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Environmental Research
WINNER - National Carbon Accounting System
Carbon Monitoring From Your Desktop
Australian technology has become the international trailblazer in measuring carbon at national, regional and project level. A team of eight scientists led by Dr. Gary Richards from the Department of Climate Change, has developed a world-class, world-first National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) to monitor and predict greenhouse emissions. Richards and his National Carbon Accounting Team have won the Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research for their innovative work.
This prize is part of the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, the Oscars of Australian science. Coveted among science prizes, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes were announced at a glittering event in Sydney on 19 August attended by a ‘who's who' of Australian science, government, academia and industry.
NCAS uses sensing, satellite images, greenhouse-gas accounting methods and modelling of environmental change to monitor and predict emissions from land-based activities across Australia. "We needed to give people the capacity to ask ‘what if' from the desktop. We integrate satellite data with ground data, and put them in models that accurately account for carbon in a particular area," says Dr Richards.
The NCAS tool is now used by more than 7,000 Australians, from land holders to community groups, enabling modern land custodians to measure the effects of their land-based practices on carbon levels.
NCAS is considered five years ahead of any comparable system, and makes Australia the forerunner of global efforts to measure and reduce greenhouse gases from deforestation and forest degradation. To date, NCAS has provided information for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and the Kyoto Protocol. In February 2008, the Clinton Climate Initiative selected NCAS to be the platform for carbon measuring in developing countries. The technology is now being introduced to China, with scientists from the Guangxi Region being trained in its use.
"This outstanding project represents a fine example of Australians being a part of the climate change solution," said Australian Museum Trust President Brian Sherman AM, whose Sherman Foundation sponsors the prize.
A derivative of the NCAS - the National Carbon Accounting Toolbox - enables carbon accounting from land based activities at a project level. The NCAT is available free of charge, and allows users to predict and track carbon dioxide emissions and removals using the same data and modelling that is used to create Australia's national greenhouse accounts. A farmer considering management changes in areas such as harvesting, pruning or grazing can use the tool to estimate changes in carbon.
The $10,000 Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research is awarded for research in any field of the biological, physical, mathematical or biomedical sciences leading to the resolution of an environmental problem or the improvement of our natural environment. The full winning team is Dr Peter Caccetta, Dr Gary Richards, Dr John Raison, Dr Cris Brack, Suzanne Furby, Robert Waterworth, Dr Jenny Kesteven and Jan Skjemstad.
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Sponsor
The Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research is sponsored by The Sherman Foundation.
Description
The Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research is awarded for research in any field of the biological, physical, mathematical or biomedical sciences leading to the resolution of an environmental problem or the improvement of our natural environment.
prize
$10,000
Purpose
The Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research is designed to highlight outstanding research being undertaken in Australia that addresses critical environmental issues, and the leading role often played by Australian research in identifying solutions to environmental problems and to the improvement of the natural environment.
Judging Criteria
Entries must address each of the following criteria:
1) Scientific excellence
2) Benefit to the natural world
Conditions of entry
The prize is open to individuals or groups. Entrants can either enter themselves or be nominated by others.
Research entered for this prize must have been undertaken:
• in Australia by an Australian citizen(s) or Australian resident(s)
• no more than five (5) years prior to the closing date for entries.
Online entry forms close 5pm AEST Friday 2 May 2008. Hard copy entries will not be considered until and unless an online entry form has been completed.
Completed entries must be received by the Australian Museum no later than 5pm AEST on Friday 9 May 2008. Entries delivered to the Australian Museum after this time will not be considered.
Entries with insufficient sets of documentation will not be considered. Submitted material will not be returned.
The research entered/nominated for this prize may not be entered/nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters.
Information provided by the entrant(s) in relation to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (including photos), may be used by the Australian Museum for promotional/publicity purposes.
Personal information provided in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be used only by the Australian Museum and only in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
How to enter
1. Complete an online entry form
Complete the online entry form by 5pm AEST on Friday 2 May 2008. Make sure you print out a copy.
2. Prepare five (5) sets of the entry, with each set consisting of:
1. a printed copy of the online entry form as submitted
2. a brief description of the research entered, including objectives and results to date (two page maximum)
3. a brief description of how the work entered addresses each of the judging criteria (two page maximum)
4. a maximum of four (4) written reports addressing each of the judging criteria from assessors who are familiar with the entered research. NOTE: Judges rely on assessor's reports to provide additional perspective and informed opinion on the entry. Assessors should not be personally or directly involved in the work entered in this prize.
You may if you wish also include a copy of your work from at least one externally-refereed scientific publication.
3. Submit the entry
Submit five (5) complete and separate sets of the entry clipped together (not bound). Please do NOT bother with elaborate presentation when submitting the entry. This will be removed before material is sent to judges. The five (5) sets of the entry should be sent to:
Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
Australian Museum
6 College Street
SYDNEY NSW 2010
4. DEADLINE for submission of entries
The five (5) sets of the entry must be received at the Australian Museum by 5pm AEST on Friday 9 May 2008. Entries received after this time will not be considered.
