ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20
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Published by the Climate Council of Australia Limited. ISBN: 978-1-922404-10-7 (digital) 978-1-922404-11-4 (print) © Climate Council of Australia Ltd 2020 This work is copyright the Climate Council of Australia Ltd. All material contained in this work is copyright the Climate Council of Australia Ltd except where a third party source is indicated. Climate Council of Australia Ltd copyright material is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License. To view a copy of this license visit http://creativecommons.org.au. You are free to copy, communicate and adapt the Climate Council of Australia Ltd copyright material so long as you attribute the Climate Council of Australia Ltd and the authors in the following manner:
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twitter.com/climatecouncil climatecouncil.org.au Contents
Thank you for your support...... 1 A Message from Climate Council Chair, Gerry Hueston 3 A Message from the CEO and Chief Councillor 5
Impact Summary...... 7
Research Publications...... 10 This is What Climate Change Looks Like 13 State of Play: Renewable Energy Leaders and Losers 14
Media Coverage ...... 16 Case Studies 18
Digital Content ...... 20
Climate Council Project Review...... 25 Summer of Crisis Interventions 25 Cities Power Partnership 28 Emergency Leaders for Climate Action 32 Climate Media Centre 35
Climate Council Community...... 38 Down To Earth Bushfire Relief Concert 39 Heron Island Insight Trip 40 Tassie Trek for Climate Action 41
Community Giving and Philanthropy...... 42
Finances...... 43
Our Team...... 48 Councillors & Board Members 48 The Climate Council 52
Appreciation ...... 54 Annual Report 2019-20
Your commitment to climate action drives our work Thank you for your support
The Climate Council is the number The challenges of the past year - bushfires, one climate science communications droughts, and floods - have been stark organisation in Australia. And that’s reminders of how climate change can all thanks to you. Our community intimately disrupt our daily lives. And that’s is vocal in demanding what is just before adding a global pandemic to the mix. and sustainable for our future; quick However, despite these hurdles, we’ve seen to stand up against vested interests; the power of our community shine through and willing to push boundaries to do under pressure: beacons of hope, strength whatever it takes to build the future and resilience. After all, it’s in adversity that we desire. our character is forged and revealed. And it’s during these times that the Climate Council Community has rallied and united as one, more determined than ever to fight for meaningful action on climate change. The stakes might be high, but that’s only increased our resolve to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Firefighters turning up day after painful day to front the flames, protect our homes and wildlife, and be bold and brave in calling out the underlying cause. Farmers making tough decisions during drought and bearing their hearts to the media about why the climate crisis is their number one concern. Business owners leading by example and enacting daring energy policies. School students not waiting for our Federal Government to act but showing leadership beyond their years. Community members supporting each other in recovery and rebuilding. Local councils forging ahead with innovative plans to harness the sun and implement other clean energy solutions.
These are the everyday heroes history books will write about when talking about the turning points in the climate crisis. Those who were willing to dig deep, be courageous in their actions, and were unafraid of the consequences.
1 We’ll be propelling this momentum, Thank you for standing with us shoulder community power, and lessons learnt to shoulder, as we knuckle down, and get into the coming decade. A decade where on with making this a reality. we must rapidly phase out the use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, and embrace the abundant clean technologies we have at our fingertips. We’ve still got a big job ahead of us, but we’re confident that by working together, we can build Australia into a clean energy superpower.
Images (clockwise from left): Climate Councillors Greg Bourne and Andrew Stock launching 'Ageing and Unprepared: Energy in New South Wales', the Climate Council team attend School Strike 4 Climate, Professors Tim Flannery and Lesley Hughes launch the report 'This is what climate change looks like' and Chief Councillor Professor Tim Flannery at the School Strike 4 Climate.
2 Annual Report 2019-20
A Message from Climate Council Chair, Gerry Hueston
It is my pleasure to share with you This will be the last time I will have the the Climate Council’s 2019-20 Annual privilege of presenting the annual report of Report. this wonderful organisation. When we set up the Climate Council seven years ago, we The past 12 months have undoubtedly been followed best practice governance standards, a rollercoaster - both when it comes to including those for Board Director tenure. climate change and the broader international This means I will be stepping down from my outlook. Australia’s Black Summer is role on the board at the end of my current something we are still coming to grips with term, as part of a board renewal process that in terms of impact and ongoing damage. will continue over the next two years. The bushfire season was the worst on record for New South Wales in terms of the scale of As I look back on my tenure as Chair over the the bushfires, the number of properties lost past seven years, I have nothing but pride and the amount of area burned. The amount for the way the Climate Council has grown of carbon dioxide released by the bushfires from the ashes of the Climate Commission was more than the annual emissions of to the successful organisation it is today. Germany. We saw the devastating loss of There is no doubt that the Council has played life, homes and wildlife. And yet, the Federal a major part in increasing awareness and Government has pushed for the expansion understanding of the challenges of climate of gas projects as the ‘cornerstone’ of its change in the community today and the strategy to reduce emissions. This would opportunities that climate solutions present lock in dangerously high levels of pollution to Australia. Of this, I am immensely proud. for years to come. However, when we started out originally as Despite this, there are many things to the Climate Commission, we talked about celebrate and draw hope from over the past the decade leading up to 2020 as being year. States and Territories are leading the the “Critical Decade” for action to mitigate transition to renewable energy in Australia. the worst impacts of climate change. On For example, South Australia is a global this metric, our national response has leader in transitioning to a grid with a high been patchy at best and at worst, a national share of wind and solar and is aiming for net embarrassment. We have lost a lot of valuable 100% renewable energy by 2030. Likewise, time and this will mean our national and over 125 local governments - representing global mitigation effort will have to be far over 50% of all Australians, have joined the deeper than it was in the past and far deeper Cities Power Partnership and are leading the than it would need to be if we had acted charge towards net-zero emissions. earlier. That is our challenge going forward and I look forward to continuing my support for the work of the Climate Council at this increasingly critical time.
3 Reflecting back on all that we have There is no doubt achieved, this is of course only possible by working together. I would like to thank my that the Council has fellow Directors, Climate Councillors, staff, volunteers and our incredible supporter played a major part in base for your dedication and commitment. I would also like to extend particular increasing awareness thanks to our CEO, Amanda McKenzie, for her laser-sharp focus and ongoing and understanding leadership. I have full confidence that the Climate Council will continue to catalyse of the challenges of action and drive meaningful climate action. I am immeasurably proud of all that climate change in the we have accomplished together, and will continue to achieve. community today and the opportunities that climate solutions present to Australia. Of this, I am immensely proud.
Gerry Hueston Climate Council Chair
4 Annual Report 2019-20
A Message from the CEO and Chief Councillor
Unprecedented. It’s a word we’ve heard Black Summer was a particularly harrowing a lot during this past year. And yet, experience for us all, as we were vividly despite its arguable overuse, rings true. confronted with these impacts up close. The work of the Emergency Leaders for Bushfires previously unimaginable in Climate Action (ELCA) in particular must be scale and ferocity. Backbreaking drought. highlighted here. ELCA, led by Greg Mullins, Unexpected flooding. These extreme weather is comprised of a growing cohort of former events are what scientists have been warning fire and emergency leaders from every state us about - the impacts of climate change are and territory who have banded together to well and truly here. call for stronger action on climate change. Over summer, they appeared time and again All year, the Climate Council has been in the media (often in between fighting fires working tirelessly to make sure that climate themselves), to highlight the undeniably change is front and centre of the national strong link between climate change and the conversation and that Australians are bushfires. This evidence was driven home by making the connection between these several reports released by our research team. unprecedented extreme weather events and its root cause. And we know our strategy The events of Black Summer showed us that is working. Now, almost three-quarters we need to fundamentally rethink how we of Australians acknowledge that climate prepare for, respond to and recover from change is a problem for them personally and bushfires. This prompted ELCA to hold the 84% are demanding some form of climate National Bushfire and Climate Summit to action (Australia Talks 2020). tackle the climate and bushfire crisis, and build Australia into a safer, more resilient place. This Summit brought together leading experts with frontline experience across four closed-door roundtables and culminated in the publication of the Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan - packed with 165 recommendations about how to keep Australians safe from worsening bushfires.
