Please note: This event will commence at 6pm and light refreshments will be provided following the session.

Under a 1.5°C rise in global temperature, the natural world around us will not look the same as today. Most species and agricultural systems exist in regions with predictable rainfall and temperature patterns. Climate change challenges these patterns and so, under a changing climate, we must expect that some species will become locally extinct while others will migrate. Agricultural systems are already impacted by climate change, with active adaptation well underway, including changes to farming systems and relocation of agriculture out of traditional regions. Regional pests, weeds and diseases are also likely to change, introducing added challenges for existing biodiversity and agricultural systems.

This keynote panel event features highly respected keynote speakers addressing the issues and implications of a changing climate for biodiversity and agriculture. Each panellist will provide a short introduction in their area of expertise, introducing key points that will be picked up and discussed in a facilitated panel discussion. The audience will be invited to pose their questions and challenges to the panel.

Facilitated by Richard Eckard, Professor and Director of the Primary Industry Climate Challenges Centre, The University of Melbourne.

Panellists:

• Professor Lesley Hughes, Professor and Director of the Primary Industry Climate Challenges Centre, the University of Melbourne.

• Verity Morgan-Schmidt, Director, Farmers for Climate Action.

• Professor Frank Dunshea, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, Chair of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, the University of Melbourne.

• Associate Professor Lee Skerratt, Principal Research Fellow, Wildlife Biosecurity, Melbourne Veterinary School, the University of Melbourne.