UNSW experts available to comment on COP29

UNSW Sydney

A range of UNSW experts will be able to comment on key themes relating to COP29, which will be held in Baku from 11 to 22 November.

UNSW Academics on the ground at COP29

Dr Rahman Daiyan will be present in Baku as part of a team releasing a draft of the Pacific Hydrogen Roadmap. Dr Daiyan can also comment in general on the future of the hydrogen economy. Contact: r.daiyan@unsw.edu.au or +61 406 187 805
Dr Cybele Dey, a psychiatrist and conjoint lecturer with UNSW’s School of Clinical Medicine will be attending COP from November 16-21. Dr Dey will be available to discuss the mental health impacts of climate change on young people and using systems models to find solutions. Contact: c.dey@unsw.edu.au

Energy

Professor Neeraj Sharma is available to discuss next-generation batteries and the importance of energy storage in relation to affordability. Contact: neeraj.sharma@unsw.edu.au or 0419 439 130
Professor Chuan Zhao, from the School of Chemistry, is available to discuss hydrogen-based energy systems, renewable energy and energy storage and CO2 reduction. Contact: l.matson@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Hemanshu Pota from UNSW Canberra is an expert in electricity supply systems with sustainable energy and is available to discuss sustainable technology and renewable resource integration. Contact: h.pota@adfa.edu.au
Energy expert, Professor Iain Macgill, can discuss accelerating clean energy investment and action in Australia and the Pacific Islands and Territories. Contact: i.macgill@unsw.edu.au
Honorary Associate Professor Mark Diesendorf is available to discuss energy policy: "It is now very late to avoid crossing a tipping point into irreversible, rapid, climate change. We need international cooperation on substantial, effective action." Contact: m.diesendorf@unsw.edu.au or 0402 940 892.

Consequences of climate change

Scientia Professor Matthew England can discuss the urgency of action on climate change, the consequences of inaction, specific climate impacts on Australia and the benefits of deep emission cuts. He can also discuss the history of COP meetings, how they work and why they are important. Contact: m.england@unsw.edu.au
Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla – Director of the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology – is an expert in materials sustainability and innovative waste and recycling technologies to help achieve decarbonisation. Contact: SmartCentre@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Shane Keating works at the UNSW School of Mathematics and Statistics whose research uses powerful mathematical tools to better understand the ocean and our planet. A/Prof. Keating is available to discuss oceanography, climate change and emissions from cargo ships. Contact: l.matson@unsw.edu.au
Professor Ben Newell – Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response – is available to discuss climate change psychology and how individuals can be persuaded to reduce their own carbon emissions. Contact: l.matson@unsw.edu.au
Dr Jianfeng Xue from UNSW Canberra is an expert in geotechnical engineering and is available to discuss the climate’s impact on geotechnical structures. Contact: jianfeng.xue@adfa.edu.au
Professor Jason Sharples from UNSW Canberra is an expert in bushfires and is available to discuss bushfire dynamics and extreme bushfire development. Contact: j.sharples@adfa.edu.au
David Eyre, CEO of UNSW's Institute for Industrial Decarbonisation, can comment on green industrial development, low carbon manufacturing, NetZero cities and carbon accounting. Contact: d.eyre@unsw.edu.au

Business/Economics

Professor Richard Holden from the School of Economics can comment on the economy, agreement on market mechanisms and trading mechanisms, climate finance, the costs of climate mitigation and adaptation measures. Contact: richard.holden@unsw.edu.au
Dr Maria Balatbat from the School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation can comment on climate change and sustainability reporting for companies, evaluating carbon footprints by companies, sustainability of infrastructure and construction, transitioning to a circular economy, and integrated reporting. Contact: m.balatbat@unsw.edu.au
Dr Timothy Neal from the School of Economics can comment on the potential consequences of climate change for economic activity and food security from inaction. Contact: timothy.neal@unsw.edu.au
Professor Gigi Foster from the School of Economics can comment on the economy, social influence, corruption, behavioural economics, and Australian policy. Contact: gigi.foster@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Taha Rashidi can discuss people’s preference on the pricing of the transport infrastructure and transport mobility and accessibility. Contact: rashidi@unsw.edu.au
Dr Melrose Brown from UNSW Canberra is a space domain awareness expert and is available to discuss the impact of human activity on the sustainability of the space environment. Contact: melrose.brown@adfa.edu.au

