“I think in the future graduates, when they make a decision about whether to join that company or not, will be looking at what sort of a carbon footprint an organisation has.” (John Vines, CEO Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia)
It is no surprise, considering the enormity of the task, that the science of climate change has become a kind of gold rush for upcoming professionals and prospective college students who want to enter the field, as work opportunities and consultancies can only grow. Will climate change advisors become a staple of companies’ pay rolls just like public relations officers have become over the last few decades? Quite possibly, at least in Australia.
The country, which faces huge challenges ahead because of its dry climate, is seeing the private and public sector falling over themselves to “appoint people with the knowledge and skills to advise on what is becoming a central public policy debate”, says The Australian.
When new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took over last year one of his first decisions was to appoint a Minister for Climate Change, an initiative that should inspire every other country, especially the United States, the biggest polluter in the world.
The article mentions last year’s opening of the Climate Change Research Centre, which has a staff of 35 involved in “examining the biophysical side of climate change”. Staff numbers at the centre could double over the next couple of years.
The private sector is also providing huge opportunities for climate change professionals as organizations become aware of the need to gauge the environmental impact of their actions.
