Integrated Development Policy Research
Brett W. Parris


My Roles & Contact Details
Qualifications
Selected Writings
Research Interests
Photos

Topical Pages (Updates day/month)

Still think warnings about climate change are overblown?                         
Below is a chart whose implications I think everyone should try to grasp. It shows
the relationships between carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and temperature
for the last 430,000 years from Antarctic ice cores and from data from the last
century. Temperature doesn't respond in lock-step with the changes in gas
concentration. There's a lag because of the massive size and volume of the oceans.
But temperatures have risen about 0.7șC since pre-industrial times and about another
0.6șC is coming down the pipe because of gases we've already emitted. The
consequences of average temperatures rising above 2
șC are horrendous. As the
chart below suggests, we have a serious problem on our hands.

Note that temperature is measured in terms of deviations from the average from 1880-1899,
which is set to zero. Carbon dioxide is measured in parts per million (ppm) and methane is
measured in parts per billion (ppb). Kyr = “thousands of years”.

Source: Hansen, J.E., (2005) "A Slippery Slope: How Much Global Warming Constitutes "Dangerous
Anthropogenic Interference"?" Climatic Change, Vol. 68, No. 3, February, pp. 269-279, p. 271.


                               


Roles & Contact Details

During 2008 I am splitting my time between two roles:

                                                           
        Research Fellow 
        Department of Econometrics & Business Statistics
        & Development Research Unit
        Monash University
        Wellington Rd.
        Clayton, VIC, 3800
        AUSTRALIA
        Tel: +61 (0)3 9905 5843
        Email: Brett.Parris [at] buseco.monash.edu.au
       
        Chief Economist & Team Leader
        Economics, Climate & Natural Resources Team
        World Vision Australia
        1 Vision Drive
        Burwood East, VIC, 3151
        AUSTRALIA
        Tel: +61 (0)3 9287 2383
        Email: Brett.Parris [at] worldvision.com.au

Qualifications       Back to Top

B.Sc. (Geology & Chemistry), B.Th. (Hons), M.A. (Development Studies), Grad.Dip.Ec.St., Postgrad.Dip.Ec., Ph.D.(Economics, Monash)

Research Interests      Back to Top

Given my background working across a number of different disciplines, I have a pretty eclectic range of interests and gravitate naturally towards interdisciplinary work.
This research map gives a feel for my areas of interest. Unfortunately the overlapping colours don't come out properly in a pdf, so this is an MS Word doc.

Photos      Back to Top

Well, this is me ...                       ... but if we must have a picture, I actually like this one more.
(actually I'm currently               
It's from the Book of Kells, produced by Celtic monks around 800 AD.
bearded)                                            

                                  


Last updated: 2 October 2008
Copyright © Brett Parris, 2008. All rights reserved.
This is a personal web page and does not necessarily reflect the views of either Monash University or World Vision.
See the official disclaimer where the university washes its hands of me.
The bars used on these pages are from Celtic Art & Illumination.