Reimagining Climate Adaptation Summit

 

We'd like to welcome you to join the Reimagining Climate Adaptation Summit from 19-22 April 2021, via Zoom. Register here.

After the devastating bushfires of last summer, it is clear that Australia needs an evidence-based policy response to the range of emerging threats posed by environmental change. We welcome the Prime Minister’s comments earlier in 2020 on the need to focus on resilience and adaptation for all Australians—and argue it must be done in a substantive, inclusive, community-based manner.

Future Earth Australia, in partnership with the Sydney Environment Institute (University of Sydney) and the Institute for Culture and Society (Western Sydney University), is bringing experts from research, business, practice, decision making and communities together to look forward and set out a clear agenda for climate adaptation as we reduce our emissions. Adaptation and resilience must be undertaken with respect to enabling a just transition to climate sustainability for all Australians.

The Summit will be hosted in interactive webinar format via Zoom. We welcome you to bring questions for the speakers and panels through the Q&A function.

Registration is free, but we also welcome donations to Future Earth Australia to enable it to continue its important work of convening collaboration between sectors, experts and communities on our Nation's most significant sustainability challenges.

Program

Each day will feature a keynote and three plenaries between 10:00AM to 3:45PM Australian Eastern Standard Time.  To view the full program for the Summit, click the image below:

Day 1: Knowledge Perspectives Across Oceania

Keynote: Bruce Pascoe - Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man, author of Dark Emu and Loving Country

• Prof Jaky Troy - Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Research Portfolio at the University of Sydney
• Mark Stege - FISH4ACP Consultant at Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Marshall Islands
• Dr Chels Marshall - Gumbaynggirr woman and Knowledge Keeper, Indigenous systems ecologist
• Assoc Prof Michael-Shawn Fletcher - Biogeographer, University of Melbourne
• Dr Tammy Tabe - Marine, climate and Pacific migration scholar, University of the South Pacific
• Dr Anne Poelina - Nyikina Traditional Custodian, Managing Director of Madjulla Incorporated
• Dr Meg Parsons - Historical geographer and Indigenous studies scholar, University of Auckland
• Prof Lauren Rickards -  Co-leader of Climate Change Transformations Research Program, RMIT
• Dr Georgina Woods - Environmental poet and activist
• Tammi Jonas - President, Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance
• Rameen Malik - University of Sydney
• Maxie Archer - University of Sydney
• Phoebe Evans - University of Sydney

Day 2: Enabling Action

Keynote: Dr Marcelo Mena Carrasco - Director of the Center for Climate Action, PUCV; Chilean Minister for Environment 2017-2018. 

• Kate Mackenzie - Finance and climate change specialist, Fellow at the Centre for Policy Development
• Katie Eberle - International Climate Partnerships at Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
• Adrian Turner - CEO, Minderoo Foundation Fire & Flood Resilience Initiative
• Crystal Fleming - Adaptation lead, Investor Group on Climate Change
• Chris Croker - Managing Director, Impact Investment Partners
• Simon Holmes a Court - Senior advisor, Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne
• Dorean Erhart - Queensland Climate Resilient Councils Program, Local Government Association of Queensland
• Zoe Whitton - Executive Director, Pollination Group
• Dr Ian Fry - International climate change policy specialist, ANU
• Prof Kate Auty - Chair, Environmental Protection Authority Victoria
• Ketan Joshi - Emissions mitigation specialist, author and journalist

Day 3: Imagining Thriving Futures

Keynote: The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Victorian Government

• Prof Jean Palutikof - Former Director, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Griffith University
• Joe Morrison - CEO, Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation
• Dr Russ Wise - Sustainability economist, CSIRO
• Prof Mark Howden - Director, ANU Climate Change Institute
• Cr Declan Clausen - Deputy Mayor, City of Newcastle
• Cr Mark Greenhill OAM - Mayor, City of the Blue Mountains
• David Tucker - Chief of Infrastructure Assessment, Infrastructure Australia
• Prof Lesley Head - President, Australian Academy of the Humanities
• Prof Petra Tschakert - Adaptation specialist, University of Western Australia
• Scott Hickman - Coordinator, Mid-Lachlan Landcare
• Dr Sophie Webber - Human geographer, University of Sydney
• Hillary Montague - National Campaigner, Australian Youth Climate Coalition

Day 4: Empowering Future Leaders in Adaptation (Early Career Researchers and Practitioners)

On April 22, Future Earth Australia will host early career researchers and practitioners for a number of interactive seminars and workshops with senior industry, research, and government figures working in climate adaptation. 

Building networks and partnerships across sectors are critical for enabling collaboration on our most pressing sustainability issues. Future Earth Australia would like to thank 3M for its support in facilitating this important work with our emerging leaders in climate adaptation.

Keynote: Dr Gayle Schueller - Vice-President and Chief of Sustainability, 3M 

• Zoe Whitton - Executive Director, Pollination Group
• Joanne Ludbrook - Executive Officer, South West and Peel Coastal Management Group
• Dr Mark Stafford Smith - Honorary Fellow, CSIRO

Register for the Empowering Future Leaders in Adaptation day. Please note that registrants for this day must be associated with a Future Earth Australia member institution (see ‘Financial Members’ here). Numbers are limited and will be accepted on a first come first served basis.

Nationwide Consultation

This Summit is the culmination of a nationwide consultation process. Over this consultation, Future Earth Australia and its partners convened people in every state and territory to enquire as to how we might rethink adaptation in light of the deep transformation required in Australia’s society and economy, what are our strengths, weaknesses and the range of adaptation policies over the years, and how we can bring community knowledge and preferences into adaptation planning. 

You can find the summary of our national discussion here.