Researcher biography
David stumbled into RSMG in 2004 and still hasn’t been shown the door. While at RSMG he has contributed to the Garnaut Climate Change Review and was a member of the economics technical group for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. He is currently undertaking a part-time PhD dealing with allocating resources under increasing uncertainty and logically is using water and climate change in the Murray-Darling Basin as the example. He has worked on a range of natural resource and agricultural issues throughout Australia. In a prior life he ran his own consultancy company and was the economist at the CRC for Tropical Pest Management. He still dabbles in the economics of pests and biosecurity. His Scopus page is available here.
Publications
Book Chapters
Loch, Adam, Wheeler, Sarah and Adamson, David (2015). People versus place in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin: balancing economic, social ecosystem and community outcomes. River basin management in the Twenty First Century: people and place. (pp. 275-303) edited by Victor R. Squires, Hugh M. Milner and Katherine A. Daniell. Boca Raton, FL, United States: CRC Press - Taylor & Francis Group. doi: 10.1201/b17168
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David and Quiggin, Daniel (2014). Introduction. Carbon pricing: early experiences and future prospects. (pp. 1-4) edited by John Quiggin, David Adamson and Daniel Quiggin. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781782547747.00011
Adamson, David, Zalucki, Myron P. and Furlong, Michael J. (2014). Pesticides and integrated pest management practice, practicality and policy in Australia. Integrated pest management: experiences with implementation, global overview. (pp. 387-411) edited by Rajinder Peshin and David Pimentel. Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-7802-3_16
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, McClintock, Anthea, Adamson, David and Quiggin, John (2012). Investment as an adaptation response to water scarcity. Water Policy Reform: Lessons in Sustainability from the Murray-Darling Basin. (pp. 101-128) edited by John Quiggin, Thilak Mallawaarachchi and Sarah Chambers. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar. doi: 10.4337/9781781000328.00018
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Adamson, David, Chambers, Sarah, Schrobback, Peggy and Quiggin, John (2012). Variability and uncertainty: implications for water policy impact analysis. Water Policy Reform: Lessons in Sustainability from the Murray-Darling Basin. (pp. 82-100) edited by John Quiggin, Thilak Mallawaarachchi and Sarah Chambers. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar. doi: 10.4337/9781781000328.00017
Adamson, David (2010). Quarantine and food safety issues and the TPPA. No ordinary deal: Unmasking the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement. (pp. 124-135) edited by Jane Kelsey and David Adamson. Crows Nest, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin.
Journal Articles
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Auricht, Christopher, Loch, Adam, Adamson, David and Quiggin, John (2020). Water allocation in Australia's Murray–Darling Basin: managing change under heightened uncertainty. Economic Analysis and Policy, 66, 345-369. doi: 10.1016/j.eap.2020.01.001
Jackson, Elizabeth L. and Adamson, David (2018). The live sheep export supply chain: when operational and societal complexities collide. International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 12 (2), 181. doi: 10.1504/IJBSR.2018.090697
Tisdell, C. A. and Adamson, D. (2017). The importance of fixed costs in animal health systems. OIE Revue Scientifique et Technique, 36 (1), 49-56. doi: 10.20506/rst.issue.36.1.2604
Adamson, D. (2016). Pandora's box and the level playing field: food safety and regulations. Farm Policy Journal, 13 (3), 33-41.
Loch, Adam and Adamson, David (2015). Drought and the rebound effect: a Murray–Darling Basin example. Natural Hazards, 79 (3), 1429-1449. doi: 10.1007/s11069-015-1705-y
Adamson, David and Loch, Adam (2014). Possible negative feedbacks from 'gold-plating' irrigation infrastructure. Agricultural Water Management, 145, 134-144. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2013.09.022
Loch, A., Adamson, D. and Mallawaarachchi, T. (2014). Role of hydrology and economics in water management policy under increasing uncertainty. Journal of Hydrology, 518 (PA), 5-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.10.049
Zalucki, Myron P., Shabbir, Asad, Silva, Rehan, Adamson, David, Shu-Sheng, Liu and Furlong, Michael J. (2012). Estimating the economic cost of one of the world’s major insect pests, Plutella xylostella: Just how long is a piece of string?. Journal of Economic Entomology, 105 (4), 1115-1129. doi: 10.1603/EC12107
Schrobback, Peggy, Adamson, David and Quiggin, John (2011). Turning water into carbon: Carbon sequestration and water flow in the Murray–Darling Basin. Environmental and Resource Economics, 49 (1), 23-45. doi: 10.1007/s10640-010-9422-1
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David, Chambers, Sarah and Schrobback, Peggy (2010). Climate change, uncertainty, and adaptation: The case of irrigated agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics-Revue Canadienne D Agroeconomie, 58 (4), 531-554. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-7976.2010.01200.x
Adamson, D., Mallawaarachchi, T and Quiggin, J. (2009). Declining inflows and more frequent droughts in the Murray-Darling Basin: Climate change, impacts and adaptation. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 53 (3), 345-366. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8489.2009.00451.x
Zalucki, Myron P., Adamson, David and Furlong, Michael J. (2009). The future of IPM: Whither or wither?. Australian Journal of Entomology, 48 (2), 85-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2009.00690.x
Adamson, D., Mallawaarachchi, T. and Quiggin, J. (2007). Water use and salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin: A state-contingent model. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 51 (3), 263-281. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8489.2007.00380.x
Adamson, David (2006). Common waters, diverging streams: Linking institutions and water management in Arizona, California, and Colorado. Australian Journal of Agricultural And Resource Economics, 50 (3), 466-468. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8489.2006.00349.x
Norton, GA, Adamson, D, Aitken, LG, Bilston, LJ, Foster, J, Frank, B and Harper, JK (1999). Facilitating IPM: The role of participatory workshops. International Journal of Pest Management, 45 (2), 85-90. doi: 10.1080/096708799227860
Norton, Geoff. A., Adamson, David, Aitken, Lyn G., Bilston, Larissa J., Foster, John, Frank, Bruce and Harper, Jayson K. (1999). Facilitating IPM: The role of participatory workshops. International Journal of Pest Management, 45 (2), 85-90. doi: 10.1080/096708799227879
Conference Papers
Adamson, D. (2012). The basin plan, the buy-back and climate change: determining an optimal water entitlements portfolio. 2nd Practical Responses to Climate Change Conference, Barton, A.C.T, 1-3 May 2012. Barton, ACT, Australia: Engineers Australia.
