The Climate Institute was a Sydney-based policy

think-tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental org ...

established in 2005 to encourage progressive policies for managing

climate change in Australia Climate change in Australia has been a critical issue since the beginning of the 21st century. Australia is becoming hotter and more prone to extreme heat, bushfires, droughts, floods, and longer fire seasons because of climate change. Since th ...

. Research work undertaken by the institute included an analysis of the vulnerability of sport to the growing physical impacts of climate change, modelling the effects of Australia's Renewable Energy Target, and examining the financial impacts of delayed climate change action. The institute also produced the annual Climate of the Nation report, a comprehensive survey of Australians’ attitudes on climate change, its impacts and solutions. An important component of the Climate Institute's work was building alliances and networks representing organisations across Australia's economy and society to achieve diverse support for strong action on climate change. It has been a lead player in key business alliances such as the Australian Climate Roundtable. Through its role in th
Asset Owners Disclosure Project
the institute was also a pioneer in trying to get large asset owners – such as superannuation and pension funds – to recognise and disclosure carbon risk. The institute was originally set up for five years under funding provided by the Poola Foundation's Tom Kantor fund. In 2017, the Climate Institute announced it would be closing in June.

The Australia Institute The Australia Institute is a left-wing public policy think tank based in Canberra, Australia. Since its launch in 1994, it has carried out research on a broad range of economic, social, and environmental issues. The institute has offices in Ca ...

was selected to carry over the Climate Institute's legacy and remaining intellectual property including continuing the benchmark Climate of the Nation report.

Former Board of Directors

*Mr

John Connor John Connor is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Terminator (franchise), ''Terminator'' franchise. Created by screenwriter, writer and film director, director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film ''The T ...

, CEO, The Climate Institute *Mr Mark Wootton, (chair) farmer and director, Poola Foundation *Mr

Andrew Demetriou Andrew Demetriou (born 14 April 1961) is an Australian businessman, sports administrator, and former Australian rules football player who was chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Football League (AFL) up to June 2014. Demetriou pl ...

, former CEO,

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

*Ms Susan Jeanes, principal, Jeanes Holland and Associates *Mr Adam Kilgour, managing director, Diplomacy Pty Ltd *Mr Matt Koch, executive director, Morgan Stanley *Ms

Clare Martin Clare Majella Martin (born 15 June 1952) is a former Australian journalist and politician. She was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in a shock by-election win in 1995. She was appointed Opposition Leader in 1999, and won ...

, professorial fellow at Charles Darwin University's Northern Institute *Ms Jenny Merkley, associate director (Climate Change and Sustainability Group), KPMG *Dr.

Graeme Pearman Graeme Pearman (born 1941) was Chief of CSIRO Atmospheric Research in Australia from 1992 to 2002, and is an international expert on climate change. He left CSIRO in 2004 to establish his own consultancy company and take up a position with Monas ...

, senior research fellow,

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

*Dr.

Hugh Saddler __NOTOC__ Hugh Saddler has a degree in science from Adelaide University and a PhD from Cambridge University. He is the author of a book on Australian energy policy, ''Energy in Australia'' and over 50 scientific papers, monographs and articles on ...

, managing director, SustainAbility Advice Team Pty Ltd

Climate of the Nation report

The Climate Institute conducted research into the attitudes of Australians on climate change, its impacts and solutions, regularly since 2007 until its closure. The results, based on quantitative and qualitative social research, were captured in Climate of the Nation reports. The data has become a key benchmark used by the climate/environment movement, media and other key stakeholders, domestically and internationally.

Closure and transfer to The Australia Institute

In June 2017, The Climate Institute announced its closure due to a lack of funding.

was selected to carry over the Climate Institute's legacy and remaining intellectual property including continuing the benchmark Climate of the Nation report. The 201
Climate of the Nation report
was subsequently released in September 2018.

