Tim Flannery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tim Flannery
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Tim Flannery at the 5th World Conference of Science Journalists, 2007
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Timothy Fridtjof Flannery
28 January 1956 |
| Alma mater | La Trobe University, Monash University, University of New South Wales |
| Occupation |
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| Organisation | Climate Council University of Melbourne Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies |
| Known for | Writing and speaking about climate change |
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Notable work
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| Spouse(s) | Paula Kendall, Alexandra Szalay |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Australian of the Year (2007) Full list |
Timothy Fridtjof Flannery (born 28 January 1956) is an Australian scientist, explorer, and author. He is well-known for his work on mammals and fossils. He also talks a lot about climate change and how to protect our planet.
Two of his most famous books are The Future Eaters (1994) and The Weather Makers (2006). The Future Eaters is about Australia's natural history. The Weather Makers explains the effects of climate change.
As a researcher, Tim Flannery worked at many universities and museums in Australia. He studied ancient marsupials and how mammals changed over time. He found 17 new species of mammals in Melanesia. He has written many scientific papers about mammals in Australia and New Guinea.
He has written many books about nature and the environment. He also appears on TV and in the media. In 2007, he was named Australian of the Year for his work on environmental issues.
Tim Flannery is famous for sharing information about climate change. In 2011, he led the Climate Commission, a group that gave facts about climate change to Australians. When this group was closed in 2013, he and other experts started the Climate Council. This new group still shares independent climate science with the public. He supports using renewable energy and stopping coal use to help the environment.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Timothy Fridtjof Flannery was born on 28 January 1956 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He grew up in Sandringham, near Port Phillip Bay. As a child, he loved searching for fossils and learning to fish and scuba dive. He noticed how marine pollution affected living things even then.
He first studied English literature at La Trobe University. He graduated in 1977. Later, a palaeontologist named Tom Rich encouraged him to study natural history.
He then focused on zoology and paleontology. He earned a Master of Science (MSc) from Monash University in 1981. In 1984, he completed his PhD at the University of New South Wales. His PhD work was about the evolution and fossils of kangaroos and wallabies.
Academic Career and Discoveries
In 1984, Tim Flannery became the head of the Mammalogy Department at the Australian Museum. He traveled to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands many times. He worked with local tribes to study animals in their natural homes. He wrote about these trips in his book Throwim Way Leg (1998).
He also worked to save the bandicoot population on North Heads. From 1999 to 2006, he was a professor at the University of Adelaide. During this time, he also led the South Australian Museum in Adelaide.
In 2007, he became a professor at Macquarie University. He focused on climate risk. He has written over 143 scientific papers. As of November 2024, he is a professor at the University of Melbourne.
Exploring Ancient Animals
In 1980, Flannery found an Allosaurid dinosaur fossil in Victoria. This was the first time this type of dinosaur was found in Australia. In 1985, he helped discover Steropodon, a very old monotreme fossil. This discovery showed that Australian mammals have a history going back 80 million years.
He described many Pleistocene megafauna (large ancient animals) in New Guinea. He also studied the fossil record of phalangerids (a family of possums). For his PhD, he described 29 new fossil species of macropods.
Discovering New Mammals
In the 1990s, Flannery explored the mammals of Melanesia. He found more than 30 species and helped with conservation efforts. He identified at least 17 species that scientists had not known about before. These include the Dingiso, Sir David's long-beaked echidna, and the Telefomin cuscus. He also found living Bulmer's fruit bats, which were thought to be extinct.
His work led Sir David Attenborough to call him one of the "all-time great explorers." In 2005, a new bat species, the greater monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex flanneryi), was named after him.
Talking About Climate Change
In the 1990s, Tim Flannery noticed that trees in New Guinea were growing at different heights. He realized this was likely due to climate change. From the 2000s, he started focusing on climate change and talking about it publicly.
He works to raise awareness about climate change. He believes scientists funded by the public should share their work and speak up about important issues. In 2015, he received an award for helping people understand climate change through his writing and research. He has attended many United Nations Climate Change conferences.
In 2002, he advised the Premier of South Australia on climate change. He also chaired the Copenhagen Climate Council. This group helped businesses respond to climate change before a big international meeting.
Flannery often talks about the effects of climate change, especially in Australia. During the terrible Black Summer bushfires of 2019–20, he explained how climate change was linked to these fires. He said he was "absolutely certain that [the bushfires are] climate change caused."
The Climate Commission
In February 2011, Tim Flannery was chosen to lead the Climate Commission. This group was set up by the Australian government. Its job was to explain climate change and the need for a carbon price to the public. The commission was a trusted source of information for Australians.
