Lord John Krebs, the Chair of the United Kingdom's House of Lords Select Committee for Science and Technology will visit Melbourne this week to argue 'adapting to climate change is not the same as letting it happen'.

"Adaption has in the past been seen as a bit of a cop out, throwing in the towel and letting climate change happen. But we now recognise it is not," Lord Krebs says.

Professor Lord John Krebs is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the US National Academy of Sciences and Principal at Oxford University's Jesus College.

He will deliver a free public lecture at Federation Square this Wednesday with ABC broadcaster Robyn Williams – hosted by Deakin University and the Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research (VCCCAR).

Professor Lord Krebs will detail how the United Kingdom and Europe are responding to climate change and potential lessons applicable to Australia's adaptation challenges.

Deakin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander says climate change and sustainable development are among the most important challenges to confront our globe.

"In partnership with Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research (VCCCAR), Deakin is engaging with leading climate change experts," Professor den Hollander says.

"VCCCAR brings multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional teams together with senior government decision makers to ensure research results make a difference to policy and practice."

VCCCAR Director, Professor Rod Keenan says Victoria is highly exposed to bushfire and heat-waves and these risks are likely to increase.

"Drought and changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise and increasing ocean temperatures will have implications for assets and infrastructure, natural ecosystems and natural resource-based industries, the broader private sector and communities," he says.

"Victoria has been at the forefront of adaptation policy and practice and this has involved learning from international experiences. I look forward to hearing from Lord Krebs about the way in which research can support adaptation practice."