Griffith's Climate Ready Initiative (CRI) board has gained a formidable force in former Federal MP, Terri Butler, putting her sharp political faculties toward climate readiness and resilience.
Developing Australia's plan for climate readiness is not a big stretch from Butler's typically socially diverse projects which include working toward the prevention of family and domestic violence, the environment and water portfolio and co-sponsoring a bill to introduce marriage equality.
"I chose to join the advisory board because CRI's work is crucial in the face of the challenges that communities are facing because of climate change," Butler said.
"Universities like Griffith University can be instrumental in climate action because they are trusted and have significant authority and capacity.
"The success of Griffith's Climate Action Beacon demonstrates that Universities can and should be leaders in relation to climate action.
"Leadership, collaboration and action are all of fundamental importance, right now."
CRI is developing bold projects like its flagship project Climate Ready Australia 2030, which brings together partners from across society to develop a shared agenda to drive climate action.
Collaboration between peak bodies will work to progress common priorities, facilitate priority projects, enhance national capability, and drive the necessary investment.
CRI projects include working with local, state, and national government to advance climate risk management such as the Queensland Climate Ready Program, and projects that work to progress climate readiness in and with industry and community sectors.
Examples include the creation of a podcast revealing first-hand climate change observations from Indigenous communities on country, and partnering with the aviation sector to progress zero emission aviation and delivery of an Aviation Reimagined webinar series.
Focusing on strategic and coordinated progress toward net-zero emissions and climate readiness, CRI identifies the importance of community resilience, placing social impact high on the agenda with an aim to deliver positive social outcomes through participation, inclusion and equity, building agency through all levels of society.
"I am particularly passionate about the way that taking a development approach to communities here in Australia can enable climate action," Butler said.
"As a partnership-based social impact initiative, CRI can bring together people and organisations with complementary expertise, interests, and influence, and I hope to contribute to that important work.
"Local communities have specific needs, and their capacity to address those needs can be increased through building community connection and creating social capital."
Climate Action Beacon Director, Professor Brendan Mackey said the Climate Ready Initiative is progressing ambitious climate action for Australia, and Butler's political expertise will be invaluable in building new partnerships which focus on future-fit industries, innovation and quality jobs so Australia's communities and ecosystems can flourish.
"We are delighted to have a person of Terri Butler's experience joining our CRI advisory board," Professor Mackey said.
"Terri's insights into how to develop and implement integrated policy and programs across sectors will greatly advance our goal of enabling effective climate action."
Terri Butler joins the eminent CRI board, sitting alongside Rosemary Addis, Professor Brendan Mackey, Professor John Hewson, Tony McAvoy, Dr Helen Szoke, Leona Murphy and Sophia Hamblin Wang.