Schrobback, P., Adamson, D. and Quiggin, J. (2008). The options for salinity mitigation in the Murray-Darling Basin. AARES 2008 52nd Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Canberra, Australia, 5-8 February 2008. The Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AGeCON).
Adamson, D., Mallawaarachchi, T. and Quiggin, J. (2008). Declining inflows and more frequent droughts in the Murray-Darling Basin: Climate change, impact and adaption. 52nd Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES 2008), Canberra, Australia, 5-8 February, 2008.
Adamson, David, Schrobback, Peggy and Quiggin, John (2008). Options for managing salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin under reduced rainfall. 2nd International Salinity Forum Salinity, Water and Society – Global issues, local action New approaches for tackling the salinisation of water resources. Includes irrigation, dryland and urban salinity, and salt water intrusion, Adelaide Convention Centre Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 31 March – 3 April 2008. International Salinity Forum.
Schrobback, P., Adamson, D. and Quiggin, J. (2008). Turning Water into Carbon: Carbon sequestration vs. water flow in the Murray-Darling Basin. AARES 2009 53rd Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Cairns, Australia, 11-13 February 2009. The Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AGeCON).
Wagner, L., Adamson, D. C. and Quiggin, J. C. (2008). Opportunity costs of restoring environmental flows to the Snowy River. 52nd Annual Conference for the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES 2008), Canberra, Australia, 5-8 February 2008.
Adamson, David and Cook, David (2007). Re-examining economic options for import risk assessments. 51st Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Queenstown, New Zealand, 13-16 February 2007. Online: Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
Adamson, D., Mallawaarachchi, T. and Quiggin, J. (2007). Climate change and climate uncertainty in the Murray-Darling Basin. AARES 2007; 51st Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Queenstown, NZ, 13-16 February 2007.
Adamson, David C. (2006). Implementing Economics into Biosecurity Risk Analysis: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Uncertainty. Society for Risk Analysis Conference, University of Melbourne, 17-19 July, 2006.
Adamson, David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2006). Climate Change, Water Availability and Adaptation in the Murray Darling Basin. 26th Conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists, Gold Coast, 12–19 August 2006.
Adamson, David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2006). State-contingent modelling of the Murray Darling Basin: implications for the design of property rights. The 50th Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Sydney, 8-10 February, 2006.
Adamson, David, Quiggin, John and Mallawaarachchi, Thilak (2005). Modelling basin level allocation of water in the Murray Darling Basin in a world of uncertainty. AARES 2005. 49th Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, Coffs Harbour, N.S.W., Australia, 7-11 February 2005.
Adkins, S. W., Navie, S., McFadyen, R. E., Tomley, A. J., Dhileepan, K., Chamberlain, J., Graham, G., Adamson, D. C., Goldworthy, D. and Dearden, S. (2000). Parthenium weed: The recent research effort. Move into the New Millenium, Caloundra, Qld, 10-13 Jul, 2000. Brisbane: Weed Society Qld.
Thesis
Adamson, David Charles (2015). Restoring the balance: Water reform & the Murray-Darling Basin plan. PhD Thesis, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2015.229
Department Technical Report
Adamson, D. (2006). Introducing Capital to the equation Submission to the Technical and Administrative Services, Plant Biosecurity, Biosecurity Australia. School of Economics, Biosecurity Australia.