We know that in order to avoid intensifying extreme weather events, we must rapidly phase out our dependence upon fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. To date, much of our campaigning has centred on discrediting coal. However, during the distraction of a pandemic, the fossil fuel industry has been
Image: Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan.
5 positioning gas as the answer. To be clear, To this end, we’ve updated our mission to gas is highly polluting, dangerous, and an propel us into the coming decade, unviable solution. We’ve recently ramped up our work to demonstrate that Australia’s The Climate Council is a courageous economic recovery can be led by clean catalyst propelling Australia towards energy solutions that create jobs instead of bold, effective action to tackle the relying upon outdated fossil fuels like gas. climate crisis.
One way we have achieved this is by It’s our community that has driven us bringing alternative voices into the media forward to be more courageous in our to talk about climate change and its mission. And it’s our community that powers solutions, actively shaping the news cycle. our work every step of the way. Every petition The Climate Media Centre has played a signed, email sent, donation given, phone central role in identifying, training and call made, march attended, conversation pitching spokespeople - such as farmers, held, letter to the editor written, and so much doctors, firefighters, Indigenous leaders and more, is creating a better Australia. So from business experts - to discredit fossil fuels, the bottom of our hearts, thank you. speak about first hand impacts, as well as the solutions we have so readily available. This report provides an update on the past The Cities Power Partnership, the largest financial year of the Climate Council’s local government climate network, has also projects, change-making strategies and been critical in just getting on with the work impacts. We look forward to partnering of implementing climate action. To date, together again over the coming year as we over 650 pledges have been made by local continue to scale up our work. councils to take decisive climate and energy actions. Together, they’re trailblazing the Thanks for being part of the Climate Council, way and transforming our energy future from the bottom up.
Since the Climate Council began, we’ve been providing authoritative, expert advice to the Australian public on climate change and solutions. After extensive consultation with our community and stakeholders, we’ve been convinced that we need to do more. To consider whether we’re doing Prof. Tim Flannery Amanda McKenzie enough, pushing hard enough, dreaming Chief Councillor CEO big enough.
6 Annual Report 2019-20
Impact Summary
Since launching a brand new mission Significantly, journalists are now clearly and to be a courageous catalyst propelling easily making these links by themselves, Australia towards bold, effective action without background briefings or prompting, to tackle the climate crisis, the Climate demonstrating that these ideas have been Council has focused on driving well socialised and accepted. Consequently, forward action throughout society. this has significantly broadened the base of people who are keeping our leaders to In the past year, our team has led a account in asking the hard questions, when it series of major strategic interventions. comes to the impacts of climate change and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action the actions they are taking to mitigate this. (ELCA), in particular, had a prolific impact on the national conversation during the By producing reports and factsheets, and Black Summer bushfire crisis. Through a offering briefings to allies in the climate sophisticated media strategy, we were able space, we help upskill their knowledge and to harness the authority and credibility ensure they have the facts on hand when of former emergency and fire chiefs to they speak to their communities and meet communicate the key message that bushfires with political representatives. are being influenced by climate change. This was picked up and shown by commercial Our media advisors are on call every day, broadcast news, every major newspaper in training new voices to confidently tell their fire-affected states and territories, and across story, pitching climate stories to media a wide range of radio shows. According to outlets from The Australian to The Project, research conducted in the aftermath of the and pulling together media conferences bushfires,49% of Black Summer articles to get as much widespread attention on an discussed climate change, compared with issue as possible. In the past year alone, we only 5% of reporting of the Black Saturday have trained a range of diverse Australians fires in 2009 (Monash Climate Change to speak about climate change in the media. Communication Research Hub, 2020). This Two standouts include training fossil clearly highlights the shift in the national fuel industry workers to speak about the conversation to recognise the influence of opportunities for renewables and equipping climate change on extreme weather, making farmers in regional NSW to talk about the these discussions mainstream, thanks devastating changes they have seen as a to the tireless work of ELCA and others. result of prolonged drought.
7 Our Climate Councillors and senior researchers continue to be in high demand to provide expert evidence to parliamentary inquiries. These are an important way to 59% influence and strengthen policy decisions, making sure that the best science available is of Australians see included. In May, Greg Mullins gave evidence at a public hearing in relation to the Federal climate change as Parliament inquiry into lessons to be learned in relation to the preparation and planning a critical threat. for, response to and recovery efforts following the 2019-20 Australian bushfire season. Collectively, the Climate Council has made eleven submissions to inquiries in the past year, on topics from the bushfires, to the Technology Investment Roadmap, ensuring climate change is on the record.
Through our independent research publications, media interventions and strategic projects, we are shifting the national conversation and reaching the hearts and minds of Australians. According to polling by the Lowy Institute, 59% of Australians see climate change as a critical threat to the vital interests of Australians (Lowy Institute, 2020). It’s critical that while concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic are front of mind, we also reinforce the long term challenge of climate change and the opportunities that we currently have to re-energise our society by adopting clean technologies that both create jobs and reduce emissions.
Image: Bushfires in the Forster and Taree region in October 2019.
8 2019 20 IMPACT SNAPSHOT
OVER WITH AN E UIVALENT 10,100 ADVERTISING SPACE VALUE OF MEDIA ITEMS 100M
RELEASED 7 OUR MEDIA COVERAGE WAS SHARED LANDMARK 1.1M TIMES PUBLICATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
11 A COMMUNITY OF FORMAL SUBMISSIONS 488,000 TO IN UIRIES SUPPORTERS 2019 20 IMPACT SNAPSHOT Research Publications
Since our launch in 2013, the Climate major report content is categorised into the Council has released 120 publications. following: climate science and impacts, climate solutions, and energy and emissions. Many of the Climate Council’s publications The graph below shows the distribution of are released at critical moments to ensure reports across these categories. OVER WITH AN E UIVALENT that climate impacts and solutions are front of mind when it matters most. Examples We can see the impact of this strategy when ADVERTISING SPACE VALUE OF of this include the release of Summer of we consider public concern for climate change 10,100 Crisis and This is Not Normal at the height in the wake of the devastating bushfires. 60% MEDIA ITEMS of the recent bushfire crisis and Primed for of Australians are now more concerned about 100M Action: A Resilient Recovery for Australia climate change than they were last summer as we prepare to rebuild our economy [PWC 2020], illustrating that increasing following the global coronavirus pandemic. amounts of Australians are associating It’s during moments such as these that our extreme weather events, such as bushfires, leaders are making time-sensitive decisions with climate change. And importantly, under public pressure. By releasing credible, recognising that there is a very real chance independent research in a timely and that each of us will be intimately impacted by targeted fashion, we can influence debate. climate change. Unfortunately, there are still vested interests spreading misinformation, RELEASED Through our science-based publications and trying to debunk this narrative and the media reach, the Climate Council continues viability of solutions. At times such as these, OUR MEDIA COVERAGE WAS SHARED 7 to influence the national conversation on when the national conversation reaches fever climate and energy. In the past year, our pitch, it is critical that the Climate Council LANDMARK 1.1M TIMES reports have covered a range of issues stands firm as a voice for science and truth. including Australia’s escalating bushfire By making information accessible to all PUBLICATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA and drought risk, the economic cost of Australians, we empower them to take action climate inaction and the uptake of renewable against climate change and to engage in this energy across our states and territories. Our important national conversation.
