{{Short description|South Australian state government body}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = Premier's Climate Change Council | nativename = | nativename_a = | nativename_r = | logo = | logo_width = | logo_caption = | picture = | picture_caption = | seal = | seal_width = | seal_caption = | formed = February 2008<ref name=DEW>[https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/climate-change/premiers-climate-change-council Premier’s Climate Change Council] Department for Environment and Water. Retrieved 4 January 2026.</ref> | date1_name = | date2 = | date2_name = | preceding1 = | preceding2 = | dissolved = | superseding = | jurisdiction = Government of South Australia | headquarters = 81-95 Waymouth Street, Adelaide, South Australia | employees = | budget = | minister1_name = Lucy Hood<ref>[https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-archive/record-number-of-women-in-new-ministry Record number of women in new Ministry]. Press release, Government of South Australia, 19 September 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.</ref> | minister1_pfo = Minister for Climate, Environment and Water | parent_agency =Department for Environment and Water | child1_agency = | child2_agency = | chief1_name = Martin Haese | chief1_position = Chair | website = [https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/climate-change/premiers-climate-change-council Premier's Climate Change Council] | agency_id = | footnotes = }} The '''Premier's Climate Change Council''' is a South Australian state government body within the Department for Environment and Water. It was established in 2008 and {{as of|2025|lc=y}} is chaired by Martin Haese. The Council provides independent advice to the Minister responsible for climate change about matters related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation.
==History== The Premier's Climate Change Council was established by the Government of South Australia under the ''Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007''.
The inaugural council was created in February 2008,<ref name=pccc/> under the Rann government. The Council's membership represents the business community, the environment and conservation sector, the scientific community and state and local governments.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title = South Australia's climate change vision - Pathways to 2050|publisher = Premier's Climate Change Council, Government of South Australia|year = 2013|location = Adelaide, South Australia|pages = 4|url =https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/climate-change/sa-climate-change-vision-pathways-to-2050.pdf|access-date=7 December 2020}}</ref>
In 2013, Michelle Lensink MLC questioned the efficacy of the Premier's Climate Change Council, and asked the Minister for the environment, Ian Hunter about the absence of the Council's 2011-12 annual report from the Council's website.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Premier's Climate Change Council|url = http://www.michellelensink.com/premier_s_climate_change_council|website = Michelle Lensink|access-date = 2015-11-02}}</ref> In 2013, the Council published ''South Australia’s Climate Change Vision: Pathways to 2050'' to advise Premier Jay Weatherill and his government on future planning and policy directions for the state.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title = MEDIA RELEASE: Time for all parties to get real on climate change|url = http://www.ourbackyardsa.org.au/media_release_climate_change|website = Our Backyard SA|access-date = 2015-11-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/images/news_releases/14_02Feb/climatechange.pdf|title = Vision to help guide South Australia's Climate Change action|date = 2014-02-13|access-date = 2015-02-11|publisher = Government of South Australia}}</ref>
In 2018, prominent South Australian businessman Martin Haese was appointed as chair, beginning the role in 2019.<ref name=pccc/><ref>[https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/local/2018/12/19/state-govt-appoints-martin-haese-to-key-climate-change-role State Govt appoints Martin Haese to key climate change role] ''InDaily'', 19 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2026.</ref>
In 2019 the Council supported the development of the ''Blue Carbon Strategy for South Australia'',<ref>[https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/news-hub/news/articles/2019/11/blue-carbon-strategy New plan to protect and restore SA’s coastal environments] SA Department for Environment and Water, 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2020.</ref> to help mitigate climate change by protecting the state's blue carbon sinks, including seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, and mangroves.
