Media Release: On 1 November 2023 the Australian Museum (AM) announced a major new three-year collaboration
with GreenCollar, Australia’s largest environmental markets investor and project developer, for the AM’s Climate Solutions Centre (CSC).
The CSC was initially formed in 2021 to research and communicate climate change impacts on Australia’s and the Pacific’s biodiversity as well as technology and community solutions. It’s already staged a ground-breaking exhibition called SPARK!, established an advisory group of leading climate change advocates and innovators, and is now touring ‘Future Now’ an exhibition about how we can mitigate climate change impacts through new technologies.
Kim McKay AO, Director & CEO of the Australian Museum said “GreenCollar’s investment will not only enable the AM to grow the research capacity of the CSC, but also fund new collaborative research projects including a First Nations ‘Caring for Country’ initiative, joint projects between the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) and GreenCollar, and the development of a content platform dedicated to climate change solutions as well as an exciting regional touring exhibition.”
“As custodian of the nation’s largest natural history collection documenting our region’s biodiversity, coupled with our track record of research and public engagement, the AM is well placed to share knowledge about new technologies and solutions with the wider community,” she said.
Nerida Bradley, Green Collar’s Chief Impact Officer and a member of the AM’s Climate Solutions Centre advisory group said that the Museum’s focus on research and solutions is core to the success of GreenCollar’s investment in the CSC.“The Museum has an incredible team of scientists and associates who, like GreenCollar, are working on how to
deliver the transformational change we need to address the intersecting climate and biodiversity crises.
“Everything we do at GreenCollar is grounded in science. We are committed to investing in scientific research and are looking forward to co-designing research projects with the Australian Museum, an organisation we’ve long admired for its commitment to responding to the climate emergency.
The partnership plays to both our strengths, and I believe together we’ll be able to ‘move the dial’ in understanding the importance of developing, testing and communicating the importance of innovative climate solutions,” Bradley added.
Globally renowned climate advocate, mammalogist and honorary fellow of the Australian Museum, Professor Tim
Flannery said that if we continue to see higher temperatures, disruptions to the food chain, and a reduction of habitable land because of fires and rising oceans, then these disturbances will have big financial costs and implications for all of our livelihoods.
“However, with targeted initiatives such as the investment in the CSC by GreenCollar, we hope to change the conversation around climate change from one of disaster, to one of hope. We won’t be downplaying the emergency, but we’ll be putting solutions, ideas and shared knowledge in the spotlight,” he says.
“This is all about engagement, finding what works, and helping it to grow. It’s about business opportunities and solutions that we can share with our fellow Australians,” Flannery added.
The Macdoch Foundation, led by Founder and Director, Alasdair MacLeod, provided seed funding of $150,000 to establish the CSC and support the AM’s climate-related efforts. This was pivotal in growing the capacity of the centre to the stage where it can now flourish with further investment and build partnerships with stakeholders who are focussed on the community and environment.
As part of the partnership with GreenCollar, the CSC will transfer its operations to the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI) overseen by the AM’s chief scientist and director of AMRI, Professor Kris Helgen. The AM’s Director and CEO, Kim McKay, who has spent more than 30 years campaigning globally on environmental issues, will chair the CSC while the AM’s team of professional communicators and curators, including Dr Jenny Newell (Curator for Climate Change) along with the advisory group, will help hone the program and activities of the CSC into the future.
The AM will soon advertise new project management and science research roles for the CSC.
Current activities of the AM’s CSC include:
- Touring Exhibitions: Future Now
- Interactive AR experience Mt Resilience
- Community Workshops
- Community Conversations including The Talbot Oration
- Digital Climate ‘Hub’ on the AM website here
- The CSC Advisory Group which includes: Dr Gab Abramowitz, Dr Jilda Andrews, Nerida Bradley, Teri Calder, Dr Rebecca Colvin, Dr Bronwyn Darlington, Lauren Drake, Sam Elsom, Professor Tim Flannery, Dr Saul Griffith, A/Professor Melissa Hart, Christine Holman, Professor Lesley Hughes, Dr Rebecca Huntley, A/Professor Brent Jacobs, Tim Jarvis AM, Tishiko King, Tricia Lorenzo, Richie Merzian, Anna Minns, Dr Negin Nazarian, Blair Palese, Professor Peter Ralph, Craig Reucassel, David Rickards OAM, Anna Rose, Professor Veena Sahajwalla and Professor Katerina Teaiwa
