Deputy Premier Susan Close and the Hon Mairi McAllen MSP, Scottish Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform and other members at the signing of the Net Zero Futures Policy Forum joining agreement

The 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27) was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 6-18 November 2022.

The Hon Susan Close MP, Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, attended COP27 to represent South Australia. Dr Close participated in a number of meetings and events to showcase South Australia’s climate change leadership and learn about best practice climate change solutions being delivered around the world.

You can find out more about South Australia’s engagement at COP27 on the Department for Environment and Water’s website or in this Good Living blog article.

New nationally-recognised climate change projections for South Australia are now available, and the Department for Environment and Water has prepared a guide to climate projections for risk assessment and planning in SA.

The new guide provides reliable information on the likely future changes in South Australia’s climate to help councils, regions, industry, and climate adaptation leaders to plan for our future.

It provides a summary of likely changes to key climate variables, such as temperature, rainfall, evapotranspiration, days of severe fire danger and sea level rise, under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.

You can read more about the guide and the climate projections on the Department for Environment and Water’s website.

The winners and finalists at the SA Climate Leaders Awards

South Australian businesses, government organisations, researchers and community members were celebrated last month at the SA Climate Change Leaders Awards.

University of Adelaide PhD student Bobbie Lewis Baida was awarded a $10,000 prize for her critical research into the effects of climate change on sheep production.

The awards also recognised three other winners for projects and activities demonstrating leadership, innovation, collaboration, partnerships and significant achievements in a variety of climate change areas.

Read more about the awards and winners.

Forty-six environmental projects have each received a share of more than $900,000 as part of Green Adelaide’s Grassroots Grants, helping to create a cooler, greener and wilder metropolitan Adelaide.

Individuals, communities, schools and volunteer groups have been awarded between $2,000 and $150,000 for a range of projects, from enhancing biodiversity in Riverside Reserve in Bedford Park in Adelaide’s south, to greening land around Ngutu College, west of the city at Woodville North.

Friends of Marino Conservation Park will receive much-needed funding to restore and protect one of the best remaining examples of coastal heath vegetation along our coastline, while St Margaret Mary’s Primary will be creating a new green space by planting native species to attract butterflies, birds and bees.

You can read about all of the projects on the Green Adelaide website.

As 2022 draws to a close, the Department for Environment and Water wishes you a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to sharing more with you in 2023. 

If you’re interested in more news and events visit the Climate Action SA Facebook page and give us a like. For more information visit the website.