Priestley researcher joins European board of climate experts
Professor Suraje Dessai, Priestley Centre researcher and co-Champion for the UK Climate Resilience Programme, has been appointed to the new European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.
The appointment sees Professor Dessai joining a panel of 15 independent senior scientific experts covering a broad range of disciplines.
The Advisory Board will provide the European Union with scientific knowledge, expertise and advice relating to climate change. The Board’s work will underpin the EU’s climate action and efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, which is set out in the European Climate Law.
Professor Dessai said: “It’s an absolute honour to join the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change. Scientific advice is critical to inform climate action in the European Union.”
He added: “I’m looking forward to helping the EU accelerate climate adaptation action to create a climate-resilient Europe.”
The Advisory Board will build on the best available and most recent scientific evidence, including the latest reports of the IPCC and other national and international bodies. It will follow a fully transparent process and make its reports publicly available.
Professor Dessai’s interdisciplinary research lies at the interface between climate science and decision science, particularly on decision making under deep uncertainty, perception of climate risks and the science-policy interface in climate change impacts, adaptation and services.
He was Lead Author for the Working Group I contribution to the IPCC AR6 (chapter on climate change information for regional impact and for risk assessment), as well as Lead Author for the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC AR5 (chapter on Foundations for decision making).
In 2021, Professor Dessai was ranked 120 in the Reuters list of the world’s top climate scientists. He has advised the United Kingdom and Portuguese governments and the OECD.
Find out more about the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.