1 - 14%
Re ear u l at on
Climate Science/Impacts
A COMMUNITY OF Climate Solutions 2 - 29% 11 4 - 57% Energy and Emissions FORMAL SUBMISSIONS 488,000 TO IN UIRIES SUPPORTERS
Figure 1: Climate Council 2019-20 reports per category. 10 Annual Report 2019-20
Our reports have been tabled in parliament, capacity to be accessed by, and resonate informed government policies and with, a wide range of stakeholders. To emergency services planning, have served ensure accuracy, all major Climate Council as educational resources in schools and reports are peer-reviewed by academic universities across the country, and have experts, and we would like to thank our been used to inform other organisations expert reviewers in 2019-20 for their and campaigns within the environmental continued support of our research. movement. This is a testament to our reports’
SUBMISSIONS
In 2019-20 the Climate Council research team 4. Northern Territory’s Climate Change Response and Councillors have dedicated a significant - October 2019 amount of time to engaging in formal submission processes. Submissions are an important feature 5. Climate Change in Western Australia (Issues of our democratic system. They allow for periods Paper) - November 2019 of consultation with the broader community and interested stakeholders, where you can provide 6. NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry - March feedback or advice on an issue currently being 2020* debated by a committee. It is crucial that climate science is on the agenda when discussing these 7. Royal Commission into Natural Disaster issues of state, and national significance, which Arrangements - April 2020* is why we devote significant time and resources to this process. These contributions also align 8. Inquiry into the 2019-20 Victorian Fire Season with our remit to communicate climate change - April 2020* with diverse audiences, in this case various Government agencies and committees. 9. Inquiry into the lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season In this period, our team made submissions to 2019-20 - May 2020* eleven inquiries: 10. Climate Change Authority’s Review of the ERF 1. Review of the Carbon Credits (Carbon - June 2020 Farming Initiative – Facilities) Methodology Determination 2015 - July 2019 11. Technology Investment Roadmap - June 2020
2. Interim Emission Reduction Targets *Emergency Leaders for Climate Action also made Consultation (Victoria) - July 2019 submissions to these inquiries.
3. Updating the Authority’s Previous Advice on Meeting the Paris Agreement - August 2019
11 CLIMATE AGEING AND POLICIES WAITING FOR UNPREPARED: CLIMATE CUTS, OF MAJOR THE GREEN LIGHT: ENERGY IN NEW COVER-UPS AND AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS SOUTH WALES CENSORSHIP POLITICAL TO CLIMATE CHANGE PARTIES May 2019
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COMPOUND COSTS: DANGEROUS SUMMER: HOW CLIMATE STATE OF PLAY: ESCALATING BUSHFIRE, CHANGE IS DAMAGING RENEWABLE ENERGY HEAT AND DROUGHT RISK AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY DELUGE AND DROUGHT: LEADERS AND LOSERS AUSTRALIA’S WATER SECURITY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
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POWERING PROGRESS: WELCOME TO STATES RENEWABLE END OF THE LINE: QUEENSLAND: ENERGY RACE COAL IN AUSTRALIA RENEWABLE ONE DAY, AND THE NEXT, AND NEXT… THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY: LIMITING TEMPERATURE RISE TO 1.5°C
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THE PRIMED WEATHER GONE WILD: FOR ACTION: ANGRIEST CLIMATE CHANGE- SUMMER SUMMER OF CRISIS A RESILIENT FUELLED EXTREME RECOVERY FOR WEATHER IN 2018 AUSTRALIA
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Images: The Climate Council’s reports focus on three themes: climate science and impacts, climate solutions, and energy and emissions. 12 Annual Report 2019-20
Feature Report This is What Climate Change Looks Like
As predictions about climate change The report showed that while many increasingly become lived reality, we ecosystems and species are already under are witnessing firsthand the impacts threat from other human-associated of more frequent and severe weather activities like land clearing, over-harvesting, events. These events are playing invasive feral animals, and weeds, climate havoc with our health, our agricultural change is adding to this litany of woes. systems, our communities and our economy. They are also having The report outlined Australia’s disappointing devastating impacts on our natural track record on conservation, despite ecosystems and unique wildlife. being home to more than a million unique species of plants and animals. It revealed In September 2019, the Climate Council that Australia has one of the highest rates of released a new report, ‘This is What Climate species extinction in the world. We also now Change Looks Like’, to highlight recent hold the unfortunate title of the first record examples of these impacts. Launched at of a mammalian extinction due to climate Sea Life Sydney Aquarium by Climate change, with the loss of the Bramble Cay Councillors, Professors Tim Flannery melomys. The report also highlighted the and Lesley Hughes, the report attracted devastating impact of ongoing droughts, considerable media attention and generated ‘dry’ lightning strikes, and prolonged an advertising value equivalent of $314,000. heatwaves on Australian forests and their Its findings were broadcast and printed in flora and fauna. 378 media pieces, including a frontpage photo essay in the Guardian and TV In order to ensure that our species and coverage on Channel 7 and SBS. ecosystems are as resilient as possible to worsening extreme weather, Australia needs to take a far bolder approach to conservation and climate action going forward. We must achieve deep and rapid cuts to greenhouse gas emissions to slow the deterioration of our environment, look at creating and connecting new habitats, and translocate at- risk species to prevent further extinctions.
THIS IS WHAT Image: 'This is what climate change looks CLIMATE CHANGE like' documents the impact of more frequent LOOKS LIKE and severe weather events on Australia's ecosystems and unique wildlife.
13 Feature Report State of Play: Renewable Energy Leaders and Losers
In November 2019, the Climate Council Victoria and Queensland are making good released a new report, ‘State of Play: progress on the transition to renewable Renewable Energy Leaders and Losers’. energy, but will need to work hard to Every year, we release this report to track catch the frontrunners. Nearly half of the the progress of Australian states and large-scale renewable energy projects territories, based on their performance completed across Australia in 2018 were in across a range of renewable energy Queensland, but the state is not yet on track metrics. These metrics include: share of to meet its target of 50% renewable energy electricity from renewable energy; the by 2030, with the Government continuing proportion of households with rooftop to support new fossil fuel developments. solar; large-scale wind and solar capacity per capita; and targets or policies in The report found that New South Wales place to support the transition away and Western Australia are now the only from fossil fuels. states without a renewable energy target, while the Northern Territory’s release of a The report found that South Australia, the draft net zero emissions target by 2050 is ACT, and Tasmania are far outperforming undercut by the proposed expansion of the other states and territories across a range of Territory’s gas industry. renewable energy metrics. South Australia now generates half of its electricity from wind This report provided an opportunity for and solar, while the ACT will achieve 100% the Climate Council to engage with state renewable energy in 2020. Tasmania’s Battery and territory ministers and their advisers of the Nation plan could double the state’s to discuss their plans to reach net-zero renewable energy capacity, generating local emissions. As a result, we have been able to jobs and billions of dollars in investment. have constructive conversations with some of the states and territories who are falling behind, to understand their challenges and propose solutions. After several years of tracking their performance and briefing stakeholders, we can now celebrate the fact that despite Federal Government inaction, every single state and territory has a formal STATE OF PLAY: RENEWABLE ENERGY target to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. LEADERS AND LOSERS
Overall, the report showed that states and territories are driving the transition to a
Image: 'State of Play: renewable future in the face of the Federal renewable energy leaders Government’s reckless lack of leadership in and losers' tracks state and this area. territory progress on a range CLIMATECOUNCIL.ORG.AU of renewable energy metrics.
