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About TISC
lutruwita/Tasmania is a state of change, with deep environmental and cultural roots. Science and policy are needed to protect our state as it evolves.
Events
We work across Tasmania's environment, focussing on forests and fire, freshwater and oceans.
Media
We engage with the public debate on policy and science through hosting events.
Our Work
THE TASMANIAN INDEPENDENT SCIENCE COUNCIL
People
The Tasmanian Independent Science Council is dedicated to science-based policy reform to ensure the long-term health of Tasmania’s critical environments. We are composed of scientists and relevant professionals who are a source of independent, non-government advice.
Our goals are to:
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Connect science to public policy;
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Drive innovation in managing the use of Tasmania’s terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems; and
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Engage community, business and political leaders to find and implement solutions to the challenges of environmental stewardship in lutruwita/Tasmania.
We seek to achieve these goals by compiling and synthesising research, producing papers on key issues, commissioning independent research, making submissions on legislative reforms and leading public debate through the media and events on the science-policy nexus.
About
We write reports, statements and submissions to legislative reviews.
We engage with the media in order to lead the public debate on the science-policy nexus.
Connecting science and policy
Projects
We are composed of scientist and professionals, with decades of experience in environmental science, policy and communication.
For nearly three decades, the State Coastal Policy 1996 has remained outdated, with sucessive amendments weakening its intent and effectiveness. The Tasmanian Science Council considers that Amendment 01-25 to the State Coastal Policy 1996 further undermines coastal protection and should be rejected.
The following submission made to the Tasmanian Planning Commission sets out the reasons for this position, together with recommendations to ensure effective and science-based coastal management.
October 2024
Members and friends of TISC were saddened by the death of our former Chair, Distinguished Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick AM earlier this week. Jamie was a committed and passionate advocate for the Tasmanian environment, and committed his life to conservation efforts around the state. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2003 for his lifetime contribution to conservation. He supervised numerous post-graduate students, instilling in them his love for the Tasmanian landscape. His legacy will live on through the efforts of all who worked with him throughout his career.
The Argument for Effective Tasmanian Coastal Policy
The Tasmanian Science Council considers that the review of the Climate Change (State Action) Act 2008 must strengthen accountability, introduce sector-specific targets, and diversify clean energy sources to ensure Tasmania's net-zero status is maintained with integrity.
The following submission sets out the reasons for this position, together with recommendations to strengthen Tasmania's climate response.
Strengthening Tasmania's Climate Change Act