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| Australian Climate Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australian Climate Council |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Former and current academics, scientists, researchers |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Focus | Climate change, climate science, public policy |
Australian Climate Council The Australian Climate Council is an independent nonprofit body established to provide climate science, policy analysis and public information. It emerged from a continuity of efforts by scientists involved with institutions such as Australian Broadcasting Corporation, University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of Sydney, and CSIRO to inform debate on climate-related risks. The organisation interacts with a range of stakeholders from Commonwealth of Australia agencies to state bodies like New South Wales and Victoria while responding to events such as the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season and international processes including the Paris Agreement and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments.
Founded in 2013 after the federal funding cuts to the advisory role of an earlier body associated with the Climate Commission, the organisation was established by scientists, academics and public figures connected to institutions such as University of Queensland, Griffith University, Monash University, and University of Western Australia. Early leadership included figures with ties to Australian Academy of Science, Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, and former advisers to ministers in administrations led by Australian Labor Party and coalition governments. Its formation followed public campaigns and high-profile media coverage in outlets like The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Guardian (Australia), and networks including ABC News and SBS (Australian broadcaster). The organisation has tracked links between extreme events — for example, connections discussed after the 2010–2011 Queensland floods, the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, and the 2015–16 El Niño event — and long-term changes described in IPCC Fifth Assessment Report literature.
The council is governed by a board drawn from academics affiliated with University of Tasmania, La Trobe University, Flinders University, Deakin University, and independent researchers who have served on panels like Climate Council Advisory groups and committees of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Governance documents reference standards used by bodies such as Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and reporting conventions seen in institutions like Reserve Bank of Australia and state treasury departments. Operational staff have included climate scientists seconded from research centres such as Bureau of Meteorology and policy experts who previously worked with parliamentary offices in Canberra, liaising with state agencies in Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.
Funding originally combined philanthropic gifts from donors comparable to foundations that support environmental causes, contributions associated with university research grants administered by bodies like Australian Research Council, and public crowdfunding campaigns that mirrored efforts on platforms akin to Kickstarter. The organisation adopted transparent reporting consistent with practices of Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission filings and financial frameworks used by think tanks such as Grattan Institute and Lowy Institute. Major philanthropic supporters have had affiliations with international funders similar to those backing climate NGOs linked to Rockefeller Foundation and regional environmental trusts; the council has also received revenue from paid briefings delivered to state departments and workshops with entities like Clean Energy Finance Corporation.
The council produces reports, technical briefs and accessible materials on hazards including heatwaves, sea-level rise, coral bleaching and wildfire risk, publishing work referenced alongside assessments by the IPCC, analyses by CSIRO, and datasets from the Bureau of Meteorology. Notable publications have addressed topics related to the Great Barrier Reef, urban heat in Melbourne, coastal impacts in Sydney, and economic assessments of transition pathways discussed in contexts like Australian Renewable Energy Agency reports. The organisation issues rapid-response briefings following events such as the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season and compiles toolkits for local councils, regional health services, and emergency management agencies including affiliations with networks like State Emergency Service (Australia).
The council engages with policy debates at federal and state levels, interacting with portfolios overseen by ministers from administrations of Prime Minister of Australia incumbents and shadow ministers from the Australian Labor Party and coalition parties. It provides submissions to parliamentary inquiries, expert testimony to committees such as those convened in Australian Parliament and collaborates with advocacy networks that include groups like Australian Conservation Foundation and predecessor organisations. The council’s policy recommendations intersect with instruments such as the National Electricity Market, emissions reporting mechanisms, and energy transition programs administered by the Australian Energy Market Operator and Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
The organisation runs outreach campaigns, citizen briefings, school resources and multimedia content distributed through partners including ABC Online, community radio networks, and university extension programs at institutions like Charles Darwin University and Curtin University. It hosts public lectures featuring speakers from research centres such as Griffith Climate Change Response Program and workshops with local government networks like the Local Government Association of Queensland. Education modules align with curriculum frameworks used in Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority discussions and are used by teachers in states including Western Australia and Victoria.
The council has faced criticism from political figures aligned with fossil fuel interests, commentators in outlets like The Australian, and lobby groups associated with sectors similar to the Minerals Council of Australia and parts of the Coal industry in Australia. Debates have centered on perceived advocacy versus neutrality, funding transparency, and engagement with industry stakeholders such as companies represented in discussions about the National Energy Guarantee and export policies tied to coal and gas markets. Independent commentators affiliated with think tanks such as Institute of Public Affairs and Centre for Independent Studies have questioned aspects of the council’s communications strategy and its role in public debate.
Category:Climate change organisations based in Australia