![Michael Bennett Member of the Order of Australia [AM]. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/z8hBhxAZcc6GAanbqacDHK/637b3535-ee17-49b2-8f8b-22dbf8cedfd4.jpg/r0_0_1170_1560_w576_h298_fmax.webp "Michael Bennett Member of the Order of Australia [AM]. Picture supplied")
Michael Bennett feels humbled by being named in the Australian Day honours list.
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The Mollymook Beach resident becomes a Member of the Order of Australia [AM] "for significant service to the refrigeration industry, and to the environment".
The reason why he feels so humbled is that he believes that many others in the community are also deserving of awards and recognition.
He would love to see more community volunteers recognised for their efforts.
"Yes I am humbled and the award is a nice thing to happen," he said.
When you look at his long list of achievements [see below] his Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded jointly in 2007, does catch your eye.
He was the lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] and Technical and Economic Advisory Panel [TEAP] special report, Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System.
The IPCC and TEAP authors were collectively awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
His passion is of course the environment and climate change issues.
Mr Bennett has good and bad news.
"We are winning the war when it comes to the ozone layer," he said.
He suggests within 40 years the hole in the ozone will be corrected, but we [the world] still have some work to do when it comes to climate change
Mr Bennett said the emission levels, when it comes to climate change, were not where he and others would like them to be.
The Mollymook Beach resident definitely had a role in promoting climate change and highlighting the need to repair the ozone layer, particularly in the refrigeration industry, which is why someone or some group nominated him for his AM.
He does not know who nominated him but he does have his suspicions.
Mr Bennett said someone from the Australian Government could have nominated him in association with some of his peers.
"Someone must considered me to be a worthy candidate which is wonderful. I am deeply grateful," he said
He is proud to be an Australian because "Australia is a wonderful wonderful country".
Mr Bennett loves how Australia has become a true multicultural nation.
As someone who believes that education is important to us all, he would like more educational opportunities made available to everyone, particularly First Nations people.
He has simple plans to celebrate Australia Day.
"I will go to a mate's place and have a few beers and some prawns," he said.
Mr Bennett said he and many others were lucky to live in paradise [the Shoalhaven].
More on Michael Bennett
Refrigerant Reclaim Australia
Chief Executive, 1997-2018.
Emeritus Advisor, since 2018.
Australian Refrigeration Council
Chair, since 2018.
Board Member, since 2018 and 2001-2008.
Founding Member, 2001.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Lead Author, IPCC/TEAP Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System, Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Former Member, Working Groups.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 was awarded jointly to IPCC and Mr Al Gore Jnr.
Environment - Other
Former Member, Technical and Economic Advisory Panel, Montreal Protocol, United Nations Environment Program.
Awards and Recognition include:
United Nations Montreal Protocol Award, 2007.
Climate Protection Award, United States Environment Protection Agency, 2006.
Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award, United States Environment Protection Agency, 1995.