The Council also supports the implementation of the recommendations of the ''2024 Statewide Climate Change Risk and Opportunity Assessment'', which was released in January 2026.<ref>Karakulak, Helen (2 January 2026). [https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2026/01/02/sa-on-track-for-net-zero-despite-catastrophic-forecasts SA on track for net zero despite 'catastrophic' forecasts] ''InDaily''. Retrieved 4 January 2026.</ref>
==Role== The role of the council is to "provide independent advice to the Minister about matters associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. The Council also takes a leadership role in consulting with and disseminating information to sectors of the community about issues associated with climate change".<ref name="Act-section9" /> The primary role of the Council as stated on the government website is to provide independent advice to the Minister for Environment and Water on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.<ref name=pccc/>
== Membership == ===Selection criteria=== The Act requires the appointment of seven to ten persons by the Minister from state and local government, the business community, the environment and conservation sector, the scientific community, and from other sectors of the South Australian community. The appointment process must take account of: an individual person’s knowledge of and expertise in the subject matter; consultation with the Local Government Association of South Australia and the Conservation Council of South Australia; and must ensure the minimal representation of both genders.<ref name=Act-section9>{{cite web|title=CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS REDUCTION ACT 2007 (NO 22 OF 2007) - SECT 9|url=http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/num_act/ccagera200722o2007491/s9.html|publisher=Australasian Legal Information Institute|access-date=3 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=pccc>{{cite web | title=Premier's Climate Change Council | website=Department for Environment and Water | date=4 December 2019 | url=https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/climate-change/premiers-climate-change-council | access-date=29 January 2024}} 50px Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU)] licence.</ref>
===Membership as of 2025=== {{As of|2025}} the membership of the Premier's Climate Change Council comprises:<ref name=DEW /> *Martin Haese (Chair) *Daniel Bennett *Tiahni Adamson *Angela Evans *Susan Jeanes *Penny Schulz *Daniel Spencer *Jodie van Deventer *Craig Wilkins *Susan Smith
=== Former members === *alt=Barry Brook (former member)|thumb|Barry Brook (former member)Professor Barry Brook {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * Kathryn Bellette * Professor Don Bursill<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url = https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/environment/docs/pcc-annual-report-2007-2008.pdf|title = Premier's Climate Change Council Annual Report, 1 February – 30 June 2008|date = 2008-10-01|access-date = 4 January 2026|website = SA Department for Environment and Water|publisher = Government of South Australia}}</ref> * Bruce Carter * Rob Chapman<ref name=":1" /> * Daniel Conley<ref name=pccc /> * Dianne "Di" Davidson<ref name=":1" /> * Ros DeGaris * Michelle Edge * Mayor Ann Ferguson * Brian Foster * Dr Campbell Gemmell<ref name=":0" /> * Nicole Halsey * Fred Hansen<ref name=":0" /> * Dr Paul Heithersay * Allan Holmes<ref>{{Cite web|title = Mark Parnell MLC in Parliament|url = http://markparnell.org.au/speech_prn.php?speech=1365|website = markparnell.org.au|access-date = 2015-11-02}}</ref> * Tim Kelly<ref name=":0" /> * John Kerr<ref name=":1" /> * David Klingberg (Chair)<ref name=":1" /> * Dr Prue McMichael<ref name=":0" /> * Caroline McMillen<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/environment/docs/pcc-annual-report-2008-2009.pdf|title = Premier's Climate Change Council Annual Report, 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009|date = 2009-10-01|access-date = 4 January 2026|website = Department for Environment and Water|publisher = Government of South Australia}}</ref> * Suzanne Miller<ref name=":1" /> * John O'Brien * Professor Mary O’Kane<ref name=":1" /> * Tim O’Loughlin<ref name=":1" /> * Professor Jean Palutikof<ref name=":0" /> * Jenny Paradiso * Pauline Peel<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/environment/docs/pcc-annual-report-2009-2010.pdf|title = Premier's Climate Change Council Annual Report, 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010|date = 2010-10-28|access-date = 4 January 2026|website = Department for Environment and Water|publisher = Government of South Australia}}</ref> * Julie Pettett<ref name=":1" /> * Sandy Pitcher * Don Russell * Verity Sanders<ref name=":0" /> * Joseph Scales * Professor Andrew Stock * Vienna Tran * Michelle Tucker * Jim White<ref name=":1" /> * Cecilia Woolford {{div col end}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140831094142/http://www.sa.gov.au/topics/water-energy-and-environment/climate-change/tackling-climate-change/premier-s-climate-change-council Premier's Climate Change Council]
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Climate change policy Category:Environment of South Australia Category:Advisory boards of the Government of South Australia Category:Climate change in Australia