Monash CliComm

A slightly different take on the warming stripes for Day 🟦​⬜​​🟥​

👕Ahead of Show Your Stripes Day tomorrow, the team donned their stripey wardrobes to help mark a day dedicated to making climate change visible, accessible and easier to talk about.

🌡️ The warming stripes transform more than a century of global temperature data into a striking visual story with cool blues shifting to deep reds as our planet has warmed. They are a powerful reminder that simple climate communication can help build understanding and connect people to the changes happening around us.

More gas to remain on Australian shores 🔥​🇦🇺​

Australia has just locked in a domestic gas reservation policy, requiring major exporters to set aside 20 per cent of their exports for use here at home from July next year.

The aim is straightforward: ease pressure on energy prices and reduce vulnerability to global disruption.

The question is: how likely is it to have that effect?

🔗Read the full article to find out more: https://www.monash.edu/mcccrh/climate-communicators/changing-climates/digital-news/changing-climates-articles/new-reserve-plan-could-reshape-domestic-gas-use

📰​ Read more of our 'Changing Climates' articles here: https://www.monash.edu/mcccrh/news

New reserve plan could reshape domestic gas use Historically, energy, food production and manufacturing have all depended on gas in different ways. But as Australia's energy system evolves, the role gas plays is changing too.

🌍 Climate Discovery Day

Last weekend, our Malaysian Hub colleagues organised Climate Discovery Day in Kuala Lumpur as part of . The pop-up was run in collaboration with Taman Tugu and WWF-Malaysia, and assisted by student volunteers from the Monash University Malaysia School of Arts and Social Sciences.

The team created an interactive space for families and members of the public to engage in meaningful conversations about climate change through play, observation and reflection. And over two days, we welcomed around 250 visitors.

Participants explored a range of hands-on activities, including:
🌍 Climate-themed activity stations
🧩 Puzzles and interactive challenges
🗣️ A Climate Voices Wall capturing thoughts and perceptions on climate change
🎨 Creative activities for children
🌳 A short nature trail focused on environmental observation

We would like to thank everyone who joined us. We look forward to seeing you again at future events!

Monash University Malaysia WWF-Malaysia

🌏📰 Supporting climate reporting in Indonesian newsrooms
Last week the Hub, in collaboration with the The Australia-Indonesia Centre and Universitas Hasanuddin, hosted an event in Makassar, Sulawesi to share findings from our research investigating how journalists report on climate and energy issues, where support is needed, and what helps build confidence in communicating complex climate information.

The event brought together journalists, researchers and government representatives including Consul Isaac Bennett, Australian Consulate-General in Makassar.

Research revealed:
🔎 The climate and energy training available doesn't necessarily translate to higher literacy across these topic areas
🌧️ Reporting on extreme weather was often reactive and disaster-focused, with limited connection made to human-induced climate change
🧑‍🔬 Scientists accounted for just five per cent of quoted sources in the media analysis conducted
💬 Journalists expressed a strong appetite for better access to data, more accessible scientific information, pathways to connect with experts and more practical training opportunities

Thank you to all of the amazing journalist participants who have contributed to this project, joining focus groups in Makassar, visiting and reporting on coastal communities at the forefront of climate change, and sharing knowledge at intensive workshops in Melbourne with climate researchers, Australian journalists and communication experts. This kind of research doesn't happen without your openness and honesty.

We’re looking forward to sharing more from the project soon.

This project is funded by the Australia Indonesia Institute (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

🌏📰 Supporting climate reporting across Indonesia and Australia

Last week, the Hub hosted two days of knowledge-sharing workshops in Melbourne bringing together Indonesian and Australian journalists, climate scientists, climate communication experts and researchers.

These workshops were part of our 'Supporting climate reporting in Indonesian newsrooms' project, conducted in collaboration with the The Australia-Indonesia Centre and funded by the Australia-Indonesia Institute.

Across the two days, participants came together to discuss:

🌡️ The current state of the climate and projections for the future
🗣️ Approaches for effective climate communication
⚠️ How to tackle mis- and dis-information
📖 How Australian journalists approach climate and energy storytelling
🛠 Systems and processes required for effective international collaboration on climate reporting
🇮🇩 Local Indonesian climate research case studies
🧩 Constructive journalism approaches that leave audiences with solutions

The research team are headed to Makassar this week to present findings from the broader research study. This knowledge will shape the tools and approaches required for scientifically-grounded, timely journalism that meets the needs of local communities.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversations.

🔌 Electric switch leaves renters paying more

Australians who rent or cannot afford to switch appliances face a 'death spiral' of soaring gas bills as each household that switches to electric pushes up costs for those left behind.

For homeowners in a position to go all-electric the hip pocket case is growing.

The Australian Energy Market Commission projects that households making the switch could reduce their energy bills by around $1000 a year – or 20 per cent of their current spend – over the next decade.

But those savings are typically only accessible to people who can cover the upfront cost of new appliances and who own their home.

How the energy transition affects you depends on where you live, whether you own or rent, and when your appliances need replacing.

As winter sets in and heating use rises, it's worth checking what rebates or support schemes are available in your area to help manage rising power bills.

🔗 Link in bio to read more

Last Friday, MCCH Operations Manager Amelia Pearson joined Jacinta Humphrey, Linden Ashcroft and Neil Blake OAM for a panel hosted by Glen Eira City Council celebrating David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.

A key point of discussion was what makes David Attenborough one of the world’s most admired science communicators? 🌏

He is trusted. For decades he rarely spoke directly about climate change, even though it mattered to him very deeply. Instead he showed us the beauty of the natural world and made us feel awe.

In many ways, Attenborough built a global movement without ever sounding like an activist. He invited people in through curiosity, wonder and storytelling. 🎥✨

The voice draws you in, the outfits make you feel like you’re chatting with the bloke next door, and his words make the world feel totally radiant even in times of chaos and uncertainty.

If you haven’t watched David Attenborough's Celebration yet, go to ABC iView, grab a cuppa and settle in!