In his bestselling Superpower, renowned economist Ross Garnaut showed that Australia – rich in resources for renewable energy and for capturing carbon in the landscape – could become an economic superpower of the post-carbon world. Now, in The Superpower Transformation, he turns that idea into a practical plan to reshape our nation.
Garnaut outlines new evidence that stronger and earlier action on climate change would be good for jobs and incomes, including in the old gas and coal communities and in rural and regional Australia. He looks at the challenges for the new federal government: how Australia can meet the objectives set at the Paris and Glasgow climate conferences – and the growing costs of not doing so. He shows that our national decisions matter greatly for the world.
With contributions from Mike Sandiford, Ligang Song, Frank Jotzo, Isabelle Grant, Susannah Powell, Dylan McConnell and Malte Meinshausen, as well as a major essay from Garnaut himself, The Superpower Transformation covers electricity, hydrogen, steel, exports, carbon capture in the landscape and more. It reveals the rich endowments of five resources that give us the most to gain economically: ‘The new opportunities are much larger than the old.’
Over the past nine years, Australia has consistently acted against its national interest. This compelling book shows how to change that, so that the nation becomes a confident leader of progress towards zero net emissions.
Ross Garnaut
Director
Ross Garnaut AC is a renowned economist specialising in development, economic policy and international relations. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Melbourne and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences. His contributions to trade policy and climate change have made him a trusted adviser to successive Australian governments.
Ross Garnaut AC is a renowned economist specialising in development, economic policy and international relations. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Melbourne and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences. His contributions to trade policy and climate change have made him a trusted adviser to successive Australian governments.
Susannah Powell
Director / General Manager
Susannah Powell has experience in energy technology and policy. She co-ordinated research at Melbourne Energy Institute and worked on industrial decarbonisation projects at ZEN Energy. She has an MBA from Melbourne Business School.
Susannah Powell has experience in energy technology and policy. She co-ordinated research at Melbourne Energy Institute and worked on industrial decarbonisation projects at ZEN Energy. She has an MBA from Melbourne Business School.
Mike Sandiford
Director
Professor Mike Sandiford is a geologist focussed on Australia’s resource endowment for a net-zero transition. He chaired Geology at The University of Melbourne (2000-2020) and is now a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Mike Sandiford is a geologist focussed on Australia’s resource endowment for a net-zero transition. He chaired Geology at The University of Melbourne (2000-2020) and is now a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.
Isabelle Grant
Land Carbon Lead
Isabelle Grant is an experienced environmental professional in the fields of carbon accounting, environmental policy, and the bioeconomy. Isabelle has worked with Professor Ross Garnaut on land carbon since 2019 and prior to that completed her Masters thesis at Imperial College London in Environmental Technology.
Isabelle Grant is an experienced environmental professional in the fields of carbon accounting, environmental policy, and the bioeconomy. Isabelle has worked with Professor Ross Garnaut on land carbon since 2019 and prior to that completed her Masters thesis at Imperial College London in Environmental Technology.
Dylan McConnell
Energy Systems Researcher, UNSW Sydney
Dr Dylan McConnell is renewable energy & energy systems analyst at UNSW Sydney. He has extensive experience in analysing the electricity sector in Australia. Dylan’s work is focused on electricity infrastructure and governance, and the energy transition in liberalised electricity markets.
Dr Dylan McConnell is renewable energy & energy systems analyst at UNSW Sydney. He has extensive experience in analysing the electricity sector in Australia. Dylan’s work is focused on electricity infrastructure and governance, and the energy transition in liberalised electricity markets.
