The forum was hosted by Dr Jess Jennings, who said it was great to see so much interest because education through dialogue and discussion is the best way any community can prepare itself for the future, regardless of what it holds.

He said the audience listened intently as the expert panel of guest speakers first presented their key messages before the floor was opened to questions which rolled on for well over an hour.

“Professor Lesley Hughes delivered the accepted international climate science – that is backed by the CSIRO and BOM – with compelling arguments showing known global climatic trends and future projections based on the world’s best current climate modelling,” Dr Jennings said.

“Perhaps the most telling local point was the graph showing the actual observed NSW climate records since 1920 with the hotter and drier red-zone dominating the last 20-odd years.

“These increasing temperatures look set to rise even further given greenhouse gas emissions are soaring, especially if no action is taken.”

The former president of BP Australasia, Gerry Hueston, said the climate change debate had been hijacked by the extreme ends of the spectrum – those who think climate change is not happening versus those who claim the world is about to end.

“The truth about climate change lies somewhere in the middle, and Mr Hueston strongly believes that action must be taken on climate change, just like any normal business risk management strategy,” Dr Jennings said.

“Drawing on 34 years of international corporate experience, Mr Hueston said that BP wanted to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and hence took strategic action across its global corporate network over many years.”

Dr Jennings said Jonathan Upson of Infigen Energy gave a presentation on the rapid growth of the renewable energy sector, a key point being that the wind energy sector alone is doubling every three years.

“This point had a strong local ring to it, noting that the Blayney wind farm is already operating and another is on the books at Flyer’s Creek, in which local community investment is available,” he said.