14 CHAPTER 03 20 STATE AND TERRITORY RENEWABLE ENERGY SCORECARD 2019 Annual Report 2019-20
CO2 STATES & TERRITORIES RENEWABLE ENERGY & NET ZERO EMISSIONS TARGETS
NT QLD Renewable Electricity Target Renewable Electricity Target 50% by 2030 50% by 2030
Net Zero Emissions Target Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 By 2050 (Draft target released Sept 2019) WA Renewable Electricity Target NSW None Renewable Electricity Target Net Zero Emissions Target None By 2050 (Aspiration declared Aug 2019) Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Renewable Electricity Target None
Net Zero Emissions Target None
ACT SA Renewable Electricity Target 100% by 2020 Renewable Electricity Target 100% by 2030 Net Zero Emissions Target VIC By 2045 Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 Renewable Electricity Target 50% by 2030 TAS Net Zero Emissions Target Renewable Electricity Target By 2050 100% by 2022
Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050
Image:Figure Renewable 10: All states energy and territories & net zero now emissions have a net zero targets. emissions Every target, state and and all territory except New now South has Wales a formal and Western target toAustralia meet net-zerohave a emissionsrenewable by energy2050. target. The Federal Government now has neither.
15 Media Coverage
The Climate Council is renowned for Despite the challenging media environment our communications expertise. From of 2020, with the dominance of COVID-19 our ability to identify a media moment, coverage, the Climate Council has still to crafting resonant messages and maintained a strong presence, ensuring amplifying unique voices, we ensure the long term challenge of the climate climate change is in the headlines. crisis is not forgotten. This was particularly important when our spokespeople During the 2019-20 bushfire crisis, the challenged advocates of a gas-led economic Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for recovery in the media, and continued to raise Climate Action (ELCA) were highly sought alarm at Australia’s increasing gas emissions. after in the media for expert commentary. ELCA alone featured more than 78,000 times Thanks to our profile, the media trusts the in traditional and social media over the crisis. Climate Council as a source of truth and Behind the scenes, our media advisors worked authority when it comes to climate science, with the research team to create punchy extreme weather and energy, and regularly resources for journalists such as factsheets turns to us to provide spokespeople, fact and briefing papers on popular media topics check dodgy comments, or provide the such as hazard reduction burning and air latest statistics. This in turn helps us reach quality. This work with journalists, along with millions of Australians, from decision- our presence in the news, lifted the quality of makers to families watching the nightly reporting on the bushfires and the connection news. No matter the challenges of the next to climate change. twelve months, we will continue to reach Australian audiences with our climate messages, encouraging them to advocate for climate action.
ELCA alone featured more than 78,000 times in traditional and social media over the 2019-20 bushfire crisis.
16 Annual Report 2019-20
Image: Climate Councillor Professor Will Steffen on Channel 10’s The Project speaking about the threat of coastal erosion along Australia’s coastline.
Image: Climate Councillors Professor Will Steffen and Greg Mullins.
Image: Climate Councillor and Emergency Leader for Climate Action, Greg Mullins on ABC’s The Drum.
17 Case Studies
CASE STUDY 1: GREG MULLINS AND THE CALIFORNIA BUSHFIRES
In November 2019, former NSW Fire Greg’s message was powerful and prescient. He & Rescue Commissioner and Climate warned that Australia leases its heavy firefighting Councillor, Greg Mullins, appeared in an aircraft from the U.S., and that effective agenda-setting piece on ABC’s 7.30. The firefighting depends on states and territories story documented Greg’s visit to California being able to share resources and personnel. earlier that year, where he witnessed first- As fire seasons in both hemispheres become hand the devastating impacts of longer and longer, and more parts of Australia start to burn more severe bushfire seasons in the United simultaneously, this kind of resource sharing will States of America. Greg warned that these become impossible. Greg told Australians that catastrophic conditions are part of a broader he had been trying for months to meet with the global trend, which he has observed over his Federal Government to share this information, 40-year career in firefighting. This includes but that the Prime Minister was refusing to speak fire seasons starting earlier and finishing with the experts. In the weeks following his later, lower rainfalls in winter, winds appearance on 7.30, as the country went up in becoming stronger, and fires becoming flames, Greg’s intervention catapulted Emergency harder to fight. Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) into the national spotlight and paved the way for them to gain a massive national profile. Greg and ELCA played a vital role in changing the way Australians talk about bushfires and climate change, and started the conversation around a national bushfire and climate response.
Image: Climate Councillor Greg Mullins’ appearance on ABC’s 7.30 warning of the extreme bushfire risks facing Australia as a result of climate change.
18 Annual Report 2019-20
CASE STUDY 2: AMANDA MCKENZIE SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Time and again, the Federal Government In response, Climate Council CEO Amanda has claimed that Australia is doing its McKenzie did not mince her words, calling the fair share to mitigate climate change and Prime Minister’s claim that Australia was doing reduce carbon emissions. In September enough on climate change ‘colossal bull****’. 2019, Prime Minister Scott Morrison took to Amanda’s response was featured across ABC the global United Nation’s stage to deliver News, SBS and news.com.au among others and a speech, saying, “Australia is also taking was re-tweeted by the likes of Mike Cannon- real action on climate change and we are Brookes, the CEO of Atlassian and clean energy getting results. advocate. Due to this heightened media attention, the Prime Minister was forced to respond, We are successfully balancing our global blaming activists and the media for misleading responsibilities with sensible and practical Australians. Thanks to the media moment we policies to secure our environmental and our created, ABC’s Media Watch dedicated a segment economic future”. But, in reality, Australia’s Paris to the story, broadcasting five independent target is to reduce our emissions by 26-28% scientists’ opinions that Australia is not doing below 2005 levels by 2030, which is one of the enough to combat global warming, supporting weakest targets amongst developed countries. the Climate Council’s evidence and providing a If other countries adopted Australia’s target, the strong case for action. world would be heading for catastrophic climate damage. Rising emissions and worsening climate impacts are placing Australian lives, our economy and the natural environment at risk.
Image: Climate Council CEO, Amanda McKenzie's response to the PM's claim that Australia was doing enough on climate change heightened media attention and forced the PM to respond.
19 Digital Content
In an increasingly connected world, we Using our digital platforms, we swiftly are often bombarded with information, debunk climate misinformation, celebrate images and ideas, making it difficult wins about the people, towns, and states to discern fact from fiction. Here at embracing clean technologies, share the Climate Council, we see our role important climate news - both nationally and as being a wayfinder through all the abroad, and break down complex ideas using complexities and speaking truth. And visual mediums. Video content, in particular, our digital content is a particularly continues to be an engaging way to discuss important and timely method by which complicated climate and energy topics, we can readily disseminate information. while enabling us to reach new audiences. This is resonating with our community, which is evidenced by the number of people who continue to share our concern with their friends and family, connecting new audiences to stories that showcase positive climate solutions that are already underway.
