Monash Climate Action Forum 2026

Held days ahead of COP31 – where Australia will lead global climate negotiations – the Forum features opening remarks from Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering. 

The event will explore innovative ideas, foster cross-disciplinary partnerships, and highlight Monash’s world-class sustainability expertise in addressing one of humanity's greatest challenges.

Over the course of the day, the Forum will create opportunities to:

• Translate high-impact research into scalable, real-world action and policy reform
• Bridge policy, academia, and capital by bringing together cross-sector leaders to accelerate climate investment and deployment.
• Elevate First Nations leadership and regional equity to ensure transitions and resilience prioritise community consent across Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
• Foster community trust and social fairness by addressing the human, consumer, and health impacts of rapidly changing systems and environmental conditions.
• Build a stronger, more connected climate ecosystem within Monash and across external networks to drive long-term, collaborative action and impact

The Forum will mark the launch of the Monash Climate Change and Sustainability Network - a new university-wide platform designed to connect our community, make Monash expertise more visible and accessible, and support collaboration and practical action beyond the event.

Featured speakers

Confirmed speakers include:

Event details

Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Venue: Monash College, 750 Collins Street, Docklands
Arrival and registration: From 8.00 am; light refreshments available

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Places are limited. Register to join colleagues from across Monash and help shape the connections, partnerships and actions that will continue beyond the Forum. For event enquiries, contact Monash Climate Change and Sustainability Network: mccs@monash.edu.

Join Monash leaders and researchers in shaping global climate solutions

Register now

Forum Program

8.00am: Arrivals and registration

8.45am: Welcome to Country

9.00am: Opening remarks from Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering

9.25am: Keynote: Framing the Imperative: Australia’s Climate Horizon

9:35am: Session: Accelerating Delivery in a Fractured World: What to Expect from COP31

10:20am: Keynote: Algorithm vs. Ice: Can Compute Save Antarctica without Burning the Planet?

10:30am: Debate: Foresight, computing and the future of nature

11.15 - 11:45am: Morning tea

11:45am: Fireside Chat: Built to Last: Why so many climate pilots fail and how foundational science could be the secret to scale

12:25pm: Lightning Talks: The Future of Health and Climate: Emerging Research to Address the Health Impacts of Heat in a Hotter, Riskier World

1:00 - 2:15pm: Lunch

1:30pm:  Lunchtime interactive sessions:

• Inheriting the Future: Youth-Led Solutions for Systemic Change
• We know the science. We have the solutions. So why is combatting climate change so bloody hard? Why climate solutions need more than good science and policy
• The Policy Pitch: Legal and Regulatory Reforms for Australia's Climate Future
• Climate Mobility and Human Security in the Indo-Pacific: How is climate change reshaping where people can live, move and thrive, and what does this mean for security in Australia and the Indo-Pacific?

2:15pm: Funder Spotlight: Risk, Reach, and Rigor: Catalysing High-Impact Climate Philanthropy

3:10 pm: Expert Panel: Human-Centred Transitions: Building Trust, Equity, and Resilience

3:50pm: Lightning Solutions Showcase: Winning the War on Waste: Powering a Circular Future

4.30pm: Official proceedings end.

4.30pm - 6pm: Networking drinks