02052010
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
(NCCARF)
synthesis and integrative
research program
APPLICATION package
Call for Proposals
to undertake the Project:
“Literature review: impacts of climate change”
This package consists of three documents:
1. Application guidelines
2. Project brief
3. Application form
Document 1:
Application Guidelines
Closing date for Expressions of Interest: 28th May 2010
For more information go to: www.nccarf.edu.au
or contact Dr Daniel Stock: email:
phone: 07 5552 7225
1. Background
The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) was established in 2007 with funding from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, to lead a national interdisciplinary research effort to produce the knowledge that helps government, industry and community decision makers to manage the impacts of climate change and variability. NCCARF sets national research priorities through the development and implementation of national adaptation research plans, operation of research networks, and management of research programmes to address adaptation needs. NCCARF is hosted by Griffith University, in partnership with the Queensland Government and 8 universities across Australia.
2. Synthesis and integrative research
NCCARF undertakes a program of Synthesis and Integrative Research to address national priorities and synthesise existing and emerging national and international research on climate change impacts and adaptation.
The purpose of this program is to provide decision-makers with information they need to manage the risks of climate change, based primarily, but not exclusively, around published literature. Outputs from this area of activity have direct relevance for the requirements of policymakers, and should be delivered in a readily-accessible format.
It is planned that, once projects have completed their final reporting, the outcomes are delivered to the Communications and Knowledge Adoption section of NCCARF, for onward delivery to policy and decision-makers in appropriate formats.
Projects undertaken in Phase 1 of the program are:
a. Forest Vulnerability Assessment
b. Historical Case Studies
c. Understanding Adaptive Capacity
Further details on these projects can be obtained from the NCCARF web site at www.nccarf.edu.au.
A tranche of projects has been identified for funding under Phase 2. These are in the areas of:
a. Limits to adaptation
b. Coastal ecosystems response to climate change
c. Learning from regional climate analogues Part I
d. Literature review: impacts of climate change.
It is likely that other projects will be identified for funding under Phase 2. We are now beginning the process of identifying research groups to undertake the proposed studies.
This call is for the Project: Literature review: impacts of climate change.
3. THE PROJECT: Literature review: impacts of climate change
A description of the planned project is provided in Document 2. NCCARF will appoint a Project Manager to oversee the project activities.
It is important that Synthesis and Integrative Research projects are carried out on a day-to-day basis by a dedicated member of staff (generally at an early post-doctoral level for Universities, or equivalent), overseen by a senior colleague.
4. funding available
This Project is expected to be funded at a level of around $150,000, and for a period of around 11 months. Funding can be used for:
a) Personnel salaries and on-costs, including
· Research Associates, professional officers, technicians, laboratory attendant.
b) Development or purchase of research resources, including:
· Social Surveys,
· Software tools,
· Databases, and
· Minor items of equipment specifically required to support the research.
c) Travel and communication costs associated with the research, including costs of:
· Workshops and similar meetings,
· Face-to-face interviews, and
· Research planning meetings.
Funding may not be used for:
· Capital works and general infrastructure,
· Salaries of researchers other than those directly employed on the project,
· Special Studies Programs,
· Student fees or HECS liabilities, or
· Computers and other information and communication facilities that duplicate existing capacity.
The project should be completed by 10th June 2011.
5. application process
Invitations for full project proposals are invited, using the Application Form provided in Document 3 of this package.
Completed Application Forms should be submitted as attachments via e-mail to:
Dr Daniel Stock
Email:
Enquiries may be directed to:
Prof. Jean Palutikof
Tel: 07 5552 7734
Email:
The deadline for receipt of applications is 1700 hours Eastern Standard Time on 28th May 2010.
Proposals will be accepted from public or private research institutions, consortia of researchers or individual researchers. The submissions will be considered from all interested parties regardless of any participation in or affiliation with the NCCARF and/or any of the Adaptation Research Networks.
6. selection process
The proposals will be assessed by an Assessment Committee consisting of the Project Manager, representatives of NCCARF and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and an independent scientist.
Proposals will be evaluated against selection criteria, as follows:
1. Appropriateness – The extent to which the project addresses the requirements set out in the Project Brief.
2. Project Design – The extent to which the project has clearly stated objectives which will fully address the requirements set out in the Project Brief. The overall project design, including objectives and methodology should comprehensively address the requirements.
3. Feasibility –Scientific and technical feasibility of the project based on current knowledge and understanding. Are any risks clearly acknowledged and addressed?
4. Track Record – The extent to which the proposed team have the knowledge, experience and capacity to undertake the proposed work (including time allocation of key personnel to project).
5. Value for money – The extent to which the outputs of the project represent good value for money.
7. contractual matters
Contracts
Successful applicants will be required to sign a contract with Griffith University before funding commences. This agreement will cover the project budget, deliverables and milestones, financial and performance reporting and intellectual property.
Confidentiality
The information provided by applicants will be treated as confidential by NCCARF and the Assessment Committee.
Intellectual property
It is expected that intellectual property generated by this grants program will be freely accessible and available. Successful applicants will also be required to grant to the Commonwealth a permanent, irrevocable, free, world-wide, non-exclusive licence to use, reproduce, adapt and exploit the intellectual property derived from the funded research.
8. Timing
Call for Proposals / 7th May 2010Closing date for submission of proposals / 28th May 2010
Announcement of successful candidates / 11th June 2010
Contracts signed and work commences / 26th July 2010
Completion of work and delivery of final report / 10th June 2011
Document 2: Project Brief:
Literature review:
impacts of climate change
1. Background and rationale
A core function of NCCARF is to conduct a program of research that synthesises and integrates existing and emerging national and international climate change adaptation knowledge.
