Dr Phillipa McCormack
Affiliation
Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide
Research Areas
Climate adaptation law, biodiversity conservation law, bushfire law, administrative law and government accountability
Why I do what I do
There are some really complicated questions about what our law is, what it means for a rapidly changing future, and how it might need to change. I really enjoy finding ways to connect the work that amazing scientists are doing, with the laws that we DO have, and the laws that we NEED to have, to adapt as the climate changes. My work is helping to take proposals from the science, and work out how to implement them effectively in our laws and policies.
Something interesting about me
I live on a fire trail and I get to ride my electric mountain bike to work. Sometimes I get to work really muddy, with grit in my eyebrows. In winter, it can take a while for my fingers to defrost. I sometimes don't get much work done, those mornings!
Questions answered by this expert
Does the government recognise our protests? do they make a difference?
What would make politicians honour the promises of the international agreements they have signed?
What laws are preventing us from improving climate change?
Why do we do nothing as a society when an animal species dies due to climate change disrupting its food chain?
It is very upsetting to see the things we care about suffering because of climate change. Many people are working to change this, but action has been slow. In this video, Dr Philippa McCormack talks about how we can protect our endangered animals in Australia. You might also like to look at this answer about why getting societies to take action is so hard.
What is going to happen if it gets worse? What will the effects be?
Will it stop by itself? Will it wipe out Earth?