The way that Australians consume news is also continuing to transform, with 52% 267.5K of Australians using social media to access news - the highest it’s ever been (Digital News Facebook Community Report 20). This was a trend that we noticed particularly during the bushfire crisis, with a huge influx of people accessing our social 54.3K media platforms as they regarded them as a Twitter Followers source of independent, timely, and relevant news on the bushfires - and how to respond to them. In particular, we have seen our number of Instagram followers double in the 36.1K past year, with a particular increase among Instagram Followers younger audiences. As trust in traditional media institutions and the government falls, wary of their ability to provide the public with accurate, unbiased information, this only 2.9M reinforces the role of the Climate Council to People reached per provide free, independent information in the month on social media digital sphere.
Figure: Figures correct as of June 2020. While we’ve continued to see significant growth across our digital community, the public’s attention on the COVID-19 pandemic did impact our reach during March-May.
20 Annual Report 2019-20
Image: Emergency Leaders for Climate Action’s website.
However, it’s not only truth that people are looking for, but leadership. Something to be inspired by and to inspire others. That’s why people keep turning to our digital content to hear about the good news stories that are happening in droves across Australia and around the world. Whether it’s highlighting stories of workers embracing new jobs in clean technologies, how solar saved a local bowlo, or celebrating international milestones of other countries who are leading the way. We’ll keep up this drumbeat of positive stories, as evidence and inspiration of what can be done when people just get down to business.
21 CASE STUDY 3: COMMUNITY RESOURCES
COVID-19 has evidently disrupted the ways society interacts and, in so doing, also created new opportunities for the ways we connect as a community. Consequently, we produced a range of resources to provide Australians with the tools and avenues to educate themselves, learn some new skills, and take practical steps to implement climate action in their day to day lives.
Book Club
The Climate Council hosted a series of five online book clubs, as a new way to engage with our community. The premise of the events was to discuss books related to climate change with their authors, our Climate Councillors, experts, members of our community and a former Prime Minister. We received very positive feedback from our community on these events, particularly from supporters in regional and rural areas who normally cannot access events that we hold in capital cities.
Our conversations covered everything from how to have an effective climate conversation and the individual actions we can take, to the power of seaweed, and big picture thinking about what our world would look like if we were to meet the Paris Agreement targets.
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who joined our Book Club and a special thanks to our wonderful guests: Chief Councillor Professor Tim Flannery, Climate Councillor Professor Lesley Huges, Daisy Jeffrey, Malcolm Turnbull, Damon Gameau, Yael Stone, Sam Elsom, Dr Rebecca Huntley and upcoming authors who will feature in our book club in 2020/21.
Image: We hosted a series of five online book clubs on a range of topics, from how to have an effective climate conversation, to the power of seaweed.
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CASE STUDY 3: COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Image: We teamed up with Jamie Durie on a video covering simple tips to improve energy efficiency in the home.
Energy Efficiency Video with Jamie Durie
Electricity generation is the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. With Australians spending more time at home than ever before, the Climate Council teamed up with Jamie Durie to provide our supporters with some simple tips to improve their energy efficiency (and lower their power bills!). Each of the tips are intended to be accessible for everyone, regardless of living situation - whether in apartments or houses, for renters or homeowners. Suggestions included easy tips such as switching to LED lightbulbs, washing clothes in cold water, insulating rooms with rugs and door-snakes, and keeping your heating below 20°C.
Social Media Content
In addition to our usual social media content, our digital team produced additional resources for our community at this time. For example, we created articles such as 5 climate actions you can take from your bedroom featuring five easy things supporters could do without leaving the house, as well as launching a national petition to support an economic recovery that simultaneously tackles the long term challenge of climate change.
Finding new and creative ways to engage with our supporters, particularly those who are not located in capital cities, is something we have committed to continue to pursue, pandemic or not.
23 Social Media Tiles
Image: A selection of the tiles posted across our social platforms.
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Climate Council Project Review Summer of Crisis Interventions
During the summer of 2019-20, and OUTCOMES the months that stretched either side, Australia suffered through an Research Publications unprecedented national bushfire crisis which saw lives lost, homes In November 2019, within days of and communities destroyed, and catastrophic fire conditions breaking at least a billion animals killed or out across much of eastern Australia, the injured. The crisis made the reality Climate Council published its briefing paper, of climate change in Australia very ‘This is Not Normal: Climate Change and clear: bushfire conditions are now Escalating Bushfire Risk’. The paper clearly more dangerous than in the past, and communicated that the bushfire conditions the risk to people and property has Australia was experiencing were not normal dramatically increased. In response and had been exacerbated by climate change. to the bushfires, the Climate Council mobilised and engaged in a series This message was reinforced less than a of interventions to ensure climate month later, with the release of ‘Dangerous change remained at the top of the Summer: Escalating Bushfire, Heat and national conversation. Drought Risk’. This report analysed temperature and rainfall projections for the summer of 2019/20, highlighting that regions already plagued by drought can expect drier than average conditions going forward. It also underlined the impact of extreme heat and bushfires on public health, particularly through heat-related illness and the wide-reaching implications of poor and hazardous air quality.
In March, the Climate Council released ‘Summer of Crisis’, the first comprehensive overview of the summer’s devastating impacts. It detailed the bushfires’ unprecedented effects on the Australian environment and economy and recommended urgent action to mitigate these risks in the years to come. This information was used extensively by experts and journalists in their reporting of this crisis.
25 Media Interventions launched our 'This is Not Normal' video off the back of the report, and reinforced its key The Climate Council media team has worked messages in an engaging, accessible and with a range of voices to communicate highly shareable format. the link between the bushfires and climate change. Through the Cities Power Partnership network, we organised for IMPACT mayors of fire-stricken regions to sign a statement acknowledging the role of The Climate Council’s publications, media climate change in driving catastrophic fire interventions and digital content have conditions. Climate Councillor and health played a key role in shaping the national expert Professor Hilary Bambrick appeared conversation during and in the wake of last in the media warning of the immediate and summer’s unprecedented bushfire season. long-term risks of the hazardous air quality Our reports, media releases, explainers, experienced in our major cities during the and digital content clearly and repeatedly bushfires. Finally, three climate experts, articulated the link between worsening including Climate Councillor Professor extreme weather events and climate Will Steffen, issued a joint statement urging change, driven primarily by the burning Australians to take heed of the science of fossil fuels. In response to rampant linking climate change with the bushfires. misinformation and unhelpful narratives surrounding the bushfires, the Climate Digital Content Council was there to lead with facts and science, ensuring that the impact of climate Through our social media channels, the change remains front and centre as we Climate Council released a series of videos prepare for worsening summers to come. continually reiterating the link between extreme weather events and climate change. In particular, our ‘Summer of Crisis’ report Ahead of the start of the bushfire season, garnered considerable media attention. we sent Climate Councillor Greg Mullins’ to The press release launching the report was California to document the aftermath of an covered by SBS, 2BG, Channel 7 Sydney and unprecedented bushfire crisis there - and Prime 7, with syndications by AAP and news. produced a hard-hitting video highlighting com, ensuring the report’s headlines were the lengthening and overlapping fire splashed across multiple news outlets' front seasons in both the Northern and Southern pages and newsreels. The report generated hemispheres, as well as the increasing strain the equivalent of $682,000 in advertising this puts on our firefighting resources. In value and was the subject of 353 broadcast January, we hosted a webinar with Greg to and online items. take stock of the bushfire crisis and answer recurring community questions. Finally, we
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The bushfire season was the worst on record for New South Wales in terms of its intensity, the area burned, and the number of properties lost.
Images - Top: Professor David Bowman, Professor Will Steffen and Dr Tom Beer at the launch of their joint statement. Right and below: Photos captured in the Crescent Head, Forster and Taree regions in October 2019.