Alliances and networks

The Climate Institute has helped to set up and/or participated in the following alliances and networks focused on building diverse support for action on climate change:
Australian Climate Roundtable
– An unprecedented alliance of major business, union, research, environment, investor and social groups. Members include the

Australian Aluminium Council The Australian Aluminium Council is an Australian industry association representing companies involved in bauxite mining and the refining, production and distribution of aluminium. Miles Prosser has been the Executive Director of the Australian A ...

Australian Conservation Foundation The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is Australia's national environmental organisation, launched in 1965 in response to a proposal by the World Wide Fund for Nature for a more co-ordinated approach to sustainability. One high-profil ...

Australian Council of Social Service The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is an Australian organisation that advocates for action to reduce poverty and inequality, and is the peak body for the community services sector in Australia. It was formed in 1956. ACOSS is act ...

Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and la ...

Australian Industry Group The Australian Industry Group, also called Ai Group, is an employers' organisation, whose members employ over 750,000 people throughout Australia. The organisation covers a wide range of industries including manufacturing, engineering, constructi ...

Business Council of Australia The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an industry association that comprises the chief executives of more than 100 of Australia's biggest corporations. It was formed in 1983 by the merger of the Business Roundtable – a spin-off of the Comm ...

, The Climate Institute,
Energy Supply Association of Australia
th
Investor Group on Climate Change
and

WWF Australia WWF may refer to: Non-profit organizations *World Wide Fund for Nature or World Wildlife Fund, a nature conservation group *World Water Forum, an international forum for water issues *Working Women's Forum, a training, trade and credit union in In ...

.
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
– A multi-faith climate network set up in 2008 to provide educational, practical and campaigning resources to religious communities to respond to climate change.
Sports Environment Alliance
(SEA) – A not-for-profit, membership-based organisation focused on urging sport to take action and provide leadership in the environmental arena. Members include the

Cricket Australia Cricket Australia (CA), formerly known as the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the 'Australian Board of Control for International Crick ...

Football Federation Australia Football Australia is the governing body of soccer, futsal, and beach soccer within Australia, headquartered in Sydney. Although the first governing body of the sport was founded in 1911, Football Australia in its current form was only esta ...

Greater Western Sydney Giants The Greater Western Sydney Giants (officially the Greater Western Sydney Football Club and colloquially known as the GWS Giants or simply GWS) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Sydney Olympic Park, which represents the ...

Netball Australia Netball Australia is the main governing body for netball in Australia. It is affiliated to World Netball. It is responsible for organising and administrating the Australia national netball team, Suncorp Super Netball and the Australian Nati ...

Tennis Australia Tennis Australia Limited is the governing body for Tennis in Australia. It is owned by Australian states and territories. The association organises national and international Tennis tournaments including the Australian Open, the Australian Open ...

and

Victoria Racing Club The Victoria Racing Club was founded in 1864. It was formed following the disbanding of the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. A legacy passed from the Victoria Turf Club was the annual "race that stops a nation", the Melbourne Cup, ...

. The Climate Institute partnered with the SEA to launch the Sport & Climate Impacts report in January 2015.
Environmental NGOs Network on Carbon Capture and Storage
– Created in 2011, the network aims to ensure that CCS is performed and regulated safely, effectively and according to best practice.

Asset Owners Disclosure Project

Th
Asset Owners Disclosure Project
(AODP) was originally developed as an initiative of the Climate Institute in 2008. The AODP is now an independent global not-for-profit global organisation aiming to protect asset owners from the risks posed by climate change, although it maintains a close working relationship with the institute. The AODP works with pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, foundations and universities to improve the level of disclosure and industry best practice. It conducts an annual survey and assessment of the world's 1000 largest asset owners and publishes the AODP Global Climate 500 Index, which ranks these organisations based on their management of climate change risks.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Climate Institute Of Australia Climate change organisations based in Australia Environmental organizations established in 2005 2005 establishments in Australia