ECU builds toolkit for climate change

A new grant will enable Edith Cowan University (ECU) to progress a key project to reduce vulnerability and disadvantage across the Western Australian community.

The Lotterywest grant has awarded the ECU project $251,370 to develop a toolkit that provides practical information and support for community service organisations and their staff around climate change and the social justice issues it raises.

The Climate Justice Toolkit will be an online resource to help community service organisations in WA adapt their daily operations and strategic programs to help mitigate climate change and enhance social justice.

Dr Naomi Godden from ECU’s Centre for People, Place and Planet, who is part of a successful research team, explains that participatory research was undertaken with the community services sector to understand the level of literacy within the sector about climate change and social justice.

“The Climate Justice Toolkit emerged as a key action to support the sector. We conceptualised a prototype website and developed some initial tools that can share knowledge and build capability in the wider community,” Dr Godden said.

“Lotterywest’s grant will enable ECU and the Toolkit Advisory Group to undertake Phase 2 of the project to further develop the Climate Justice Toolkit into a comprehensive resource.

“The Climate Justice Toolkit, which is part of the University’s Community Investment Framework, is the product of wide involvement from our Research Team and Steering Group, and a diverse range of WA community sector organisations, including co-funders WA Council of Social Service, Rise, Jesuit Social Services, Climate Justice Union, Anglicare and MercyCare.”

Lotterywest and Healthway CEO Ralph Addis said Lotterywest was proud to partner with Edith Cowan University to support the development of the Climate Justice Toolkit.

“The online resources and practical support delivered by the toolkit will play an important role in helping community organisations respond to the impacts of climate change, while more broadly supporting our community to sustain and enhance our environment in Western Australia,” Mr Addis said.