Green progress

Report: Laura A’Bell

Sidney Myer was one of the most generous individuals of his time, leaving one tenth of his estate for the benefit of the community.

His legacy has continued through four generations, with the Myer family still actively involved with philanthropy through The Myer Foundation and other groups.

A family dinner at David Shelmerdine’s home around six years ago was the genesis for the now award-winning organisation ClimateWorks Australia.

A third generation Myer, Mr Shelmerdine and his family were considering how best to mark the 50-year celebration of The Myer Foundation through the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program.

The Myer Foundation invested in a year-long feasibility study which supported their notion that, among all the white noise which surrounds climate change, what was needed was immediate action.

From this, ClimateWorks Australia was born.

Established in 2010 ClimateWorks Australia is a partnership of The Myer Foundation and Monash University.  It is an independent, research-based, non-profit organisation committed to catalysing significant reductions in Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.  

Initial funding of around $5 million has produced significant, verifiable benefits – significant enough to warrant a further investment of $1.4 million in 2012.

The Foundation’s mission – to assist the nation transition to a prosperous, low carbon future – is clearly a work in progress.

The Myer Foundation has a record of achievement in the environmental space and decided that the climate change issue was real and urgent and needed addressing, not only in Australia, but throughout the world. 

As Mr Shelmerdine puts it, “The Foundation wanted ClimateWorks to be nationally focused and internationally relevant”.

“We are custodians of the world we inhabit for future generations. We have a duty of care to look after what we have. Our legacy should be that everything possible was done to live within our resources and protect all flora and fauna,” said Mr Shelmerdine.

Organisations such as ClimateWorks Australia continue to provide climate change research and results thanks to The Myer Foundation and Monash University.

ClimateWorks Australia’s achievements to date include the Eureka Award winning, national ‘Low Carbon Growth Plan for Australia’.

The organisation is continuing with its strong reputation as a respected “action tank” that consistently delivers credible research and results.