Review of the Australian Climate Change Science Programme

Scientell managed a review of the value, impact and lessons learned from the 27-year Australian Climate Change Science Programme (ACCSP). The ACCSP was Australia’s largest such research program and had an annual budget of about $15 million annually in its final years.

Client: CSIRO

Audience: Government departments, climate scientists, CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology management staff

CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, and the Australian Department of Environment and Energy engaged Scientell to undertake the review. Scientell employed the services of climatologists Dave Griggs and Mary Voice to provide expert advice in reviewing the programme.

Objectives of the review were to assess the value and impact of the ACCSP, specifically during the last three years and more broadly the overall 27-year life of the programme; and to identify key learnings for informing future climate change science research in Australia.

The review found that the ACCSP has left a legacy of improved understanding of the climate system and future climate, facilitated increased awareness of climate change, and provided information to reduce the costs of climate change impacts.

Innovative Features

As well as collating relevant documentation for review, Scientell conducted extensive interviews with stakeholders, including senior representatives of Australian research organisations and universities, local, state and Commonwealth governments, the water industry, NGOs, and US and UK agencies. Scientell prepared a detailed report, a highlights document and a summary PowerPoint presentation of the results.