Environment & Sustainability

Our community is vulnerable to the changing climate and also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Victoria’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are among the highest in the world - approximately four times the global average.

While most temperature-related deaths in Australia can be attributed to cold weather, heat-related impacts on health are increasing; causing more deaths than all other natural disasters combined.
 
People most at risk of these temperature-related effects, such as low-income households, are also under pressure from rising energy costs.  In all our Impact Areas, the Foundation has a particular commitment to supporting the most disadvantaged people in our community.
 
The Foundation aims to increase the energy efficiency and climate resilience of vulnerable households to reduce the cost of living, reduce emissions and provide protection from temperature related health impacts.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Initiatives that directly increase the energy efficiency and climate resilience of vulnerable households, such as subsidy or retrofit programs, including where they potentially intersect with our interest in increasing the supply of affordable housing.
• Activities that demonstrably influence relevant local, state and commonwealth policies, regulations and codes.
• Research to better understand energy poverty, temperature-related risks, residential greenhouse gas emissions and measures to reduce them.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation is increasing the community’s understanding of the climate challenge by providing regular, accessible, evidence-based information from trusted sources.

A well-informed understanding of climate change and potential impacts enables individuals, communities, policy makers and other sectors to take practical action to support our transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Activities that effectively communicate the science and impacts of climate change .
• Activities that communicate the solutions and highlight the mitigation and adaptation opportunities, particularly those that demonstrate how the transition to net-zero emissions is technologically and economically viable.
• Projects that support the implementation of innovative local transition solutions that benefit the community.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.​

It is expected that these activities engage large numbers of people or specific sectors that are critical to  effective mitigation or adaptation solutions.

The Foundation is strongly outcome oriented and seeks evidence of results. There is strong preference for evidence-based approaches that can demonstrate effective engagement and, where possible, can show that the community is reducing emissions or adapting to the changing climate as a result of the communication activity.
 

Increasing demand for agricultural products, urban sprawl, climate change and a range of other threatening processes are undermining the security, health and sustainability of our food system.

Food production and consumption impacts biodiversity, aquatic and terrestrial resources, climate and a range of other critically important systems. 

The food system can also produce less than ideal social outcomes, including limiting access to affordable, nutritious food.

The Foundation funds research that identifies the challenges and maps out solutions to help secure the food systems upon which we depend.

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Research to better understand the issues threatening the security, health and sustainability of the food system.
• Evidence-based solutions and pathways to a secure, healthy and sustainable food system.
• Research and demonstration projects that influence or produce food system security, health and sustainability outcomes.
• Demonstration of more sustainable, low-carbon urban agricultural approaches.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.​

Aquatic eco-systems are impacted by a very wide range of threatening processes, including the changing climate, competing land uses, invasive species and pollution from various sources, including litter - especially plastic and microplastics. 

We are improving our understanding of aquatic eco-system health, reducing adverse human impacts and restoring damaged eco-systems. 

Reducing adverse urban impacts on our waterways and bays will help us meet the needs of a growing population as well as the environment - on which we and many other species depend. 

The Foundation’s support is focused on:

• Communication, citizen science and education activities that demonstrably reduce aquatic eco-system impacts.
• Development of new technologies that reduce adverse urban impacts or support eco-system health.
• Research that improves our understanding of aquatic eco-system health, threatening processes and management strategies.

The Foundation will consider other activities that address this outcome.​