27 Climate Council Project Review Cities Power Partnership
Over the past three years, the Cities OUTCOMES Power Partnership (CPP) has become Australia’s largest network of local Hackathon governments taking action on climate change. With 125 councils In February 2020, the CPP ran a ‘Net-Zero on board, representing 50% of Emissions Hackathon’, bringing together Australians, we have seen tangible leading Victorian councils to brainstorm action and exciting projects taking pathways for councils to reach net-zero place all across the country, as well as emissions. Participants discussed ways to invaluable opportunities for learning support households, businesses and renters and collaboration. The goal of the to make the most of renewable energy; Cities Power Partnership this year how to help their communities transition has been to deepen engagement with, to electric vehicles; and how to support and between member councils, listen homeowners and businesses to make their to the needs of local communities, buildings more energy-efficient. As a result and provide support and solutions of these discussions, a working group called to councils, as they work to reduce the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action their emissions and implement their is moving forward with scoping out the climate goals. winning idea from the event, a council- owned energy retailer.
Image: Climate Council supporters at Bungala Solar Farm.
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Profiling Local Legends Pledges and Projects
In April, the CPP released a video Collectively, our CPP member councils showcasing the City of Newcastle’s have made over 650 pledges to take action transition from the world’s busiest coal port on climate change. Over half our councils to a renewable energy powerhouse. The have pledged to install renewable energy video featured a local bowling club whose on council buildings, with 99% reporting members rallied together to sponsor a that they currently have solar PV installed 50KW solar panel system for the club’s roof, on at least one council building. 48% of saving up to $1800 per month in energy members have a Renewable Energy Target, bills. They City of Newcastle has also has 33% have a Net-Zero Emissions Corporate built a large-scale solar farm on an old Target and 79% are investigating an electric waste management site and has installed vehicle policy. 46 CPP councils have declared solar panels on the roof of its art gallery a climate emergency, with six councils and bus depot, as well as installing electric currently working on a Climate Emergency vehicle charging infrastructure throughout Plan. Clearly our local councils are getting the city centre. Newcastle is now one of down to business and powering on with the the first local governments in the country work of transitioning to clean energy towns to be powered by 100% renewable energy, - showing the rest of Australia it doesn’t need demonstrating that there is life beyond coal to be complicated. for Australia’s regional towns. Stand-out CPP projects include: Every week, the CPP team works with members to profile their initiatives in › A huge renewable power purchase regional, state and national media. This agreement which has seen the City of drumbeat of coverage builds community Melbourne become Australia’s first 100% support for local initiatives, as well as renewable-powered capital city. shows councils across Australia the benefits of taking climate action. To create › Bathurst Regional Council’s plans to a greater impact, we seek opportunities to deploy energy-efficient LED lighting to bring councils together as a unified voice approximately 5,600 street and area lights for advocacy and action. by mid-2020, saving 1,800 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.
› The City of Port Philip’s Community Leaders Program provides funding for local community leaders to start their own projects to reduce energy consumption and switch to renewables.
› Darwin City Council has implemented the Shoal Bay Renewable Energy Facility which harvests gas from landfill to produce renewable electricity to approximately 1,000 Darwin homes every year.
Image: Bathurst LED street lighting.
29 CPP 2019 Climate Awards IMPACT
The CPP’s annual Climate Awards recognise By supporting councils to implement local the unsung work of climate heroes in local climate action projects, the CPP is having communities across the country. The positive long term impacts; from increasing 2019 Awards attracted a number of entries grassroot support for climate action to the from a diverse range of communities in reduction in Australia’s greenhouse gas the fields of renewable energy, energy emissions. The CPP continues to show us efficiency, sustainable transport, community that despite the lack of Federal Government engagement, and project financing. action on climate change, local communities can still have a significant impact, filling this Winners included the ACT’s Next Generation leadership void and implementing practical, Energy Storage program which is supporting localised solutions. the roll-out of solar battery storage in up to 5,000 homes and small businesses, the To overcome the time and resource City of Newcastle’s transport project, the shortages faced by local governments, Smart Moves Program, and the City of Port the CPP provides access to a wide range Phillip’s innovative project which saw Albert of resources. This includes case studies of Park Kindergarten become the first certified other councils’ winning strategies, policy carbon neutral Early Childhood Education examples, webinars on topics such as Power and Care Service in Australia. Cr Tony Purchase Agreements, as well as hosting Wellington, Mayor of Noosa Shire Council, events to bring councils together to discuss was also recognised as the ‘Ambassador shared opportunities and challenges. These of the Year’ as the driving force behind an resources are particularly important for ambitious plan to take his community to smaller, under resourced councils who would net-zero emissions by 2026. Tony has been not otherwise have access to technology a tireless advocate for local government such as an emissions and cost savings climate action in his shire and beyond. tracker, online platforms such as a live Congratulations to the 2019 CPP Climate forum to seek advice, as well as a library with Awards Winners! We love being able to hundreds of articles and case studies. As an celebrate these community heroes who are accessible nation-wide program, the CPP paving the way to create a better Australia. ensures that all councils, no matter what their size or location, can be included in the climate action conversation.
The CPP looks forward to continuing to grow the program around Australia, encouraging collaboration and the replication of successful climate solutions.
Image: CPP 2019 Climate Awards.
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Images - Top: The CPP profiled the City of Newcastle in a video for social media highlighting how the community have embraced solar. Middle: Cities Power Partnership 2nd Birthday and Awards night. Bottom: Council ‘Hackathon’ Event.
31 Climate Council Project Review Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
Since its inception in April 2019, and OUTCOMES throughout the 2019-20 bushfire crisis, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action Media Interventions (ELCA) has been a source of leadership for Australians. Since its formation, ELCA has had a significant media presence, firmly Led by Climate Councillor and former articulating the link between extreme Commissioner of Fire & Rescue NSW, Greg weather events and climate change. ELCA Mullins, ELCA is a growing coalition of members, particularly Greg Mullins, have former senior fire and emergency service appeared on ABC Radio National and 7.30, leaders, representing every fire service in Channel 9’s 60 Minutes, Channel 10’s The Australia and a number of SES and land Project and Studio 10, and Channel 7’s management agencies. Together, they are Sunrise, amongst many others. Soon after working to protect Australian communities its formation, ELCA wrote to Prime Minister from increasingly frequent and damaging Scott Morrison warning of an impending extreme weather events. bushfire disaster driven by climate change. The Prime Minister's failure to listen to these experts generated substantial coverage particularly after ELCA members fronted a press conference in late 2019 to clearly state that the bushfires were fuelled by climate change and that the Prime Minister had failed to heed their warnings. All the country’s key political journalists covered this story and it also garnered international media attention. Greg Mullins conducted interviews with The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Channel 4 and the BBC. As a result of this coverage, Greg Mullins became a household name, consistently reinforcing the message: we can’t fight fires without addressing the underlying cause: climate change.
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National Bushfire and Climate Summit home affairs, industry, economists, farmers, the health sector, veterinarians, scientists, In the wake of the bushfire crisis, ELCA Indigenous leaders, and local governments. convened an online National Bushfire The Summit also included two public and Climate Summit, bringing together panel events, hosted by journalist Kerry key stakeholders from across the country O’Brien, and were viewed by thousands of to discuss how we can better protect Australians. The Summit culminated in the Australians from the escalating risks publication of the “Australian Bushfire and of bushfires and build a foundation for Climate Plan” which provides a clear pathway a coordinated national response. The to better protect Australians from bushfires, Summit was structured as a series of including practical ideas for governments, expert closed door roundtable discussions fire and land management agencies and attended by representatives from state fire communities to help us mitigate and and emergency services, the military and adapt to worsening fire conditions. The plan’s 165 recommendations include many measures that can be implemented right now, to ensure communities are better protected. We’ll be briefing key government leaders, industry experts, the community sector and others on how we can use the recommendations to protect Australians from future bushfire crises.
