On the afternoon of 25 August, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia hosted a roundtable meeting of invited leaders from business, government, research and community sectors to discuss ways in which to encourage a new focus on effective policy to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The Forum was opened by Chair of the Academy’s Policy Committee Professor Sue Richardson AM FASSA and included short presentations from experts and authors of the Academy’s climate policy discussion paper.

Professor Warwick McKibbin AO FASSA gave an overview of the Climate Asset and Liability Mechanism (CALM) and its proposal for a Government-controlled Carbon Bank creating and issuing emissions certificates and bonds (decreasing in volume towards a net zero-emissions target) with a view to developing a futures market that would drive investment and innovation.