Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Sat, Feb 28, 2026 08:46 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Ian Lowe

Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University

Professor Ian Lowe (BSc, NSW; DPhil, York, UK) is an emeritus professor in the School of Natural Sciences at Griffith University and an adjunct professor at two other Australian universities. He was the president of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 2004 to 2014.

His principal research interests are in policy decisions influencing the use of energy, science and technology; energy use in industrialised countries; large-scale environmental issues and sustainable development.

Professor Lowe has previously been a member of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO and a consultant to the CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems. In 1988 he was Director of the Commission for the Future, and was named Australian Humanist of the Year.

He chaired an Australian government advisory council that produced the first national report on the state of the environment in 1996, and delivered the ABC Boyer Lectures in 1991.

The author of 20 books and more than 500 other publications, Professor Lowe’s contributions to environmental science have won him a Centenary Medal, the Eureka Prize for promotion of science, the Prime Minister’s Environment Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement, the Queensland Premier’s Millennium Award for Excellence in Science, and the University of NSW Alumni Award for achievement in science.

He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to science and technology and for contributing to public understanding of environmental issues.

Small modular reactors have promise. But we found they’re unlikely to help Australia hit net zero by 2050

Jul 24, 2024 11:27 am UTC| Business

Australias clean energy transition is already underway, driven by solar, wind, batteries and new transmission lines. But what about nuclear? Opposition leader Peter Dutton last month committed to building nuclear...

Global Geopolitics Series

Nuclear subs are coming to Australia

May 20, 2024 09:11 am UTC| Insights & Views

For decades, Australia has exported uranium but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to the nuclear industry, through nuclear...

National Science Statement a positive gesture but lacks policy solutions: experts

Mar 22, 2017 07:24 am UTC| Science Law

Today the Australian government launched the National Science Statement, outlining its commitment to science as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda. This comes in advance of the 2030 Strategic Plan, with...

Global Geopolitics Series

What is the Doomsday Clock and why should we keep track of the time?

Jan 28, 2017 06:45 am UTC| Insights & Views

It made headlines recently when the Doomsday Clock was shifted from three minutes to midnight to a new setting of two and a half minutes to midnight. That is the nearest the clock has been to midnight for more than...

Economy

Germany and China Reaffirm Open Trade and Strategic Partnership in Landmark Beijing Visit

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded a pivotal visit to Beijing this week, signaling Germanys continued commitment to open markets and strong economic ties with China. As the first foreign leader to visit China in...

U.S. Stocks Close Lower as Hot PPI Data, Nvidia Slide Weigh on Wall Street

U.S. stocks ended lower on Friday, capping the worst monthly performance for Wall Street since March last year, as hotter-than-expected producer inflation data and continued weakness in technology stocks pressured investor...

Gold Prices Rally in February as Geopolitical Risks and Economic Uncertainty Boost Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices surged on Friday, positioning the precious metal for strong February gains as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Spot gold climbed 1.5% to $5,261.81...

Dominican Republic Unveils Massive Rare Earth Deposits to Boost High-Tech and Energy Sectors

The Dominican Republic has announced the discovery of significant rare earth deposits that could position the Caribbean nation as a key future supplier of critical minerals for high-tech industries. President Luis Abinader...

Asian Markets Slide as Nvidia Earnings, U.S.-Iran Tensions and AI Valuations Weigh on Investor Sentiment

Asian stock markets declined on Friday as investors pulled back from risk assets, pressured by concerns over elevated technology valuations and persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite strong quarterly...

Politics

HHS Adds New Members to Vaccine Advisory Panel Amid Legal and Market Uncertainty

U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has appointed two new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the influential federal panel that shapes the U.S. vaccine...

Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions Escalate as Taliban Offer Talks After Airstrikes

Afghanistans Taliban government said it is ready to negotiate with Pakistan after a sharp escalation in cross-border violence that both sides have described as an open war. The crisis intensified when Pakistan launched...

Australian PM Calls Alleged Western Australia Terror Plot “Deeply Shocking” After Arrest

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the arrest of a Western Australian man over an alleged terror plot as deeply shocking, following police claims that the suspect was planning attacks targeting...

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba as Rubio Reportedly Engages in Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday suggested the possibility of a friendly takeover of Cuba, stating that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is handling discussions at a very high level. Speaking to reporters at the White...

Argentina Senate Approves Bill to Lower Age of Criminal Responsibility to 14

Argentinas Senate has approved a major penal reform that lowers the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14, marking a significant shift in the countrys juvenile justice system. The measure passed on Friday with 44...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Halt Use of Anthropic AI Technology

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has directed every federal agency to immediately stop using artificial intelligence technology developed by Anthropic, escalating tensions between the federal government...

Federal Judge Blocks Virginia Social Media Age Verification Law Over First Amendment Concerns

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing a new social media law designed to protect children from online addiction, ruling that it likely violates First Amendment rights. The decision marks a...

Nintendo Share Sale: MUFG and Bank of Kyoto to Sell Stakes in Strategic Unwinding

Nintendo is reportedly preparing a major unwinding of strategic cross-shareholdings that could see MUFG Bank and the Bank of Kyoto sell significant stakes in the iconic Super Mario maker. According to sources familiar with...

Hyundai Motor Group to Invest $6.26 Billion in AI Data Center, Robotics and Renewable Energy Projects in South Korea

Hyundai Motor Group has signed a landmark agreement with the South Korean government to invest approximately 9 trillion won ($6.26 billion) in major industrial and technology projects along the countrys western coast....

Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company will not comply with a Pentagon request to remove critical AI safeguards, despite reported threats that the Department of Defense (DoD) could cut ties and block the firm from its...