Climate Millionaire with Dr Jim Salinger

Where in the world are you?
Auckland, New Zealand

What do you do in the world?
Climate Scientist

In one sentence, what is climate change?
Climate change encompass all forms of climatic variability on time-scales longer than 10 years, whether the cause is natural or anthropogenic (caused by humans).

How does climate change affect your life?
Climate change has been affecting my life now for the past 50 years! As a boy I was a hobby weather observer then uncovered climate warming in New Zealand in the mid 1970s. From then I have devoted my life to studying climate change and variability in New Zealand and the South Pacific, leading an international team on examining the effects on agriculture and fisheries. I have studied and researched climate at NIWA, Stanford University, CSIRO and other research institutes. The last two decades I have spent communicating climate change at public talks, scientific conferences and seminars. Awards have been received for this, including the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change to which I was a contributor for the understanding of climate change.

What do you feel you can do about it?
I continue to communicate on climate change at talks and seminars, and researching aspects of climate warming in New Zealand. As well, am conserving household energy and espousing forms of energy conservation in my talks and commentary.

Do you feel there is more you could do? If so, what is stopping you from doing those things?
We all can do more...but are probably constrained by lifestyle and finances. I would like to have a house and car totally run on renewable energy sources.

What's your favourite Sunday afternoon activity?
Organizing my vegetable garden.

Extra for experts: Do you remember how you first became active in climate change?
Was there something specific that triggered you to act? How old were you then? How old are you now?
When I read a feature in the Otago Daily Times 40 years ago about the possibility that the planet could be descending in to the next ice age. I researched climate from New Zealand and nearby islands and found the region was warming up. This spurred me in to investigating climate and global warming. I was 28 at the time, and now 69.

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