IPCC Working Group II Vice-Chair Mark Howden receives Australia’s highest civilian honour in King’s Birthday 2025 Honours list

On the occasion of 2025 King’s Birthday, this June, IPCC Working Group II Vice-Chair Prof. Mark Howden AC was awarded the honour of Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This highest civilian honour was awarded to Prof. Howden for eminent service to environmental science, to global response to climate change and adaptation, to agriculture, and to tertiary education. 

“It was a real honour to receive this award,” said Prof. Howden, “I am sure that my long-standing contributions to the IPCC were a significant part of this. Working on and making progress with some of the biggest problems and opportunities facing humanity is also a key driver for me – it is a privilege to do this.”

Prof. Howden is the Director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University (since 2015) and Honorary Professor, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne. He is a Vice Chair of IPCC’s Working Group II and a member of the Australian National Climate Science Advisory Committee.

Mark has been a major contributor to the IPCC since 1991, with roles in the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Assessment Reports.

Prof. Howden was on the US Federal Advisory Committee for the 3rd National Climate Assessment and contributes to several major national and international science and policy advisory bodies. He has worked on climate variability, climate change, innovation and adaptation issues for over 30 years in partnership with industry, community and policy groups through research and science-policy roles. The topics he has addressed include agriculture and food security, the natural resource base, ecosystems and biodiversity, energy, water and urban systems. Prof. Howden authored over 420 publications. He helped develop national and international greenhouse gas inventories and has assessed sustainable ways to reduce emissions.

The full list of King’s Birthday Honours 2025 is on official website of the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia here.