New Science Minister Greg Hunt has ordered a major U-turn in the direction of the CSIRO, reviving climate research as a bedrock function just months after the national science agency slashed climate staff and programs.
Mr Hunt, the former environment minister, told Fairfax Media he has instructed CSIRO's executives and board to "put the focus back on climate science", adding: "This is not an optional component, it's critical".
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| Greg Hunt with Dr Peter Czabotar at the launch of the Turnbull government's $500 million Biomedical Translation Fund at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research on Wednesday. Photo: Eddie Jim |
"I've issued a ministerial directive … that we will make climate science a core activity, that we will strengthen and build capacity," Mr Hunt said.
The 15 jobs would create a long-term platform for climate analysis and forecasting.
"This is emphasising the importance of long-term climate science as a bedrock function of the CSIRO … this is setting the direction for CSIRO for the coming two decades," Mr Hunt said.
Severe cuts to CSIRO programs announced in February, including massive proposed staff losses in climate change monitoring and modelling, prompted criticism that the organisation had succumbed to a right-wing agenda that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull assumed from Tony Abbott.
The government denied this, insisting the CSIRO was an independent statutory agency, which set its own priorities.
The CSIRO cuts came despite the agency's own projections last year showing Australia could be among the nations hardest hit by global warming at the end of this century.
Justifying the decision in February in an email to staff, CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall said climate change has been established and the agency's focus should move to mitigation and adaptation.
Mr Hunt, who assumed the Industry, Innovation and Science portfolio from Christopher Pyne, said the fresh display of support for climate science was "a shared view of the Prime Minister … no question", and that the directive drew on Mr Hunt's previous environment role.
The new CSIRO strategy will be developed in consultation with the scientific community and Chief Scientist Alan Finkel.
When the CSIRO cuts were revealed, it was initially feared that the Oceans and Atmosphere division, which held the bulk of climate scientists, would lose most of its 140 staff.
However, this figure was whittled down to about 35 climate-science jobs across two key research programs. It is understood some voluntary redundancies have already been accepted.
The pared-back job losses came after sustained criticism, including from top NASA scientist Brent Holben, who said CSIRO risked undermining the world's ability to monitor and predict climate change.
Mr Hunt has met Dr Finkel, Mr Marshall and CSIRO chairman David Thodey to discuss the new direction.
"[Climate science] will be a priority and the senior executive and the board know this now, clearly," Mr Hunt said.
A new Climate Science Centre in Hobart, announced by the CSIRO in April, will form part of the new strategy.
Mr Hunt said he would not "outsource" the science role to his assistant minister Craig Laundy, and indicated he would soon release a significant science statement.
"I will be the minister for science … I want to be the chief science advocate in the government,' he said.
Dr Finkel said in February he only learned of the cuts when they were made public, and told Senate estimates that "Australia needs a continuous and highly effective commitment to climate science, both to meet our national needs and to fulfil our international commitments".
On Wednesday, he told Fairfax Media that "Australia needs a strong climate research capability".
"I welcome the Minister's support to strengthen Australian climate science capacity so we can respond to national and global challenges and inform our mitigation options," he said.
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