Mr Kevin Hennessy: analysing the regional impacts of climate change

Mr Kevin Hennessy is analysing observed climate data, developing Australian climate projections from computer simulations, assessing the potential impacts and exploring adaptation options.

• 12 February 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

Current activities

Mr Kevin Hennessy leads the Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability team within the Climate Variability and Change Program at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research.

His expertise lies in analysis of observed climatic trends and climate model simulations.

This supports his:

• development of Australian climate change projections
• assessment of potential impacts
• communication of climate science.

Mr Hennessy is frequently invited to present at conferences and stakeholder briefings, and he is often interviewed by the media.

Background

Since joining CSIRO in 1987, Mr Hennessy has compiled more than 180 publications dealing with climate variability and change.

He was a member of the Climate Impact Group from its inception in 1989, and deputy leader of the renamed Climate Change Impacts and Risk Group between 2005 and 2007.

In 2008, this group joined scientists from the Bureau of Meteorology to form the Climate Change Research Group, in which Mr Hennessy lead the Risk, Adaptation and Policy team. This group was renamed Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability in 2009.

He has managed or co-authored a number of consultancy projects for State and Territory departments, the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (formerly the Australian Greenhouse Office) and private industry.

Mr Hennessy was the Coordinating Lead Author of the Australia and New Zealand chapter of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. He also plays a significant role in the Australian Climate Change Science Program and the Pacific Climate Change Science Program, which sit within CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation Flagship.

Academic qualifications

He has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science (Honours), Monash University, Victoria, Australia, 1986 
• Postgraduate Diploma in Science Communication, Central Queensland University, Australia, 2002.

Achievements

Mr Hennessy has been involved with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 1996, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 (shared amongst IPCC contributors and Al Gore).

For the IPCC he was:

• contributing author of 'Climate models: projections of future climate' (Chapter 6) in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1996 Second Assessment Report on The Science of Climate Change
• contributing author of 'Observed climate variability and change' (Chapter 2) in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2001 Third Assessment Report on The Science of Climate Change
• consultant for the Australian government review of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2001 Third Assessment Report on Climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
• coordinating lead author of 'Australia and New Zealand' (Chapter 11) in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 Fourth Assessment Report on Climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability.

Mr Hennessy acted as the:

• Science expert on the NSW Greenhouse Advisory Panel, reporting directly to the NSW Premier and the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, 2004 to 2008
• CSIRO representative on the Adaptation Working Group of the COAG High Level Greenhouse Group, 2004-2006.

Find out more about CSIRO's work in adapting to climate change in the Climate Adaptation Flagship overview.