Submissions
Submissions to government inquiries and strategy reviews inform decision-makers about the latest climate and weather science. These submissions are a key avenue through which 21st Century Weather informs policy.
We bring scientific evidence to the forefront of policy discussions on emissions reduction, climate resilience, adaptation, and the future of our climate and weather.
Our submissions address the critical need for long-term climate research, sovereign capability in weather modelling, and integrated planning to support Australia’s energy transition.
2026
Follow the links below to access the latest submissions made by 21st Century Weather.
Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria
21st Century Weather’s submission to Victoria’s bushfire inquiry highlights how heatwaves, droughts and bushfires interact in complex, compounding and cascading ways, driving more frequent and extreme fire seasons across the state. The Centre warns that climate change is intensifying fire weather, lengthening fire seasons, and increasing the likelihood of catastrophic impacts.
Drawing on cutting‑edge climate science, the submission calls for stronger emissions reductions, improved preparedness, and recognition that even small increases in CO₂ worsen fire risk. It emphasises that delaying action will deepen long‑term climate impacts and expose Victoria to escalating, irreversible fire dangers.
Funding and Resourcing for the CSIRO
21st Century Weather’s submission expresses deep concern over proposed cuts to CSIRO’s Environment Research Unit, stressing that the body of knowledge and continuity of research that CSIRO has brought to climate modelling are critical to our climate intelligence. The Centre warns that losing this capability would undermine Australia’s ability to understand and prepare for future climate risks.
The submission argues for sustained public investment in CSIRO’s climate science, noting that Australia’s only region‑calibrated global climate model, ACCESS‑ESM, is essential for climate risk assessments, net‑zero planning, and national security. Protecting this sovereign capability is vital to ensure Australia can make informed, future‑focused decisions in a rapidly changing climate.
2026-27 Pre-Budget Submissions
In this submission, 21st Century Weather urged the Australian Government to strengthen the nation’s climate science capability, warning that “Australia’s economy and society are increasingly vulnerable to climate variability and change” and that current climate information systems are fragmented and under‑funded.
The submission calls for a single national climate information entity, major investment in sovereign supercomputing, and renewed regional leadership to ensure Australia can deliver the detailed, reliable climate intelligence needed for effective decision‑making.
2025
Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy
21st Century Weather’s submission to Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy 2026-30 calls for urgent, coordinated action to cut emissions and adapt to a warming climate, emphasising the life-and-death stakes of worsening heatwaves, fires, and storms.
Drawing on cutting-edge research, the Centre outlines how improved climate modelling, enhanced healthcare and infrastructure, and smarter energy planning can help protect Victorians and support a resilient, net-zero future.
Strategic Examination of Research and Development
21st Century Weather’s submission to the Strategic Examination of Research and Development warns that Australia is at risk of losing its sovereign ability to deliver essential climate knowledge, due to fragmented research funding, outdated computing infrastructure, and the absence of a national strategy.
The Centre calls for urgent, coordinated investment in climate science, high-performance computing, and data systems to support informed decision-making across government, industry, and communities.
Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program
In this submission, 21st Century Weather supports the proposed reforms to the National Competitive Grants Program, particularly the shift away from siloed research categories and the focus on collaborative, scalable funding schemes.
However, the Centre raises concerns about the removal of DECRAs, embedded fellowships, and the influence of shifting government priorities, calling for clearer guidelines and deeper sector consultation to ensure sustainable, high-impact research outcomes.
Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy
In this submission, 21st Century Weather highlights the risks posed by climate and energy misinformation. The Centre outlines how false narratives threaten scientific institutions, reduce the quality of public policy, and undermine Australia’s sovereign capability.
Drawing lessons from recent international examples, the submission warns that cuts to data access, research capacity, and international cooperation would leave Australia less prepared for high-impact weather and long-term climate change.
Climate Change Authority – Issues Paper
In this submission, 21st Century Weather stresses the urgency of rapid, sustained emissions reductions and warns that global warming is virtually certain to surpass 1.5°C without stronger action.
The Centre calls for major investment in weather and climate science, high-quality monitoring networks, and stronger assessment of fossil fuel projects to ensure Australia’s transition to renewables is scientifically sound, resilient, and aligned with net zero targets.
Inquiry into the National Climate Risk Assessment
In this submission, 21st Century Weather highlights the critical need for timely, transparent, and ongoing national climate risk assessments.
The submission calls for stronger consultation with the scientific community, continuous updates as climate science evolves, and investment in national capacity, from coordinated research and high-performance computing to resilient monitoring networks.
It stresses that future-proofing Australia requires not only assessing climate risks but also sustaining the science that underpins sound policy, adaptation, and the transition to net zero.
Inquiry into the Environment Protection Reform Bill
In this submission, 21st Century Weather urges Parliament to ensure that Australia’s environmental laws fully reflect the realities of a warming climate. It argues that the Environment Protection Reform Bill must embed climate change throughout decision-making, draw on lessons from past disasters, and remove ambiguity that weakens accountability.
The submission calls for clear requirements for assessing project emissions, including Scope 3; stronger consideration of climate impacts to avoid locking in higher warming; and realistic treatment of carbon offsets, given Australia’s volatile land-carbon balance. It emphasises that delaying emissions cuts will deepen future harm, and that sound laws must be grounded in the best available science to safeguard communities, ecosystems and national prosperity.