Luxton Memorial Lecture 2015
Australia: Energy Superpower of the
Low-Carbon World
Presented by Professor Ross Garnaut AO, Professorial Research Fellow in Economics at the University of Melbourne
Australia was a superpower of the old energy economy. Can Australia become an energy superpower of the lowcarbon world?
Australia’s old energy economy supported relatively low domestic energy costs, relatively high real household incomes and internationally competitive energy-intensive industry. However, things have changed since the start of this century with international pricing for coal and gas, a network of regulatory systems that elevated network distribution costs to the highest in the developed world, and the high real exchange rate from the resources boom. Australians get a second chance at internationally low energy costs with the world’s transition to
a low-carbon economy. Managed well, the transition to a low-carbon economy will restore and enhance old Australian strengths, this time built on sustainable foundations. These strengths will be especially important in South Australia.
When: Tuesday 23 June 2015, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Where: Braggs Lecture Theatre, Braggs Building, University of Adelaide, North Terrace
About the speaker
Professor Garnaut AO is a Professorial Research Fellow in Economics at the University of Melbourne (since 2008). He was the senior economic policy official in Papua New Guinea’s Department of Finance in the years straddling Independence in 1975, principal economic adviser to Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke 1983-1985, and Australian Ambassador to China 1985-1988. He is the author of a number of influential reports to Government, including Australia and the Northeast Asian Ascendancy (Australian Government Publishing 1989), The Garnaut Climate Change Review (Cambridge University Press 2008) and The Garnaut Review 2011: Australia and the Global Response to Climate Change (Cambridge University Press 2011).
History of the Lecture
The Memorial Luxton Lecture is presented by the Centre for Energy Technology and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources in honour of Professor Russell Escourt 'Sam' Luxton, FTS, FIEAust, FAIE, FRSAMC, FRSA (1933-2013).
Professor Luxton was a truly remarkable person, who made significant contributions to the national energy direction in recommending the establishment of the National Energy Research, Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC), a precursor to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). He was also a national leader in the engineering and education professions, through his roles as Professor and Head of the University of Adelaide’s School of Mechanical Engineering and a champion for progress along the path to a cleaner energy future through the twin pillars of innovative technology development and policy initiatives.
General enquiries
Centre for Energy Technology
Email: cet@adelaide.edu.au