As part of Phase II of the Synthesis and Integrative Research program, NCCARF invites bids for the project Literature Review: Impacts of Climate Change.
Understanding the likely impacts of climate change is an important foundation for adaptation. Such an understanding helps identify adaptation priorities, provides insights into the responses that may be effective, and underpins perceptions of the need to act. Information about impacts is limited and dispersed.
This project will search the literature to generate a consolidated and regularly updated set of ‘facts’ about the impacts of climate change in Australia. This will be valuable for policy-makers and will assist in preparing the Australia and New Zealand Chapter of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report.
2. Proposed work
The project will require the following activities to be undertaken:
a) A comprehensive search of the literature, especially material published since the IPCC Fourth Assessment completed its work (i.e., anything dated 2006 and later), and including:
i) Papers in the peer-reviewed literature;
ii) Books;
iii) Published reports from all tiers of governments, NGOs, universities, industry and business etc.
b) Extraction and preparation of a consolidated set of ‘facts’ about observed and likely future impacts of climate change on Australia.
Note that the literature search will not be restricted to papers and reports about Australia exclusively. Global analyses may contain relevant information from which Australia-specific ‘facts’ can be extracted.
Each ‘fact’ should be:
· concisely stated (20-100 words);
· supported by a published source;
· entered into a searchable database in which, where copyright considerations permit, the published source is appended electronically;
· key-worded to allow searches for subject-specific, location-specific and time-specific information;
· delivered in a web-ready form.
The set of ‘facts’ should be prepared by mid June 2011 and in a format that would allow the database to be updated in June of each calendar year.
The database must be delivered in a form which is useful, robust, comprehensive and accurate. The project team should be able to demonstrate that they have delivered against these criteria. . As part of this requirement, stakeholder engagement should take place at every point throughout this project. Proposers should outline in their application their plans to ensure these requirements will be properly addressed.
3. Examples
Example 1
The impacts of climate change on wheat crops are expected to vary regionally, reflecting a balance between benefits of CO2 fertilisation and negative effects of reduced rainfall.
Unmitigated climate change is projected to result in increased wheat yields in most regions by 2030. However, wheat yields are expected to fall in most regions by 2030 if rainfall decline is at the upper end of the projected range.
Unmitigated climate is projected to result in reduced wheat yields in some regions and increased wheat yields in other regions by 2100. For example yields could rise by 22.4% in Geraldton and fall by 24.1% in Birchip. However, wheat production would have to be abandoned in most regions by 2100if rainfall decline is at the upper end of the projected range and yields would fall in all other regions.
Source: R. Garnaut, 2008: The Garnaut Climate Change Review, Cambridge University Press, p 130-133.
Example 2
Snow cover in Australia’s alpine regions has declined over the last 50 years. Snow depth in spring at Spencers Creek (Snowy Mountains) has declined by about 40 %, although declines are less in winter. The decline is due to warming rather than reduced precipitation.
Sources:
Observation:
CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Meteorology.2007. Climate change in Australia: technical report 2007. CSIRO. page 23, citing:
Nicholls 2005: Climate variability, climate change and the Australian snow season, Australian Meteorological Magazine 54, 177-185and
Hennessy et al 2003: The Impact of Climate Change on Snow Conditions in Australia, CSIRO consultancy report.
Attribution:
CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Meteorology.2007. Climate change in Australia: technical report 2007. CSIRO. page 33, citing:
Nicholls 2005: Climate variability, climate change and the Australian snow season, Australian Meteorological Magazine 54, 177-185.
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
Research Program: Synthesis and Integrative Phase II
Project title: Literature Review: Impacts of Climate Change
DOCUMENT 3: PROPOSAL FORM
Title: / Proposed project length: / Proposed start date: / Total budget requested:Principal investigator: / Lead Organisation:
Contact information:
PROJECT PROPOSAL
SUMMARY: Summarise in 300 words or less the main features of your proposal.
OBJECTIVES: Make clear how the project will deliver the required information in a user-friendly format. Outline how you will error check to ensure accuracy.
METHODS: Identify the methods and techniques you will use to achieve the project objectives. The project should incorporate a plan for stakeholder involvement to ensure delivery to user requirements.
TIMING: Indicate the activities that will be carried out in each month of the project, and how these activities will build to fulfil the project objectives. Provide a simple Gannt Chart.
DELIVERABLES AND MILESTONES: (The proposal should outline the format and scope of deliverables and should identify important milestones. These should include, at a minimum, 1) Midpoint report outlining progress to date, gaps and outstanding work; 2)final report 3) database of ‘facts’.)
Deliverables:
Milestones: Define time points in the project when NCCARF can measure progress towards the stated objectives. These may include deliverable dates and also dates for workshops etc.
STAFFING
Names of staff members responsible for day-to-day project implementation, and their location: (indicate proposed effort and attach CVs of 3-4 pages for Principal Investigators and Researchers
Other individuals/institutions involved in the project:
Individual involved / Institution / Nature of contribution / Effort / Have they been contacted?
Outline the qualifications of the group to undertake the work: Include full details of relevant publications.
Budget Information: All costs should be given ex GST
Institution name:
Item: / Amount: / Notes
Salaries
Travel
Other costs
SUB-TOTAL
Institution name:
Item: / Amount: / Notes
Salaries
Travel
Other costs
SUB-TOTAL
Institution name:
Item: / Amount: / Notes
Salaries
Travel
Other costs
SUB-TOTAL
Institution name:
Item: / Amount: / Notes
Salaries
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SUB-TOTAL
TOTAL BUDGET:
Item: / Amount: / Notes
Salaries
Travel
Other costs
TOTAL / Amount should match budget total in first row of Proposal
Application Package: Synthesis and Integrative Research Project ‘Climate change impacts’ Page 1 of 13