Image: ELCA members at a press conference in December 2019.
33 IMPACT worsening extreme weather events, including the devastating bushfires of last summer, are ELCA’s carefully executed media strategy being aggravated by climate change, which is has had a transformative impact on the driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Indeed, public debate around climate change. the pressure we mounted was instrumental Through its media interventions, ELCA in forcing the Prime Minister to acknowledge shut down the argument that we should the link between climate change and not discuss climate change during a bushfires for the first time. crisis and made clear that the Federal Government was warned of the risks Moving forward, ELCA will continue to be of catastrophic bushfires and failed to a highly influential voice in the national act. ELCA wrote to the Prime Minister, climate conversation; to directly influence requesting to meet with him in both April decision makers to implement effective and September of 2019, to warn him of climate change mitigation and adaptation the catastrophic fire season ahead, but policies; and to provide current fire and these requests fell on deaf ears. However, emergency service organisations and the scale and ferocity of Black Summer personnel with relevant climate change catapulted ELCA voices to front page information to assist them in preparing for news - making their message one that worsening bushfire seasons. could no longer be ignored. ELCA’s media prominence cut through the political noise and firmly articulated the fact that
Images: ELCA members Lee Johnson and Mike Brown were strong advocates for climate action throughout Black Summer.
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Climate Council Project Review Climate Media Centre
The stories we tell ourselves and witnessing devastating impacts on the each other inform our view of the places we love. We also highlight and amplify world, teach us what matters and, the businesses and organisations working ultimately, change hearts and minds. on solutions including renewable energy An independent project of the Climate entrepreneurs, electric vehicle enthusiasts Council, the Climate Media Centre and community energy groups. (CMC) localises and personalises climate change for Australians. We Through the support we provide—from help everyday Australians share their training hundreds of spokespeople and stories of climate change impacts and pitching their stories to the media, to solutions via the mainstream media. providing strategic communications advice to other climate organisations—CMC has You won’t see the CMC mentioned in the driven a sea change in the quality and media, but you will have heard the voices quantity of climate change coverage in the of the dozens of everyday Australians media since our inception in 2015. Thanks we support. Our people include drought- to our media nous, advice, training and affected farmers, firefighters who are facing ongoing support, our spokespeople have increasingly dangerous bushfires, doctors become household names, sought-after seeing the health impacts of climate change, media talent, and influential voices in the bushfire survivors, and tourism operators national climate change debate.
Image: Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action at a press conference in Victoria.
35 OUTCOMES bushfire crisis took hold, as well as quickly connected journalists with bushfire- The CMC’s core objectives this year have affected people who wanted to speak been to: out about climate change. Similarly, with COVID-19 dominating the media › Maintain a community of trusted, discourse, the CMC rapidly produced a engaged and effective voices on communications guide on how to talk climate impacts and solutions about climate change in the context of the health and economic crises. The CMC works with a core group of 140 spokespeople, but over the years has The CMC team also works to equip trained more than 1,000 Australians in journalists with the information they how to effectively tell their stories in the need to quickly get across complicated media. With staff located across three energy issues, and ask politicians and states, we have held training sessions decision makers the right questions. We with groups including: have produced handy Reporters Guides on issues like gas and energy reliability, 1. 120 participants in the Northern to positive feedback from reporters. Territory spanning climate justice organisations, Indigenous groups, › Look for new and innovative ways to students, health professionals and improve and expand the CMC’s work local government representatives. While COVID-19 has undoubtedly 2. Tasmanians in Hobart and dominated media coverage and made Launceston. in-person media training sessions or press conferences impossible, CMC has 3. Young Australians who want to raise responded quickly to this challenge their voice on this critical issue. by developing an extensive range of resources for our spokespeople and 4. Regional Queenslanders in day-long journalists. Since the beginning of the sessions across Cairns, Toowoomba pandemic, we have conducted more than and Townsville. 40 online training sessions and produced a series of How To guides for our spokes › Increase the quality and effectiveness to nail Zoom interviews. of climate change communications We have also deepened our work on Throughout the past year, the CMC regional issues with a new rural and team has provided strategic advice for regional specialist Australian media spokespeople as well as the broader advisor; and expanded into new areas climate movement. For instance, we with a new economics senior media provided the movement with rapid- advisor who is leading CMC’s response response messaging advice when the to Australia’s COVID-19 recovery.
36 Annual Report 2019-20
IMPACT As the conversation about a clean economic recovery from COVID-19 heats up, coupled In 2019-20, the Climate Media Centre with growing public concern for climate exceeded its target of 6,000 media change, demand for the CMC’s support items annually more than three times continues to grow. over, generating over 20,000 items. Our spokespeople were featured in a diverse Despite a challenging year, we continue range of media outlets from the ‘bible of to work with people, organisations, and the bush’ The Weekly Times, to agenda- business to maintain the Climate Council’s setting national broadsheets like the core work in linking extreme weather and Australian Financial Review, to ABC’s 7.30 bushfires with climate change, as well as to report. Advancing our mission to reach new ensure that discussions about our economic audiences who may not be highly engaged recovery prominently feature the role of on climate change, we also landed media climate solutions. We are confident that the wins in popular magazines like Marie CMC model continues to work and evolve Claire and The Australian Women’s Weekly, to mainstream climate change in the media Channel 10’s The Project, and Channel 7’s narrative in Australia. Sunrise. Keeping up this constant drumbeat of information, in a variety of formats, from a variety of spokespeople, is critical in influencing members of the public who are harder to engage.
Image: The CMC team supports climate organisations like Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action (pictured below in Feb 2020) to run successful media launches. CMC spokespeople featured in The Australian Women’s Weekly.
37 Climate Council Community
As an independent community-funded who chip in a weekly or monthly donation to organisation, the Climate Council power our work. Our Members are the engine relies on the generous support of our room of the Climate Council and the key to passionate community who power and driving our change-making strategy. Your inform all that we do. regular support means we can undertake the work that at the heart of our mission: writing In this past year, thousands of our hard-hitting reports, keeping climate change community members have stood up for in the media, influencing decision makers, climate action, signed petitions, contacted and incorporating new voices into the debate. their MPs on issues they are passionate about, Over 500 new Members joined the Climate engaged with the National Bushfire & Climate Council in the past year and we would like to Summit, and attended webinars with our thank you for your passion and commitment Climate Councillors. And most importantly, to independent climate science. you share the work of the Climate Council with your friends, families and communities We’d also like the opportunity to thank our via social media, in conversations, and even Climate Council Champions, our generous through calling up your local radio stations. supporters who donate $1000 or more to power our most strategic projects and interventions. This year we continued to grow our Climate From launching in 2018, the group has grown Council Membership program for supporters to over 70 passionate Champions.