In September 2013, a new government came into power and closed the Climate Commission. Tim Flannery was told his job was gone. He recalled that it was one of the new government's first actions. The commission's website, which had useful information for teachers and others, was also taken down.
The Climate Council
By October 2013, Tim Flannery and the other experts from the Climate Commission started a new group. They called it the Climate Council. This new organization had the same goal: to give independent information about climate change science.
The public quickly supported the Climate Council. In just a few weeks, they raised $1 million from donations. This money helped the group keep going for a year. Today, the Climate Council still exists and relies on donations from people who want to support its work.
Views and Advocacy
Tim Flannery's work in highlighting environmental issues was a key reason he was named Australian of the Year in 2007.
Climate Change Concerns
Flannery has often spoken about the impacts of climate change. In 2004, he warned that Perth could become a "ghost metropolis" due to water shortages. In 2005, he said that water would be scarce across eastern Australia. He warned that Sydney's dams could run dry in just two years.
In 2007, he explained that even with rain, increased soil evaporation means dams and rivers won't fill up. He said cities like Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane urgently needed desalinated water.
In 2019, Flannery said that the speed of climate change impacts was "really shocking." He urged people to be angry and demand action. He praised young activists like Greta Thunberg and groups like Extinction Rebellion for their impact.
Energy Solutions
Flannery supports a shift to renewable energy in Australia. He believes that traditional coal-fired power plants should be phased out. He compares the use of coal to asbestos, saying it will lose public acceptance.
In 2006, he supported nuclear power as a way to reduce carbon emissions. However, in 2007, he changed his mind. He believes Australia has enough renewable resources like solar and wind power. He thinks Australia should supply its uranium to other countries that need nuclear energy.
Geothermal Energy
In 2005, Flannery suggested that hot rocks in South Australia could power Australia for a century. He proposed a "fully sustainable city" called "Geothermia" in the Cooper Basin. This city would use geothermal energy from these hot rocks. An exploration company was set up in 2007, and Flannery invested in it. However, the project closed in 2016 because it was not financially practical.
Species Introduction
In his book The Future Eaters, Flannery criticized European settlers for bringing non-native animals to Australia. However, he also suggested that to restore ancient ecosystems, some non-native species could be introduced. These would be similar to Australia's lost megafauna. For example, he proposed bringing the Komodo dragon to replace the extinct giant lizard Megalania. He also suggested letting the Tasmanian devil return to mainland Australia.
In The Eternal Frontier, Flannery proposed "Pleistocene rewilding" for North America. This means bringing back animals similar to those that lived there before humans arrived. He suggested reintroducing jaguars and lions to control elk populations. He also thought Indian and African elephants could replace extinct mammoths and mastodons.
Television and Film
Tim Flannery has appeared in several TV shows for ABC Television. He often worked with comedian John Doyle on travel documentaries. These include Two Men In A Tinnie, where they traveled down the Murray River, and Two in the Top End in the Kimberley.
In 2017, he hosted an episode of ABC Catalyst. He explored how growing seaweed could help fight climate change by storing carbon. He also appeared in the 2021 documentary film Burning, about the Black Summer bushfires.
Recognition and Awards
- 1990: Edgeworth David Medal for excellent research in zoology.
- 1996: POL Eureka Prize for Environmental Research.
- 2003: Centenary of Federation Medal for his services to Australian science.
- 2005: Australian Humanist of the Year.
- 2006: Lannan Literary Award for Non-Fiction for The Weather Makers.
- 2007: Australian of the Year.
- 2010: Joseph Leidy Award, the first Australian to receive it.
- 2012: Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA).
- 2015: Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue for his work on climate change.
Personal Life
Tim Flannery describes himself as a humanist. He met his first wife, Paula Kendall, in the 1970s. Their home was destroyed in a bushfire in 1994. They had two children and separated in 1996.
His second wife is anthropologist Alexandra Szalay. He also has a third child with his partner Kate Holden. He moved to Victoria in 2014 to be with her.
In 2018, he owned a house on the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney. It had a solar hot water system and was only reachable by boat. After his living location was shared publicly, he received threats and needed police protection.
Filmography
Television
- The Future Eaters (1998)
- Two Men in a Tinnie (2006)
- Two in the Top End (2008)
- Two on the Great Divide (2012)
- Coast Australia (2013–2017)
- Two Men in China (2014)
- Australia: The Story of Us (2015)
Film
- Kangaroo: A Love-Hate Story (2017)
- Burning (2021)
