The deputy director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of NSW says such an emergency could be the collapsing of the west Antarctic ice sheet which could result in a sea level rise of one to two metres.

"Emergency climate mitigation looks at what we can do at the least cost," Dr Diesendorf said.

This has involved developing several "what if" scenarios and how governments would need to respond to hasten the implementation of low emission energy technology.

"We have a situation where governments are doing nothing but we have a public which is very concerned and wanting government to do something," he said.

So he is examining ways in which the public can put pressure on state and federal governments to encourage greater uptake of renewable energy technology.

With about three decades of renewable energy research behind him, Dr Diesendorf is convinced that renewables could provide baseload power currently provided in Australia by coal-fired power stations.

He said wind energy was one of the cheapest and biggest suppliers of renewable energy now but solar, geothermal and bioenergy could grow to meet most of the world's energy needs.

While the dilemma facing solar technology has been storing the electricity overnight Dr Diesendorf said solar thermal power plants were able to store energy as heat overnight for round-the-clock power generation.

He said bioenergy, the burning of crop residues, was already a significant provider of energy in some European counties and while the burning of fuel released greenhouse gases, unlike the burning of coal, this was offset provided

crops were replanted.

Queensland and South Australia also have enormous geothermal potential with hot granite under the Great Artesian Basin capable of generating steam and driving turbines.

Dr Diesendorf said the Federal Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target provided few incentives for large scale biomass or solar power plants.

* Dr Diesendorf will be one of four guest speakers at the Ballarat Climate Change Forum to be held on August 8.

The forum at the Wendouree Performing Arts Centre from 12.45pm to 5.30pm, will be hosted by Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions group, the University of Ballarat and The Courier.

For tickets and reservations phone 5338 0980. Admission is $15 for adults or $10 for students and concession card holders.