The CSIRO's existing Parkes Observatory radio telescope in New South Wales, famous for sending images of the first lunar landing to the rest of the world. The proposed Pathfinder radio telescope will be 50 times more powerful than any in existence.
Credit: CSIRO
SYDNEY: The Australian government has made a nod to the threat posed by climate change in its latest federal budget, announced Tuesday. Scientists have also commended a $2.8 billion (US$2.3 billion) boost for research.
Australian treasurer Peter Costello offered a package of $741 million over five years in measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming.
This includes money that will go towards rebates and grants to encourage homeowners and public buildings to install solar panels, a global initiative to help developing countries manage forestry resources, and measures to encourage energy efficiency and better management of water resources.
"Like a band-aid"
"There is some good news for the environment in the budget," said Ian Lowe an emeritus professor at Griffith University in Queensland, and president of the not-for-profit Australian Conservation Foundation. "At least this year the treasurer did acknowledge climate change, after eleven previous budgets in which the phrase did not appear at all."
"Practical initiatives such as subsidies to install water tanks and solar panels are welcome. But the response is nowhere near the scale needed to tackle the problem," said Lowe, who argues the extra funding is more of a public relations exercise than a serious effort to stem our greenhouse gas emissions.
"Solar cells feeding power into the grid are a good thing, but solar hot water and insulation are much more cost-effective ways of slowing climate change," he said.
"The budget initiatives in climate change are modest considering the enormity of the threat it presents to our children and grandchildren," agreed Snow Barlow a professor of horticulture and viticulture at the University of Melbourne, in Victoria. "[It's] more like a band-aid than comprehensive treatment," he said.
CSIRO boost
However, Australian scientists have commended a modest increase in funding for the government research body, the CSIRO, also announced in Tuesday's budget. The government has agreed to invest $2.8 billion in CSIRO-led programs over four years, such as a project to find new cleaner fuels and a new radio telescope 50 times more powerful than any in existence.
Geoff Garrett chief executive of the research funding body has welcomed the 19.5 per cent increase in funding over the preceding four-year period. "This year's Budget is a win for Australian science and its ability to tackle the big problems facing Australia… and will provide a solid platform for the future," he said.
The funding includes:
• $2.562 billion in 'baseline funding' to cover existing expenses over four years.
• $174 million to expand the CSIRO's National Research Flagships programs, which will be split across four new projects. These cover research into cleaner fuels, adapting to climate change, 'niche' techniques of manufacturing and mineral exploration.
• $51.7 million for the development of the Pathfinder 'next generation' radio telescope in a bid to retain Australia's world class standing in Astronomy.
• $16.8 million for the Australian Animal Health Laboratory which will conduct research into exotic animal disease – such as bird flu – and how to keep them out of Australia.
• $2 million for the CSIRO Wellbeing Plan to target child obesity with the promotion of healthy eating and exercise.
"Most powerful telescope"
The funding announced for the Pathfinder telescope is "incredible news" said astronomer Bryan Gaensler at the University of Sydney in New South Wales. It "will be the largest and most powerful telescope ever built, [and the funding] will allow Australian scientists to take the lead in developing the technology needed to build this complex instrument."
Researchers hope that the device will allow them to map the evolution of galaxies over unprecedented time spans of billions of years, and will provide the first full three-dimensional maps of our own Milky Way, said Gaensler.
Tuesday's budget also included more money for higher education and an extra $480 million for medical research, mostly to be spent on new buildings and infrastructure.
"[This] will help ensure that the facilities are available to retain the best of our researchers and develop more of our discoveries within Australia," said John Shine, executive director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney.
