Community Power
Community power: Taking action
Climate Summit outcomes (Mar 13-15 2010, Canberra)
The second National Climate Summit was held for community-based climate action groups and other supporters. CANA and many member groups were present for three very full days of policy, campaign and network planning. In total, three hundred climate advocates from across Australia met in Canberra. While the details of the decisions, outcomes and next steps are still being finalised for web publication, they included a strategy for the Federal election (including a focus on key marginal seats, particularly Green - Labor swing seats, and extensive door knocking and voter engagement), reaffirmation of opposition to the proposed CPRS (matched with policy asks on clean renewable energy, green > jobs and the need for an immediate carbon levy), and a focus on 'no new coal' (as well the replacement of Hazelwood power station- responsible for 3% if Australia's total emissions). Additionally, the national Community Climate Network was formalised to implement the summit's strategy and coordinate the climate groups across Australia. All details will soon be available from www.climatesummit.org.au. Associated with the Summit is a collection of provocative ideas, reflections and science, assembled by the Victorian Climate Action Centre and available at: http://www.climateactioncentre.org/sites/default/files/talk-climate-lowres.pdf
Superannuation and climate change (19/3/10): The Climate Institute, a CANA member, has release a report presenting the results for their survey of Australian superfunds, assessing their management of climate change risks and opportunities. They found that the superfund industry remain ill-equipped to measure or manage climate change risks, despite being aware of the potential impacts on their investment portfolios. It also found that there has been a communication failure between superfunds and their advisors, asset consultants, with respect to responsibility for managing climate change-related issues; that despite the global financial crisis, short termism still dominates the superfund industry; and that superfunds trustees are still uncertain as to the scope of fiduciary duty with respect to managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues such as climate change. The report is available at: http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=643:super-survey-march-2010&catid=83:r1&Itemid=26
Community Power:
Access the links below to find out how YOU can take action.
- Letters to Editor: Tips and Contacts
- How to lobby effectively
- Debunking lobbying myths
- Friends of the Earth have designed a Climate Justice Kit to provide some resources for people to think through some of these issues in more detail. It’s also got some ideas for actions that groups can work on together. They state 'we’re not claiming to have all the answers – but we do think these issues are absolutely crucial to the work that the climate movement does and will continue to do for many years to come.
- Grassroots toolkit:The 'Climate of Change' toolkit has just been released. It was developed by BREAZE, a climate group in Ballarat, and contains a range of resources under headings such as advocacy and campaigning, community bulk buy, fundraising, governance, media, networking, running events, starting a group, strategies and plans, working with volunteers and more. There are a number of resources relating to group strategy and planning (see under advocacy and campaigning and strategies and plans) which are probably particularly useful at this time of year when groups are doing their planning for 2010.
If you are a CANA member, you may also find the movement resources useful here (password required).
If you are interested in the power of community-based climate action groups, visit:
