A new Chair and general members have been appointed to the ACT Climate Change Council for a 3-year term following a recruitment process.
The eight members of the Council are representatives of the Canberra community with a wide range of expertise, skills and experience. Their insights will be vital as the ACT builds a climate-resilient city and community and continues to work on new and innovative methods to achieve net zero by 2045.
The new members work across a variety of areas in the ACT including energy innovation and the energy transition, public health, climate change adaptation and resilience, youth engagement, and social and economic sciences.
Dr Arnagretta Hunter will Chair the Council through her second term on the committee after joining in 2022.
The ACT Government has also appointed the first of 2 dedicated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander positions, with Stephen Mudford formally joining the Council after participating previously as an Observer. Madison Barancewicz also joins as the Council’s first ever youth representative.
The new appointments of the ACT Climate Change Council are:
- Dr Arnagretta Hunter – (Chair)
- Stephen Mudford (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Member)
- Madison Barancewicz (General Member)
- Dean Spaccavento (General Member)
- Professor Jacki Schirmer (General Member)
- Associate Professor Rebecca Colvin (General Member)
- Dr Rosemary McFarlane (General Member)
- Dr Heinz Schandl (General Member)
The new Council will work with the Canberra community to ensure their views can be reflected in the advice provided to the Minister.
Recruitment will be undertaken for a second dedicated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander position, as outlined in the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010. The government will continue working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to fill this position.
Find out more about the ACT Climate Change Council on the Everyday Climate Choices website.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr:
The ACT Climate Change Council provides valuable, independent expertise and advice to help guide and inform the development of government climate change and energy policy. The ACT has an ambitious target of becoming a zero-emissions territory by 2045.
Whilst we are making progress towards achieving this goal, there is more work to be done and we need to shift to doing things differently. As a jurisdiction we’ve achieved a lot and we’re now arriving at an increasingly complex and challenging period of the transition.
The diverse skills and expertise of the new ACT Climate Change Council will be important as we investigate further emissions reduction options for hard to abate and complex sectors, such as waste and transport.
The new and diverse Climate Change Council seeks to better represent every corner of the Canberra community. The Council will play an important role in helping to shape the new ACT Climate Change Strategy, with a focus on changing and improving the way we reduce emissions and prepare and adapt for the impacts of climate change.
I want to extend my gratitude to the outgoing members and the outgoing Chair, Professor Mark Howden, who have contributed significantly to the ACT’s nation-leading work on climate action.
I look forward to working with the new Council to provide further benefits for the ACT community.
Quotes attributable to Chair of the ACT Climate Change Council Dr Arnagretta Hunter:
“It is an honour to accept another term with the ACT Climate Change Council and particularly to serve as its Chair. I've accepted this role because of the remarkable group that's been assembled for this Council term. I'd like to thank our remarkable ACT community for their expertise and enthusiasm to be involved, and also congratulate the Minister on her work to achieve what will be a great Council. With diverse skills, deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the changing climate, along with genuine community connection I believe the Council will continue to offer frank and fearless advice framed with compassion and engagement for the ACT today and into the future.
“I'm particularly proud to do this work in Canberra. The ACT has been a global leader in climate change action and policy and, along with other significant challenges, climate change remains a focus and priority. The past few years have offered us a glimpse of the challenges to come with increasing extreme weather events as the climate changes, we know that planning for our future is increasingly important.
“This Council will balance our robust understanding of science and communities along with an imagination for our best future. Among other tasks, we will help frame the next iteration of the ACT Climate Change Strategy, offering what we hope is the best evidence and approach for our community”.
- Statement ends -