Working Papers
Adamson, David (2013). Buying Paper and Giving Gold: The Murray Darling Basin Plan. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 156481. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David (2013). Can Australia become the Food Bowl of Asia?. 157080. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David and Loch, Adam (2013). Natural capital and climate change: possible negative sustainability impacts from 'gold plating' irrigation infrastructure. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 156480. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Loch, Adam, Adamson, David and Mallawaarachchi, Thilak (2013). Hydrology and Economics in Water Management Policy under Increasing uncertainty. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 156479. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David (2012). The 2011 Basin Plan, Climate Change and the Buy-Back. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 149884. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David, Oss-Emer, Max and Quiggin, John (2011). Property Rights and Water Buy Back in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 149883. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David (2010). Climate Change, Irrigation and Pests: Examining Heliothis in the Murray Darling Basin. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP1M10. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David, Chambers, Sarah and Schrobback, Peggy (2010). Climate change, uncertainty and adaptation: the case of irrigated agriculture in the Murray–Darling Basin in Australia. Climate Change Working Papers. WPC10_1. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Chambers, Sarah and Adamson, David (2009). Targeting Environmental Water from Irrigators in the Murray Darling Basin. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. WP1M09. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Schroback, Peggy, Adamson, David and Quiggin, John (2009). Turning Water into Carbon: Carbon sequestration vs. water flow in the Murray-Darling Basin. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP2M09. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David, Chambers, Sarah and Schrobback, Peggy (2009). Climate change, mitigation and adaptation: the case of the Murray–Darling Basin in Australia. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP3M09. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Wagner, Liam, Quiggin, John and Adamson, David (2008). Opportunity costs of restoring environmental flows to the Snowy River. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP3M08. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Schrobback, Peggy, Adamson, David and Quiggin, John (2008). Options for salinity mitigation in the Murray-Darling Basin. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP1M08. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2007). Climate change and climate uncertainty in the Murray-Darling Basin. Risk and Sustainable Management Group. WP2M07. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David and Cook, David (2007). Re-examining economic options for import risk assessments. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP3M07. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson , David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2006). Water use and salinity in the Murray-Darling Basin: a state-contingent model. Risk and Sustainable Management Group. WP5M06. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2006). State-contingent modelling of the Murray Darling Basin: implications for the design of property rights. Murray-Darling Program Working Papers. WP2M06. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Adamson, David, Mallawaarachchi, Thilak and Quiggin, John (2006). State-contingent modelling of the Murray Darling Basin: implications for the design of property rights. Risk and Sustainable Management Group Working Papers. 149856. School of Economics, University of Queensland.
Research Reports
Adamson, David, Quiggin, John and Quiggin, Daniel (2011). Water supply variability and sustainable diversion limits: issues to consider in developing the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. Uniquest Project No: 17255 St Lucia, QLD, Australia: UniQuest.
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Adamson, David, Schrobbacck, Peggy and Quiggin, John (2011). An economic analysis of the impact of the national water initiative on the capacity and resilience of Australia’s water management regime : Report to Client. Brisbane, Qld., Australia: University of Queensland, School of Economics.
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Adamson, David, Hughes, Neal, O'Donnell, Christopher and Quiggin, John (2011). An economic analysis of the Impact of the National Water Initiative on the efficiency and productivity of water use, Report to Clinet, Risk and Sustainable Management Group, The University of Queensland.
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Chambers, Sarah, Adamson, David and Schrobback, Peggy (2010). Economic analysis of diversion operations for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan: returns to irrigation under reduced water availability: a commission study for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: UQ Business School Commercial.
David Adamson (2010). One Health CRC’s Evaluation Framework: An introduction into research evaluation. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Australian Biosecurity CRC.
Adamson, David (2009). One Health CRC's evaluation framework: an introduction into research evaluation. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Australian BioSecurity CRC.
Quiggin, J., Adamson, D, Chambers, S and Schrobback, P. (2009). Water trading in the Murray Darling basin: part 2: modelling trade constraints. Not available:
Quiggin, J., Adamson, D., Chambers, S. and Schrobback, P. (2009). Water trading in the Murray Darling basin: part 1: theory. Not available:
Mallawaarachchi, Thilak, Hone, Simon, Adamson, David, Yainshet, Alasebu, Oliver, Mark, Kokic, Phil, Quiggin, John and Gooday, Peter (2008). Reduced water availability: impacts on agricultural activities and regional economies in the Murray Darling Basin. Canberra, ACT, Australia: Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David, Schrobback, Peggy and Chambers, Sarah (2008). Garnaut climate change review: The implications for irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: Risk and Sustainable Management Group. School of Economics & School of Political Science and International Studies. The University of Queensland.
Quiggin, John, Adamson, David, Schrobback, Peggy and Chambers, Sarah (2008). Garnaut Climate Change Review: The Implications for Irrigation in the Murray-Darling Basin: Commissioned report for The Garnaut Climate Change Review. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Risk and Sustainable Management Group.
Adamson, D., Mallawaarachchi, T. and Quiggin, J. C. (2005). Modelling basin level allocation of water in the Murray-Darling Basin in a world of uncertainty, Murray-Darling Program Working Papers WPM05-1, Risk and Sustainable Management Group, 8 February 2005. Australia: The University of Queensland.