Strategic priorities
How Melbourne Climate Futures (MCF) is accelerating the transition to a positive climate future
Our purpose, vision and goals
Melbourne Climate Futures (MCF) is committed to transparent and accountable reporting. View our 2021–2022 annual report.
Purpose
Melbourne Climate Futures' (MCF) purpose is to drive the University of Melbourne’s leadership role on one of the greatest and urgent global challenges of our time – the future of our planet, and our society, with climate change.
Vision
We will accelerate the transition to a positive climate future, focusing our efforts both nationally and globally, with particular attention to serving our growing Indo-Pacific region.
Goals
We will become a leading voice in Australia, the Indo-Pacific region and globally, that brings about greater action on climate change by:
- Leveraging University of Melbourne research capability and expertise, convening power and partnerships for meaningful impact
- Creating and sharing research, knowledge, and leadership on climate to external stakeholders and end users
- Building and empowering the next generation of climate students and researchers to become leaders with the skills, knowledge, and networks to address the climate challenge.
Our strategy
MCF supports the University Advancing Melbourne 2030 strategy’s ambitions, spanning all five themes: Place, Community, Discovery, Education, Global.
MCF has three strategic objectives.
Platform
Leveraging the breadth and depth of the University's climate research capability, convening power and partnerships for meaningful impact.
Key actions and enablers
- Climate Futures Research Cluster
- Melbourne Climate Futures(MCF ’s) nine thematic research programs with leadership from Faculty-based researchers
- Partnerships with Melbourne institutes/centres for energy, indigenous knowledge, cities and creative arts
- Climate Research Accelerator (CRX) funding building links with research end-users
- Health Environment Research & Action (HERA)
Portal
Enabling access to University climate research and expertise for external stakeholders and research end users to collaborate, including in the Indo-Pacific region.
Key actions and enablers
- Indo-Pacific Climate Hub enabling research, knowledge-sharing and leadership on adaptation, resilience and justice in the Indo-Pacific region to realise a positive climate future
- Program on sustainable finance, focusing on tools and pathways for mobilising finance for low carbon economic transition
- Australian Climate Litigation Database
- Website, Pursuit and research publications, media and social media
- Program of engagement events
Pathway
Empowering the next generation of researchers and students to strive for a sustainable climate future, while also working with the University to ensure it is a world leader in decarbonisation.
Key actions and enablers
- Facilitating interdisciplinary research and capacity-building through Climate Research Accelerator (CRX)
- Melbourne Climate Futures (MCF) Academy and doctoral scholarships
- Linkages with leadership programs – Climate Reality Project, Wattle Fellows
- Taking forward carbon targets and decarbonisation actions under the University of Melbourne’s Sustainability Plan.