Climate Change
Communities in a Changing Climate: Social and Equity Impacts of Climate Change and the Community Sector
9:30am – 4:30pm, Wednesday 25 February, 2009
Karstens at CQ, 123 Queen St, Melbourne
This forum was hosted by VCOSS and The McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne and focussed on the social and equity implications of climate change and climate change policy in Victoria and the role of the community sector in climate change advocacy, policy development, mitigation and adaptation.
Over 100 community sector, local and state government, academic and business representatives heard and discussed a range of presentations on the impact of our current climate change trajectory on health, wellbeing and cost of living for Victorians.
This forum highlighted the importance of the community sector in:
- raising awareness about the social justice implications of climate change and advocating for urgent action;
- advocating for equitable responses to climate change by applying a ‘fairness filter’ to policies, programs and investment; and
- assisting vulnerable communities to adapt to a harsher climate through engagement, community strengthening and providing critical community services.
Issues identified for the community sector included:
- changing demands for services as the ‘slow emergency’ of climate change including increased drought and extreme weather continue to impact on Victorian communities;
- higher costs of service delivery;
- reducing our own environmental footprint and increasing community sector resilience to climate change.
Click here (DOC, 816KB) to access the forum program.
Media releases
250/2/2009 Governor of Victoria launches Communities in a Changing Climate Conference (DOC, 520KB)
(or visit te VCOSS media releases page, by clicking here)
Please click on the links below to access the presentations and workshop summaries.
Proceedings
Opening address (DOC, 52KB)
Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser A.C.
The Hon. Peter Batchelor, Minister for Energy and Resource and Community Development launched the report Community Engagement in Climate Change: Benefits, challenges and strategies (PDF, 1.1MB) which was written by the McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne, in partnership with VCOSS and Council on the Aging (COTA).
Plenary session: Where are we headed? Social justice and climate change
Dr Grant Blashki, Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne
‘Current climate change trajectory for Australia and health impacts’ (DOC, 52KB)
Professor John Wiseman, The McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne
‘Climate change, community wellbeing and social justice:
Implications for community sector action (presentation)’ (PPT, 3MB) and speech (DOC, 52KB)
Session 2: Climate change policy in Australia: options, impacts and the role of the community sector
Mark Zirnsak, Director Justice and International Mission, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.
‘The case for community sector involvement in climate change action and advocacy' (PPT, 1.1MB)
Tony Westmore, Senior Policy Officer, ACOSS
‘Overview of federal climate change policy in Australia, impacts on low income households and implications for the community sector’ (PDF, 88KB)
Cath Smith, CEO, VCOSS
‘Climate change policy and advocacy opportunities in Victoria’
Session 3: Impacts of climate change and policies on the community sector: building resilience and reducing our environmental impact
Lynne Wannan, Director, Office for the Community Sector, Department of Planning and Community Development.
‘Community sector risk management, partnerships and adaptation’
Craig Lapsley, Director, Emergency Management, Victorian Department of Human Services.
‘Drought, emergency response and recovery’
Jill Miller, CEO, Grampians Community Health Centre.
‘Climate change impact on service demand and delivery: Grampians Fires 2006’ (PPT, 3MB)
Damian Sullivan, Manager, Equity in response to climate change, Brotherhood of St Laurence.
‘Climate change and green jobs’
Rosie Rowe, Deputy Director, Community Services, Western District Health Service.
‘Planning for climate change with communities' (PPT, 2.2)
Workshop summaries and recommendations
1. Impacts on health and community responses
- Facilitator Julie Hoy, Manager, Community Health Risk Environmental Health Unit, Public Health Branch, Department of Human Services
- Lead speaker Kristine Olaris, Deputy CEO, North Yarra Community Health
2. Engaging vulnerable communities in climate change
- Facilitator, Georgie Ferrari, CEO Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
- Lead speaker John Wiseman, Director, The McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne
3. Rural and regional services in a changing climate (DOC, 40KB)
- Facilitator: Taegen Edwards, The McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne
- Lead speaker Bruce du Vergier, CEO, Community Connections, Warrnambool
4. Changing costs and demands for community services (DOC, 36KB)
- Facilitator: David Imber, Manager Policy and Public Affairs, VCOSS
- Lead speakers Paul Zanatta, Manager Community Care and Small Rural Health, Aged and Community Care Victoria and Sarah Toohey, Energy Policy Officer, VCOSS
For further information about this event please contact Jess Fritze, Climate Change Policy Analyst at VCOSS on (03) 9654 5050 or at jess.fritze@vcoss.org.au