Keynote Speakers
Prof. Patrick Nunn
University of the Sunshine Coast
Shifting Development: Navigating the Future Pacific
Patrick Nunn is Professor of Geography at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia as well as the Director of its Sustainability Research Centre. Trained in geology and geography, he worked for 25 years at the University of the South Pacific which gave him opportunities to conduct research in most Pacific Island nations. He has authored >370 peer-reviewed publications. A long involvement with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) led to Patrick sharing its 2007 Nobel Peace Prize; Patrick was a lead author on the chapter about ‘Sea Level Change’ in the IPCC’s 5th Assessment Report and was a lead author on the chapter about ‘Small Islands’ for its 6th Assessment.
His most recent research in the Pacific region has focused on livelihood sustainability in the face of changing climate and on the interpretation of oral traditions to understand catastrophic events (like volcanic eruptions and island disappearance) in early Pacific history. His talk at Devnet 2024 is built around a recent project he led looking at traditional and local knowledge for climate resilience in the Pacific.