Health and built environment

Professor Renate Egan can comment on the future of photovoltaics, supply chain challenges and solutions in solar, distributed energy, and the path to full electrification. Contact: r.egan@unsw.edu.au
Professor Johannes le Coutre can comment on food security, cellular agriculture, humanitarian engineering, SDG2, and all aspects of the global agri-food system. Contact: johannes.lecoutre@unsw.edu.au
Scientia Professor Deo Prasad AO is available to discuss buildings and cities as they pertain to decarbonisation and climate change: "I hope all countries now commit to 2030 and 2050 goals as the evidence is clear. 2030 goals are most important and should be 50% (like NSW) and with actions and plans to meet the targets". Deo is the CEO of the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub based at UNSW and also works with the UNEP’s Global Alliance for Building and Construction, created after Paris COP. Contact: d.prasad@unsw.edu.au
Associate Professor Paul Osmond is available to discuss climate resilient urban design, green infrastructure and urban cooling: "Humanity needs to do more, do it better and do it quicker; time to avoid dangerous warming is running out. Let’s make COP29 part of the solution". Contact: p.osmond@unsw.edu.au
Dr Negin Nazarian is an urban climatologist with a focus on the ways the built environment interacts with weather and climate extremes, and in return, how urban dwellers are affected by this interaction. She leads the Climate Resilient Cities research lab, a group focussing on the pressing challenges of urban climate including urban heat exposure and ventilation. Contact: n.nazarian@unsw.edu.au or 0411 199 096
Professor of Urban Health and Environment Xiaoqi Feng, from the School of Population Health, can discuss the importance of nature-based solutions for human health. Contact: xiaoqi.feng@unsw.edu.au
Dr Patrick Harris can comment on taking a health and equity lens to climate change, cities and infrastructure policy and planning. Contact: patrick.harris@unsw.edu.au

Law and climate justice

International law expert Scientia Professor Jane McAdam can discuss climate mobility, including climate change-related displacement, migration, planned relocations and evacuations. Contact: j.mcadam@unsw.edu.au
Dr Noam Peleg can discuss the impact of climate change on children’s rights. Contact: n.peleg@unsw.edu.au
Professor Rosalind Dixon can comment on COP29 targets, taxes and politics. Contact: rosalind.dixon@unsw.edu.au
Professor Anthony Burke from UNSW Canberra is an expert in environmental politics and international relations and is available to discuss the performance of the Paris Agreement, climate security and climate justice. Contact: a.burke@unsw.edu.au
Dr Megan Evans from UNSW Canberra is an expert on investment in biodiversity and natural capital. She is available to discuss carbon offsets, nature-based solutions and biodiversity finance. Contact: megan.evans@unsw.edu.au
Dr Wesley Morgan, Research Associate at the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response, has written widely on climate change, and international relations in the Pacific islands. His research considers the ways countries work together at the UN to tackle climate change, and integrate climate change into their foreign policy and national security strategies. Contact: w.morgan@unsw.edu.au
Professor Jeremy Moss who leads the Climate Justice Research program at UNSW is available to discuss climate justice issues, fossil fuel production and exports, just transitions, climate disasters, Australian and the Asia Pacific the fairness of agreements, net zero targets and Australia’s global role, high per capita emissions. "COP29 is unlikely to deliver the level of emissions cuts the world needs. Fossil fuel exporters such as Australia must drastically cut their production of fossil fuels. Given that current pledges to cut emissions will likely lead to substantial temperature rise by the end of the century, this is not a good scenario." Contact: j.moss@unsw.edu.au