Ian Lowe

Ian Lowe in Hobart, 6 April 2009

Ian Lowe is President of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Professor of Science, Technology and Society and former Head of the School of Science at Griffith University, as well as an adjunct professor at Sunshine Coast University and Flinders University. In 1996 he was chair-person of the advisory council producing the first national report on the state of Australia's environment. He is a patron of Sustainable Population Australia. One of his principal interests is the way policy decisions influence use of science and technology, especially in the fields of energy and environment.

Lowe was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to science, technology, and the environment. In 2002 he was awarded a Centenary Medal for contributions to environmental science and won the Eureka Prize for promotion of science. His contributions have also been recognised by the Prime Minister's Environment Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement, the Queensland Premier's Millennium Award for Excellence in Science and the University of NSW Alumni Award for achievement in science. Lowe was named Humanist of the Year in 1988. He was elected President of the Australian Conservation Foundation in 2004.

Lowe is a member of the Queensland Climate Change Council, the Australian Environmental Health Council and the Australian Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council.

Lowe has authored or co-authored 10 books, 10 Open University books, more than 50 book chapters and over 500 other publications. He wrote for 13 years a regular column for New Scientist and also writes for several other publications, as well as contributing frequently to electronic media programs. Books by Ian Lowe include A Big Fix, Reaction Time, Living in the Hothouse, Why vs Why: Nuclear Power and A Voice of Reason: Reflections on Australia.

Ian Lowe sees the nuclear power option as being risky and unworkable. He says nuclear power installations peaked last century and in the past 20 years, retirements, cancellations and deferments have outnumbered new reactor construction. Lowe says nuclear power is too expensive, with insurmountable problems associated with waste disposal and weapons proliferation. It is also not a fast enough response to address climate change. Lowe advocates renewable energy which is "quicker, less expensive and less dangerous than nuclear".

See also

• Anti-nuclear movement in Australia

External links

• http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=486
• http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/stories/s1421383.htm
• http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/clever/biog.htm
• http://www.staff.vu.edu.au/alnarc/onlineforum/AL_ath_lowe.htm