Brad Archer’s role as CEO of the Climate Change Authority has been extended a further 12 months. Photo: Brad Archer LinkedIn.
The Federal Government has announced that the CEO of Climate Change Authority (CCA) has been extended in the role for a further 12 months, and that two new appointments have been made.
CCA CEO Brad Archer has been in the role since 2019, and his reappointment helps maintain continuity for the organisation.
Mr Archer was previously head of the International Climate Change and Energy Innovation Division in the Federal Department of the Environment and Energy, where he advised government on clean energy innovation, Australia’s greenhouse gas inventory, and international climate change policy.
New to the CCA are Fiona Simson and Richard Bolt.
Ms Simson has a background in agriculture and rural and regional development, was elected as the first female president of the National Farmers’ Federation in 2016, and stepped down as its chair in 2023.
She also has experience in advocating for the interests of farmers and rural communities at national and international levels, and in 2023 was elected to the board of the World Farmers’ Organisation, where she represents Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Bolt is the chair of Hydro Tasmania and comes to the CCA with experience in national climate and energy policy reform as a former secretary of a number of Victorian State Government departments including the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources; the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development; and the Department of Primary Industries.
Minister Bowen congratulated the new CCA members.
“The CCA provides independent advice that’s critical for developing Australia’s climate policy, and both Fiona and Richard have a wealth of experience and perspectives to contribute to that,” he said.
“We look forward to CCA’s collective input into our annual climate change statement and sectoral plans to help the government make key policy decisions and set an ambitious and achievable 2035 target that seizes economic opportunity for Australia.”
The CCA is an independent statutory body established under the Climate Change Authority Act 2011 to provide expert advice to the Australian Government on climate change policy.
It plays an important role in the governance of Australia’s climate change mitigation policies including by providing independent advice on the preparation of the Annual Climate Change Statement to parliament, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets to be included in new or adjusted nationally determined contributions (NDC).
It also undertakes reviews and makes recommendations on the Carbon Farming Initiative (Emissions Reduction Fund) and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System including the safeguard mechanism.
