Awards recognise Australia’s climate leaders

A NSW cattle breeder, a national grocery distribution company, a community project restoring tropical rainforest and a government program helping farmers adapt to changing weather patterns have been named the 2012 NCCARF Australian Climate Adaptation Champions.

The Champions program is an annual nationwide search to highlight the actions and achievements of individuals, groups, communities and organisations that demonstrate leadership and innovation in adapting to, and preparing for, the impacts of climate change.

NCCARF Director Professor Jean Palutikof said the program recognised people and groups taking concrete steps to change behaviour, techniques, businesses practices and policies to adapt to an uncertain future.

“Late last year we issued a call through the thousands of members in our networks of climate change adaptation researchers and practitioners in every Australian state and territory,” she said.

“We invited them to nominate people and organisations that are already implementing creative, practical actions to adapt their businesses or communities to climate change.”

Professor Palutikof said NCCARF had cast the net very wide.

“Nominees could be people and groups of any age or background.

“We were delighted with the number and diversity of nominations we received, particularly from business and non-government groups. This demonstrates [that] the message that we need to adapt and prepare for climate change impacts is reaching from the grassroots to the boardroom.”

The Climate Change Adaptation Champions were announced at the 2012 NCCARF-CSIRO National Climate Adaptation Conference in Melbourne on 27 June.

The winners are:

• Individual Category: Lucinda Corrigan, Rennylea Pastoral Company for ‘Leadership of adaptation to climate change in Australia’s grazing industries’.
• Business Category: Metcash Trading for its ‘Sustainability @ Metcash’ climate adaptation program.
• Government Category: Department of Primary Industries, Victoria for its ‘Climate Extension Services’ program.
• Community Category: The ‘Making connections: landholders restoring connectivity in the Wet Tropics’ project.