John Quiggin named Australian Research Council Federation Fellow for second time in four years, analyses Australia’s options for adapting to effects of climate change

Using economic theory to shed light on major issues — from the drought crisis gripping the Murray-Darling to debate over the Stern climate change report — had earned John Quiggin a top academic accolade, reported Kerrie Sinclair in The Courier Mail (27/9/2007, p.73).

Both ecological and economic reform: The research economist, based at the University of Queensland, had been named an Australian Research Council Federation Fellow for the second time in four years. As part of UQ’s Risk and Sustainable Management Group, Professor Quiggin was analysing Australia’s options for adapting to the effects of climate change. This involved the analysis of property rights, choice theory and production uncertainty which he will use to assess and design policies to provide ecologically, economically and socially sustainable reform for land and resource use.

Focus on Murray, Great Barrier Reef: An area of focus has been the dry Murray-Darling Basin and a new project will bring into view the threat facing the Great Barrier Reef. Professor Quiggin, whose work has related on and off over about 10 years to the climate change issue, is also involved in researching issues arising directly from the Stern report which wasn’t the first economic assessment on global warming but quickly became the most widely known and discussed research of its kind.

The Courier Mail, 27/9/2007, p. 73