Researchers examining the most pressing likely impacts of climate change across Australia are to share in $2.6 million in grants from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
Among the bodies to receive the funding are six universities and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
The grants were announced by the Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet who said they would explore adaptation measures to prepare people and institutions from the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
“Climate change will have a range of affects on our society, economy and institutions including rising temperatures, sea level rise and increasing rates of extreme weather events,” Mr Combet said.
“Some of these research projects will focus on disadvantaged groups in society providing Government with the information needed to assist these groups in preparing for future climate change.”
He said the funding would support nine research projects investigating the impacts of climate change and practical adaptation options to support the community, as well as public and private institutions.
He said the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies was among the successful projects and the Institute would use a $440,000 grant to assist native title bodies in developing best practice approaches to climate change and support communities to adapt on native title lands.
“Some of this country’s best academic and research facilities have joined the Government to examine the information needed to prepare and protect people and institutions from the affects of climate change,” Mr Combet said.
He said the round of nine projects fell under a social, economic and institutional dimensions theme with other successful projects including some from University of Adelaide; University of Western Australia; University of Melbourne; University of Sydney; and Griffith University and would be managed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research facility (NCCARF).
