The Centre for Applied Climate Sciences (CACS) is a leader in the provision of climate science research and development from sub-seasonal to seasonal scales and in climate change research, relevant for industry and government, internationally and throughout Queensland and Australia. Research includes practical aspects related to climate finance, in particular climate risk-related insurance and reinsurance, agricultural and water resource applications, and in disaster risk reduction.
Our core business areas cover climate risk management and innovative insurance systems for government, agribusiness, including coffee, cassava, grazing, rise, sugar, and smallholder farmers throughout most of South East Asia, funded by the International Climate Initiative of the German Government; provision of improved climate science and decision making systems for all of the Northern Australian grazing industry; and provision of enhanced early warning of extreme weather and climate events relevant for agricultural production throughout Australia.
Centre staff are also heavily engaged in major international drought and agricultural climate research and management programs within the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation and the associated Integrated Drought Management Program.
Research themes
- Fundamental climate science research and environmental/disaster risk reduction
- Economic systems, climate finance (insurance) and climate risk
- Climate systems modelling in agriculture and water resources