Decarbonising the Australian Economy: The future of iron ore and other carbon intensive industries

Registrations have closed. If you would like to attend, please contact the Melbourne Institute at melbinstitute-tickets@unimelb.edu.au

Steel, cement, concrete and aluminum produce 15% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Replacing coal with green hydrogen is one way these industries may survive. In this forum, a panel of engineering and policy experts discuss our dilemma and what Australia needs to do to capitalise on the shift to a low-carbon economy.

Join us at the Public Economics Forum for lunch and contribute to this vital discourse on Australia’s economic transition towards a sustainable future.

Host



Professor Beth Webster - Director of the Melbourne Institute and Ronald Henderson Chair at the University of Melbourne
Professor Webster has a PhD in Economics from the University of Cambridge and an M.Ec and B.Ec (hons) from Monash University. She is responsible for providing advice and leadership on polices relating to the economic and social impact of research, public industry and innovation policies. Her work has been widely published in prominent journals and she is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia.

Moderator



Professor Ross Garnaut AC - Faculty of Economics at the University of Melbourne
Professor Garnaut is an esteemed economist who has served in prominent roles including as Australian Ambassador to China and adviser to former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. He is renowned for his influential reports on climate change for the Australian government, including The Garnaut Climate Change Review. Garnaut has authored numerous publications on international economics, public finance, and economic development, with recent books exploring Australia's transition to a zero-carbon future.

Guest Speakers



Professor Geoff Brooks - School of Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Geoff Brooks is a renowned expert in iron and steelmaking, having published over 300 papers and received prestigious awards such as the Bessemer Gold Medal and John Elliott Lectureship. He currently serves as a Professor of Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology and Program Leader in the ARC Steel Innovation Hub. Brooks has held academic positions at leading institutions worldwide, including the University of Melbourne, McMaster University, and the University of Wollongong.

Dr Ingrid Burfurd - Lead, Carbon Pricing and Policy, Superpower Institute
Dr Ingrid Burfurd holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Melbourne and currently leads Carbon Pricing and Policy research at The Superpower Institute. She was previously a Senior Associate at the Grattan Institute, a PostDoc at Melbourne University, a Lecturer at RMIT University, and a Senior Economist in the Victorian Public Service. She served as a Senior Expert Advisor on the UNFCCC's review of the Clean Development Mechanism and has published academic research in various high-ranking journals.



Mr Luke Yeaman - Deputy Secretary, Macroeconomic Group, The Treasury
Mr Yeaman is the Deputy Secretary of the Macroeconomic Group at the Australian Treasury. He advises the government on economic matters, the net zero transition, productivity, and implementing the National Interest Framework. Previously, Yeaman held senior roles across government including as Chief Economist in a Prime Minister's Office.

Program

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