The Industrial Regions Network (IRN) is a collaborative network that’s helping to accelerate the transition to net zero in Australia’s industrial regions.
Climate KIC Australia convenes the Industrial Regions Network with the support of CSIRO as a research partner. The IRN is funded by the RACE for 2030 CRC and philanthropic donations.
Building trusted relationships between diverse participants and stakeholders working within and alongside regions in transition.
Exchanging experiences, solutions, challenges and opportunities, evidence and insights to accelerate place-based transitions in industrial regions.
Fostering collaboration on shared challenges between government, industry, community groups, and research to address shared challenges
Translating insight into action through working groups, guides and frameworks.
Achieving Australia’s climate targets requires collaboration and coordination across regions, industries and sectors. Industrial regions (areas where energy‑intensive industries are concentrated and central to local economies) are on the frontline of this challenge.
Industries and regions must adopt new low-carbon, renewable and technologies at scale, while protecting local economies, supporting workforce transition, attracting investment in new industries and ensuring regional communities continue to thrive.
Although significant transition activity is underway, it is often fragmented. Regional stakeholders, and those working with them, are asking: What’s working in similar places, and what’s not? What insights, examples, and evidence can we draw on? What’s changing domestically and globally and that needs to inform our regional action? Who could we work with to address the emerging challenges and opportunities?
Connection and relationships
Connecting people and organisations to foster meaningful relationships
Knowledge building & exchange
Building cumulative knowledge and capability by sharing and learning
Joint action, collaboration & coordination
Facilitating collaboration, coordination and action to accelerate the transition
Research with and for the Network
Enabling action research, applying evidence and insights to place-based transitions
Amplifying learning beyond the Network
Enabling diverse stakeholders to access and benefit from Network learnings as they emerge and evolve
The IRN is a national network that enables collaboration and learning across industrial regions. It supports regional stakeholders to align priorities, build capability, scale technology adoption and respond to evolving transition challenges and opportunities. The network is convened by Climate KIC Australia with CSIRO as a research partner.
The IRN was piloted between 2023 to 2024 through online and in‑person roundtables, forums and events. Participating organisations included those working in regions such as the Pilbara, Mid‑West WA, Kwinana, Collie, Gladstone, Greater Whitsundays, Hunter Valley, Illawarra, Whyalla and the Latrobe Valley. The pilot demonstrated the value of a national, cross‑regional network focused on practical transition challenges, equipping stakeholders with stronger connections, building shared increasing capacity for collaboration.
In 2026, the IRN was relaunched as part of the three‑year Collaborative Networks for System Transformation project (CNST), funded by the RACE for 2030 CRC and philanthropic donations.
Through the IRN, participants can:
The long-term vision of the IRN is to support Australia’s industrial regions to reach net zero and to thrive, delivering economic, environmental and social benefits for their people and the nation.
As part of the broader CNST project, CSIRO is leading a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the IRN. This analysis will inform continuous improvement and contribute to the broader evidence-base for the value and impact of collaborative networks like the IRN in supporting system transitions more generally. Insights from the network will also be distilled for decision-makers as stakeholder briefings.
Climate KIC Australia convenes the Industrial Regions Network, with the support of CSIRO as a research partner. Our role includes:
Jason develops and leads multi-stakeholder system transition initiatives, leveraging his experience in Europe over the past decade working with large scale demonstrations and innovation ecosystem building initiatives for industry and cities.
As Director – Strategic Initiatives at Climate KIC Australia, Meredith brings her experience in strategy, design, innovation and facilitation to shape and deliver projects and portfolios for systemic impact. She leverages her experience in consulting, financial services, corporate innovation and a start up to help people and organisations tackle the complexity of climate action.
Bridget Weston is a Project Officer at Climate KIC Australia, holding a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Technology Sydney. With a strong passion for sustainability and the environment, Bridget has an interest in the nexus between renewable energy initiatives and their implications on biodiversity.
She has previously worked with the University of Technology’s Climate Change Cluster (C3), performing laboratory work using microalgae to extract Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from mining waste. Bridget has also worked with UTS’s Institute of Sustainable Futures (ISF) alongside the Energy Futures and Healthy Environments teams.
Sina brings a strong background in NGO management, international project development, communications and an education from Harvard University. Sina is best equipped to point the next climate change innovators in the right direction.
As Lead – Marketing and Communications at Climate KIC Australia, Sophie brings her background in strategic communications and media production to partner with knowledge experts and craft compelling content and strategy. Sophie is passionate about the role of storytelling in elevating brands and solving complex environmental problems.
Work with us to accelerate the net zero transition and support good economic and sustainability outcomes for our regions.
The IRN is funded by the RACE for 2030 CRC and philanthropic donations. It is convened by Climate KIC Australia with CSIRO as a research partner, and is part of the Collaborative Networks for System Transformation project.
