Events

IAP2 VIC - Changing Climate, Changing Communities

IAP2 Australasia in association with the McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne is hosting a full-day forum which will focus on engaging with communities on climate change issues.

The event will examine how and why communities need to be engaged about two critical issues. First,  how do we adapt as a community to the long term impacts of a changing climate; and secondly how do we respond to extreme events (e.g. heatwaves, fire, storms) that are a direct result of  climate change.
The day will include a range of large group presentations (including keynote speakers and panel discussions) and small group discussions and workshops.

The forum will focus on:

• Demonstrating why community engagement is critical for climate change adaptation and  response.
• Examining Australian’s attitudes, perceptions and values on climate change.
• Hearing from a broad range of practitioners and how they have  successfully engaged with their communities around climate change related issues.
• Exploring specific engagement issues and opportunities associated with; Water Resources and Management, Agriculture and Primary Production, Biodiversity, Coastal Areas, Alpine Areas, Communities and Extreme Events.
  

Throughout this event participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences and reflect on their current practice.

Keynote Speakers:

Dr Janette Hartz Karp, Professor of Sustainability, Curtain Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University of Technology
For four and a half years as community engagement consultant to the Minister and also the Western Australian Department for Planning and Infrastructure, Janette's task was to find innovative ways to achieve joint decision making with the community pioneering deliberative democracy. She designed and implemented a wide range of deliberative democracy techniques including Citizens' Juries, Consensus Forums, 21st Century Town Meetings, Multi Criteria Analysis Conferences, World Cafes, Enquiry-by-Design Dialogues, and Deliberative Polls.

As Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Janette has continued to pioneer innovative community engagement techniques with local and state governments across Australia (including Australia’s first Citizens’ Parliament). She also works with a number of non government organisations and universities in Australia, the USA and Canada on community engagement with climate change. Prof Hartz-Karp has been asked to write the chapter on youth engagement with climate change for the UN World Youth Report 2009.

Randall Pearce, Managing Director THINK: Insight & Advice and Co-Founder, Thermometer Surveys
A Harvard-trained communicator and researcher, Randall Pearce sees Climate Change as a social issue as much as an environmental one. Randall is also one of the designers of the Thermometer Survey - a comprehensive monitor of public opinion available for predicting and tracking how Australians think, feel and behave in relation to climate change.

Prior to starting THINK, Randall founded the Australian public affairs division of the international research firm Ipsos, where he was the primary author of the Ipsos Mackay Report, Australia’s longest-running programme of social research.

In 2006, Randall was selected by the Australian Conservation Foundation to be one of the first to be trained as a Climate Messenger by Nobel-laureate Al Gore. Since then he has spoken to thousands of people about Climate Change across Australia and New Zealand.

Professor John Wiseman, Director, The McCaughey Centre, University of Melbourne
John has worked in a wide range of public sector, academic and community sector settings. Between 2003 and 2006 he was Professor of Public Policy at Victoria University. Between 2000 and 2003 he was Assistant Director, Policy Development and Research, Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet.

John has published a wide range of books and articles on social justice and public policy issues with a particular focus on the role of local communities and civil society in responding to the challenges and opportunities of globalisation. The major focus of his current work is on the social, economic environmental and political transformations needed to reduce the risk of dangerous climate change in ways which are just, democratic and sustainable.

John Wiseman and his team at the McCaughey Centre have recently completed a report commissioned by the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development entitled ‘Climate Change and Community Engagement: Benefits, Challenges and Strategies.’

Call for Papers:

Applications are now open for practitioners interested in presenting at the Changing Climate, Changing Communities forum on Friday, 31st of July 2009. Click here for further information.

To register, download the registration below or complete the online registration.

• Click here to download the program. (42Kb)