Dr Mark Howden is an expert in the area of climate change and agriculture, working with rural industries to adapt to Australia's changing climate.
Current activities
Dr Howden, Theme Leader for Adaptive Primary Industries, Enterprises and Communities, leads a team of researchers working with community, government and industry stakeholders to enable agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and other primary industries, to prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change and ongoing climate variability.
He has been closely involved in developing the National Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries.
Dr Howden's specialist areas are:
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impacts of climate variability and change on agricultural and urban systems
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the dynamics of grazed and cropped ecosystems
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development of innovative and sustainable farming systems.
Background
Dr Howden began his research career in 1981 in the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service.
He then joined the Queensland Department of Primary Industries as a pasture agronomist in 1987 following completion of his doctorate with CSIRO in Townsville, Queensland.
In 1990 he joined the Bureau of Resource Sciences to lead their Land and Water Section.
Dr Howden joined CSIRO in 2000.
He has developed the national and international greenhouse gas inventories for Australia's agricultural sector and assessed sustainable methods of reducing greenhouse emissions from agriculture.
Dr Howden has been a major contributor to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with other IPCC authors and Mr Al Gore.
Dr Howden has conducted many studies on climate change impacts and adaptation, including studies in:
He has worked with government and industry policy groups, informing their development of strategic approaches to climate change impacts and adaptation and to sustainable agriculture.
He has worked with industry and community groups to assess practical adaptation options for managing climate change impacts and to develop innovative agricultural practices.
According to Dr Howden, 'Australian farmers will need to be adaptable to cope with, and even take advantage of, climate change.'
Academic qualifications
Dr Howden has been awarded a:
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Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, in 1983 with a focus on ecology, climatology and soil science
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Doctorate from Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, in 1990 for his research on tropical grazing systems.
Achievements
Dr Howden has been a major contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Second, Third and Fourth Assessment reports, the IPCC Regional Impacts Report and the IPCC Special Report on Land use, land use change and forestry that addressed issues of carbon sequestration and the Kyoto Protocol.
Dr Howden is also:
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a member of the International Science Advisory Committee of the Netherlands climate change program;
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on the Meat and Livestock Australia Environmental Science Advisory Panel;
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on the Editorial Board of the journal Agricultural Systems.
He has been invited to present his work at over 20 national and international conferences, including keynote addresses at:
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the 2006 International Landcare Conference
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the Food Security and Environmental Change Conference in 2008
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Australian Agronomy Conference.
He has convened major symposia on:
Read about the Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship.
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