Centre for Applied Climate Sciences (CACS)

University of Southern Queensland

Formerly known as International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences

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Climate model from ICACS

The Centre leads research in climate science and importantly, the application of this science to help industry and communities better manage climate variability and risk. By integrating climate science into agricultural, economic, water resource, environmental, energy, tourism and social models, CACS has developed practical solutions and tools for improved decision making. These tools can help better manage agricultural production and environmental risks, mitigate economic loss and manage risk and return in commodity, insurance and equity markets.

CACS has three focussed research themes: climate science, water resources, and decision systems; climate, agricultural and grazing systems, and climate-finance and economic systems.

Website
https://www.unisq.edu.au/research/institutes-centres/institute-for-agriculture-climate-and-the-environment/centre-for-applied-climate-sciences
Organisation type
  • University Research Centre
Number of research staff
20-100 research staff
Address
T Block Annex, 521–535 West Street, Toowoomba QLD 4350

Strengths and capabilities

  • Climate science and risk management analysis
  • Seasonal climate forecasts
  • Climate science, agricultural, grazing and associated trading systems
  • Agricultural risk management
  • Understanding El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) global impacts
  • Integrating climate, agriculture and water into agricultural models
  • Alternate risk transfer systems
  • Climate finance and crop insurance
  • Development of targeted adaptation strategies

Lead researchers

  • Assoc Professor Shahbaz Mushtaq: Developed integrated risk management and risk transfer strategies that strengthened the resilience of production systems and the communities.
  • Associate Professor Timothy Cowan: Member of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Monsoons Panel's Working Group on Asian-Australian Monsoons.
  • Associate Professor Andrew Marshall: Former Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society President; Guest Editor, npj Sustainable Agriculture; Bureau of Meteorology Excellence Award 2022 recipient.
  • Dr Kathryn Reardon-Smith: Senior climate adaptation researcher with 20+ years' experience, leading cross-disciplinary climate risk, ecosystem, and environmental policy research.
  • Emeritus Professor Roger Stone: Chair, World Meteorological Organisation UN Commission for Agriculture.

Achievements of the centre

  • Developing the World's first integrated seasonal climate forecasting and agricultural (eg coffee) production modelling system. This also involves the physical understanding, numerical simulation and forecasts of severe events.
  • Developing the World's first integrated seasonal climate forecasting and coffee production modelling system; Improving the physical understanding, numerical simulation and forecasts of severe storm events over Australian cities.
  • Emeritus Professor Roger Stone elected to Chair of the UN global program on weather, climate, water and environmental systems and also elected to Chair of the World Meteorological Organisation on agricultural Meteorology.
  • A.Professor Timothy Cowan and A.Professor Andrew Marshall leading major Australian programs on the Northern Australian Climate Program (NACP).
  • Development of new coffee insurance program: Climate Coffee Protection Insurance (CCPI).

Key science sectors

More information about the sectors this centre is involved in:

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