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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

Dollar Rises as Fed Hike Bets Weigh on Asian Currencies

Asian currencies weakened against the U.S. dollar on Monday as investors raised expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike this week. The Japanese yen remained close to a seven-month high as traders also...

BOJ Flags Import Costs and Yen Shocks as Persistent Inflation Risks

The Bank of Japan is increasingly concerned that rising import costs and currency fluctuations can trigger sharp inflation in Japan, suggesting these supply-driven price pressures should play a greater role in monetary...

Asian Stocks Fall as AI Fears and Oil Surge Hit Markets

Asian stocks declined on Monday as concerns over a potential slowdown in artificial intelligence development pressured technology shares, while oil prices above $100 a barrel fueled inflation fears and expectations for...

Hormuz Vessel Traffic Drops to Single Digits

Commodity vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to single-digit daily levels over the weekend, highlighting growing disruption to one of the worlds most important energy and shipping routes. Preliminary...

Goldman Sachs Forecasts Fed Rate Hike as Inflation Risks Rise

Goldman Sachs now expects the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by 25 basis points at its September meeting, reversing its previous forecast for no change as inflation concerns intensify across U.S. financial...

Politics

Trump Open to Chinese Automakers Building Cars in US

President Donald Trump said he would not oppose Chinese automakers opening manufacturing plants in the United States, provided they build vehicles domestically and employ American workers. If China wanted to come in and...

Trump Touts $5,000 Checks if Republicans Win Congress

President Donald Trump said the United States could afford to send $5,000 payments to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in this years elections, though lawmakers said the proposal would require...

Takaichi-Backed Koja Wins Okinawa Governor Race

A candidate supported by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichis government has won the Okinawa gubernatorial election, potentially clearing the way for Tokyo to expand its military presence across the strategically...

Philippines Holds Historic Bangsamoro Election Amid Tight Security

Voting began Monday in the Philippines Muslim-majority south in a landmark Bangsamoro election, with security tightened after pre-election violence left three people dead and 15 others wounded. The vote is considered a...

China’s Global Times Slams Anthropic CEO’s AI Slowdown Plan as ‘Cold War’ Strategy

Chinas state-backed Global Times has criticized Anthropic CEO Dario Amodeis proposal to slow the development of advanced artificial intelligence, arguing that the initiative reflects a U.S. Cold War playbook aimed at...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

SoftBank Shares Plunge 11% After OpenAI Rules Out 2026 IPO

SoftBank Group shares plunged on Monday as investors reacted to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman ruling out a public listing in 2026 and growing calls to slow the pace of artificial intelligence development. SoftBank (TYO: 9984)...

Z.AI Shares Slide 7% After $5 Billion Fundraising

Z.AI shares tumbled nearly 7% on Monday, reaching a 5-1/2-month low after the Chinese artificial intelligence company completed a roughly $5 billion fundraising package involving discounted new shares and convertible...

Anthropic Eyes Second Straight Profitable Quarter Ahead of Potential IPO

Anthropic expects to post positive adjusted operating income for a second consecutive quarter, signaling improving financial performance as the artificial intelligence company moves closer to a potential IPO, the Financial...

Trump Vows to Keep U.S. Ahead of China in AI Race

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States must maintain its artificial intelligence lead over China, pushing back against calls from prominent technology leaders to slow AI development amid growing safety...

Samsung, SK Hynix Reject KEPCO’s $18.7 Billion Power Funding Plan

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have rejected a proposal from Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) that would require the chipmakers to provide 25 trillion won ($18.7 billion) in upfront funding to secure electricity...