Royal Geographical Society of Queensland

Home insurance is an issue for each of us - premiums are rising - hear from the experts. Insurance in a Changing Climate - hear from the experts from the Actuaries Institute of Australia. Wednesday 13 November Register here: https://lnkd.in/gNYAykvt Presenters: Vanessa Beenders, Executive General Manager, Public Policy & Professionalism - Actuaries Institute of Australia and Emma Vitz, Finity Vanessa leads the Actuaries Institute’s thought leadership program, working closely with actuaries across a wide range of areas to deliver insights on key societal issues in major reports, papers and submissions. She is also responsible for delivery of Institute support to its Practice Committees, providing technical and professional support to its members. Before joining the Institute, Vanessa worked across government, financial services and education, in both public and private sectors. Emma is an actuary and a consultant at Finity. She advises insurers and banks on personal lines pricing and natural perils and climate risk assessment. Emma compiles the Australian Actuaries Climate Index on a quarterly basis, which quantifies the changes in the frequency of extreme weather in Australia. She coordinates communication on the index with a variety of audiences, including the actuarial community and the wider public. Vanessa and Emma will be joined in conversation by Christopher Zinn. Vanessa and Emma will present the Institute’s Home Insurance Affordability Index and the Australian Actuaries Climate Index (AACI), key contributions which have received extensive coverage in the media and public policy discussions. The most recent analysis of the AACI shows that once-extreme weather events have become increasingly common, highlighting the long-term trend of more frequent severe weather conditions. This shift significantly impacts insurance affordability. The 2024 report on home insurance affordability finds that 15% of households are now "affordability-stressed", facing premiums of more than four weeks of gross household income. Recognising the broader implications of this stress on the financial system and society, the report includes a discussion about what this could mean for residential mortgages. These analyses provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between climate change, extreme weather events and the insurance industry, offering a nuanced understanding of critical issues affecting Australia's environmental and financial future. #climateriskassessment #homeinsuranceaffordabilityindex #AustralianActuariesclimateindex #AACI #extremeweatherconditions #insuranceaffordability #naturalperils #VanessaBeenders #EmmaVitz #climatechange #sustainability #globalwarming

What caused the extinction of Australia’s Ice Age megafauna? Were these giants driven to extinction by climate change, human activity, or a combination of both? If you missed this month’s lecture delivered by the brilliant Gilbert Price, Association Professor in Paleontology, the recording has been published on our YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/gCxAsahD Enjoy! #australianmegafauna #paleontology #iceage #climatechange #RGSQ

Join us for a conversation on the Toondah Wetlands: eflections on the Outcome. Speakers: Mr Chris Walker, founding member and Secretary of the community group Redlands2030 which has advocated against inappropriate development at Toondah Harbour for over a decade. Ms Una Sandeman, Australian Conservation Foundation Bayside’s creative advocacy lead and Dr Robert Bush, president of the Australasian Wader Study Group, who has a vast experience throughout the world in medical and epidemiological positions. The panel will share with us the science and the community action which resulted in the Minister for the Environment and Water the Hon Ms Tanya Plibersek, rejecting an application for development and the withdrawal of the Walker Corporation’s application under the national environment law. The wetlands where this project was proposed are rare, unique and are important to prevent the extinction of animals. These include loggerhead and green turtles and the critically endangered eastern curlew, which migrates 12,000 kilometres from Russia to Australia and relies on Moreton Bay as habitat for feeding and roosting. The project would also have had significant impacts on a range of other species including iconic Australian animals like dugongs and dolphins. The proposed dredging and land reclamation would have also destroyed and disturbed 58.7 hectares of the internationally protected wetland of Moreton Bay – that’s around 24 times the size of the Gabba. (Plibersek website). Theregion is part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and is home to internationally significant wetlands listed under the RAMSAR Convention — a global treaty established to “halt the worldwide loss of wetlands.” These wetlands provide critical habitat for global populations of migratory bird species — including six per cent of all Eastern curlews and 50 per cent of all Grey-tailed Tattlers. It’s a last remaining stronghold for these birds in Australia’s East Asian Australasian Flyway. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gD_N4G6q #ToondahWetlands #MoretonBayMarinePark #Redlands2030 #AustralianConservationFoundationBayside #ACF #ACFBaysideAdvocacy #AustralasianWaderStudyGroup #wetlandsdeveolopment #townplanning #environmentalscience #wadingbirds #migratorybirds #Easterncurlews #Greytailedtattlers #Australia’sEastAsianAustralasianFlyway #lossofwetlands #RAMSARConvention #ToondahHarbour #ChrisWalker #UnaSandeman #RobertBush

The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland has a great lineup of events this month, covering topics from Australia’s Ice Age wildlife to insurance challenges in a changing climate. Whether you're interested in local community initiatives, environmental education, or the latest in geographical research, we invite you to join us. To register, visit www.rgsq.org.au. #RGSQ #GeographyMatters #BrisbaneEvents #EnvironmentalEducation

There's still time to register for our November lecture on Tuesday 5 November - The Greatest Showdown: Wolverine and the Extinction of Australia’s Ice Age Giants - were these giants driven to extinction by climate change, human activity, or a combination of both? Presented by Associate Professor of Paleontology Dr Gilbert Price - scientific consultant for ABC's 2024 Catalyst program 'Megafauna: What Killed Australia’s Giants?', Dr Price will also highlight some of the new evidence emerging in the field, including a sneak peek into one of the most significant megafauna fossil discoveries in Australia in several decades!! 🔗Don't miss it - register here: https://lnkd.in/gzx26M46 #AustralianMegafauna #IceAge #Paleontology #Extinction #Fossils #RGSQevent

The Greatest Showdown: Wolverine and the Extinction of Australia’s Ice Age Giants - were these giants driven to extinction by climate change, human activity, or a combination of both? Delve into the complexities behind the extinction of Australia’s Ice Age megafauna in our next week's November lecture presented by Associate Professor of Paleontology Gilbert Price - scientific consultant for ABC's 2024 Catalyst program 'Megafauna: What Killed Australia’s Giants?'. Gilbert will also highlight some of the exciting new evidence emerging in the field, including a sneak peek into one of the most significant megafauna fossil discoveries in Australia in several decades!! 🔗Don't miss it - register here: https://lnkd.in/gzx26M46 #AustralianMegafauna #IceAge #Paleontology #Extinction #Fossils #RGSQevent

🌏 Discover Queensland’s History Through the Art of Souvenir Covers! We’re thrilled to announce our latest exhibition at Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, showcasing a rare collection of 49 souvenir covers created between 1944 and 1957. This unique display, curated with the expertise of our Collections Committee, brings to life the stories behind 18 pivotal events—from Queensland’s legendary explorers to milestone historical moments. ✨ Highlights of the Exhibition: - 49 historic covers on display: Visual glimpses into decades of Queensland history. - Rare books from the Society’s treasured #library collection. - QR code access: Dive deeper into stories with digital content on the RGSQ website. 📍 Visit us at RGSQ Headquarters, Level 1, 28 Fortescue St, Spring Hill, and immerse yourself in this historical journey through early 2025. For more details, click here: https://lnkd.in/gJAEWdiU Don’t miss this opportunity to step back in time! #RGSQ #QueenslandHistory #SouvenirCovers #Exhibition #HistoryUnveiled

Thank you to all Royal Geographical Society of Queensland members who attended our 2024 Annual General Meeting last week. We appreciate your time and participation, and your contributions made the event productive and meaningful. We would also like to thank Bohao Dong PhD Candidate in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Melbourne, who gave a presentation on his research which was supported by an RGSQ grant (Bohao's research focuses on using giant clam shell geochemistry to understand past environmental change and human-environment interaction in the South Pacific). We look forward to working together in the year ahead and continuing the progress we’ve made. Thanks again for your support. #Geography

Insurance in a Changing Climate - hear from the experts from the Actuaries Institute of Australia. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gNYAykvt Presenters: Vanessa Beenders, Executive General Manager, Public Policy & Professionalism - Actuaries Institute of Australia and Emma Vitz, Finity Vanessa leads the Actuaries Institute’s thought leadership program, working closely with actuaries across a wide range of areas to deliver insights on key societal issues in major reports, papers and submissions. She is also responsible for delivery of Institute support to its Practice Committees, providing technical and professional support to its members. Before joining the Institute, Vanessa worked across government, financial services and education, in both public and private sectors. Emma is an actuary and a consultant at Finity. She advises insurers and banks on personal lines pricing and natural perils and climate risk assessment. Emma compiles the Australian Actuaries Climate Index on a quarterly basis, which quantifies the changes in the frequency of extreme weather in Australia. She coordinates communication on the index with a variety of audiences, including the actuarial community and the wider public. Vanessa and Emma will be joined in conversation by  Christopher Zinn.  Vanessa and Emma will present the Institute’s Home Insurance Affordability Index and the Australian Actuaries Climate Index (AACI), key contributions which have received extensive coverage in the media and public policy discussions. The most recent analysis of the AACI shows that once-extreme weather events have become increasingly common, highlighting the long-term trend of more frequent severe weather conditions. This shift significantly impacts insurance affordability. The 2024 report on home insurance affordability finds that 15% of households are now "affordability-stressed", facing premiums of more than four weeks of gross household income. Recognising the broader implications of this stress on the financial system and society, the report includes a discussion about what this could mean for residential mortgages. These analyses provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between climate change, extreme weather events and the insurance industry, offering a nuanced understanding of critical issues affecting Australia's environmental and financial future. #climateriskassessment #homeinsuranceaffordabilityindex #AustralianActuariesclimateindex #AACI #extremeweatherconditions #insuranceaffordability #naturalperils #VanessaBeenders #EmmaVitz #climatechange #sustainability #globalwarming