Hear from some of our wonderful community of supporters about why they support the Climate Council:
“I appreciate the commitment, professionalism and hard work the members of the Climate Council contribute to the fight for a cleaner, safer world for all.” - Lynn
“What you're doing is so terribly important.” - Damien
“I admire how the Climate Council continued on, independent of government funding and provides an accessible strong and scientifically based voice on climate action.” - Wendy
“Climate Council campaigns for the single most important issue of our time.” - Peter
“It's easy to be pessimistic about politics and the lack of action on climate change. The Climate Council shows what can be done at the grass-root level, and that changes the dynamic.” - Kerry
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Down To Earth Bushfire Relief Concert
In response to the devastating 2019- As a recipient of the generous funds raised 20 bushfire crisis, a group of artists at the event, we hosted an interactive stall, came together to perform at Down where concertgoers could talk to our team to Earth, a bushfire relief concert. All about the work of Emergency Leaders profits of the concert were donated to for Climate Action, as well as any other several charities and groups, including climate and energy questions they may our work with Emergency Leaders for have. The Climate Council partnered with Climate Action. Ben & Jerry’s to engage concertgoers by offering ‘Pay As You Feel’ ice cream with all proceeds going to ELCA.
We would like to sincerely thank the Down to Earth artists and organisers for their support of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action, and for hosting such a fantastic event.
Image: The Climate Council and Ben & Jerry's team at Down to Earth.
39 Heron Island Insight Trip
Image: Climate Council supporters learn more about how they can help safeguard the future of the Great Barrier Reef.
For the past three years, the Climate comprehensive understanding of the Council has organised annual impact climate change is having, including immersive insight trips to Heron the coral bleaching events, on the Great Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Barrier Reef. The group then participated in workshops to understand the solutions These trips provide an opportunity for available to safeguard our future and participants to learn first hand from experts brainstorm the tangible actions they can about the impacts of, and solutions to, the take within their own spheres of influence climate crisis. Last October, 38 dedicated to enact change. Participants of the trip supporters participated in the Heron island have since engaged in a wide range of Insight Trip, learning and collaborating creative ways to progress climate action. about how as a collective they could make These include progressing their seaweed an impact. The participants engaged farming businesses, using art as a medium in presentations from climate science to raise awareness for the climate crisis, experts, such as Professor Tim Flannery and looking within their professional and Professor Lesley Hughes, to gain a networks to make change.
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Tassie Trek for Climate Action
In August 2019, we launched the Tassie 32 passionate supporters raised their hand Trek for Climate Action to raise critical and joined our teams, led by Professor funds for the Climate Council’s extreme Lesley Hughes and Professor Will Steffen. weather work and Emergency Leaders So far, our Tassie Trekkers have raised for Climate Action. significant funds through raffles, art auctions, workplace presentations and a clothing sale. We can’t thank the teams enough for their commitment and passion for climate action. Unfortunately, our adventure in the Tarkine had to be postponed due to COVID-19 but we are hopeful these trips will progress in 2021.
Image: The Tassie Trek for Climate Action will explore the beauty of the Tasmanian wilderness, including the Tarkine.
41 Community Giving and Philanthropy
The Climate Council continues to The financial information in this annual rely on our community to fund our report has been extracted from the Annual operations, with over 51% of our Financial Report which has been audited by funding coming from our community. Thomas Davis & Co, Chartered Accountants. This includes our Members, Founding The auditor provided an unqualified audit Friends, Champions, Peer to Peer report. Our accounts are general purpose Fundraisers and other supporters. financial statements that are prepared in The remainder of our funding comes accordance with the Australian Accounting from philanthropy and grants from Standards - reduced Disclosure Requirements foundations. of the AASB and the ACNC Act 2012.
We continue to be grateful to all our donors, We comply with the ACNC requirements and in particular to our regular donors who in relation to disclosure of our company commit to funding our organisation via and financial information on an annual mainly weekly and monthly donations. We basis. The audited accounts and company have over 5,250 regular donors who donated information are available to the public on the in the last financial year. ACNC website.
We’d also like to thank our passionate We also comply with reporting requirements Climate Council Champions whose of the Register of Environmental donations of $1,000 or more each year are Organisations and state based fundraising vital to powering our ongoing research and licence regulators. communications.
The Climate Council continues to have approved deductible gift recipient (DGR) status and donations made to our gift fund over $2 are tax deductible.
Our financial management continues to utilise robust financial and donor management systems overseen by the Finance Committee of the Board and our staff team. Our financial management is supported by a strategic plan and we maintain strong financial and compliance controls as well as prudent budgetary and cash management review processes on a monthly basis.
42 Annual Report 2019-20
Finances
INCOME
In the 2019/20 financial year we received income totalling $6,216,520. This was a significant increase from the previous financial year and is reflective of the growth of the Climate Council's critical projects including Emergency Leaders for Climate Action, Cities Power Partnership and Climate Media Centre. This funding will be allocated to a number of projects over the next two financial years.
The 2019/20 financial year saw the Climate Council’s number of core regular (weekly and monthly) donors grow to over 5,250 people (up by over 500 donors from the previous year) and the average regular donation is $28.
Image: Cities Power Partnership members at Bungala Solar Farm, South Australia.
43 SUPPORTER FUNDRAISING Bushfire Relief Art Auction. Over fifty of the country’s leading and emerging artists Every year, we are inspired by the contributed art pieces to an art auction passionate supporters who choose to take event, to raise funds to nominated charities on a challenge or host an event to raise working on bushfires and climate change, money for climate action. Collectively over including the Climate Council. the past year, our supporters have raised over $110,000 for the Climate Council by Throughout February and March, nearly taking on exercise challenges, running 700 Climate Council supporters chipped market stalls or asking for donations in into support the Emergency Leaders for lieu of birthday gifts. Thank you to all our Climate Action through EthicalJobs. supporters for the time and effort you com.au’s matched giving campaign. We have all put into making your events and successfully raised $72,833, including a fundraising such a fabulous success! $30,000 contribution from EthicalJobs.com. au. Thank you so much to our wonderful We would like to especially acknowledge community for your support. the artists that contributed to the Home
Images - Left: Home Bushfire Relief Art Auction. Right: Adrienne Doig 2018 Too Political Courtesy Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney.
44 Annual Report 2019-20
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45 EXPENDITURE
Climate Council expenditure in 2019/20 › Emergency Leaders for Climate Action financial year was $ 4,414,667. This was in Program (6%) - expenses associated the following areas: with media and digital interventions, stakeholder briefings, submissions and › Changing the public debate (54%) – the online National Bushfire & Climate includes expenses associated with Summit. our communications work such as research, writing and delivery of world › Direct Community Engagement (3%) - leading export reports as well as media expenses associated with communicating distribution and programs that educate with a broad range of engaged audiences the community or specialised target including the delivery of speeches to over groups, in addition to distribution of our 9,000 people by our CEO, research team information via online, digital and social and the Councillors. media platforms. › Fundraising (10%) - expenses associated › Cities Power Partnership Program (15%) with fundraising campaigns and donor - expenses associated with supporting and community management systems. councils to work together on climate solutions and communicating how › Finance and Administration (12%) - local governments and communities most of these costs relate to running across Australia are transforming and the Climate Council legally, compliantly making a switch to a clean energy future. and efficiently. This includes operational We are highlighting the role they are management, accounting, audit, playing in reducing national emissions, compliance, insurance and legal costs. via initiatives and projects focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport.
12% Changing the Public Debate
10% Direct Community Engagement
Cities Power Partnership Program
6% 54% Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
Fundraising
Finance and Administration 15%
3%
Note: Salary and wage costs are allocated to the appropriate area of expense.
46 Annual Report 2019-20
Pro Bono Goods & Services
We aim to reduce our costs (in VOLUNTEERS particular our salary and general council activity costs) as much as In the 2019/20 financial possible by accepting pro bono and year we estimate that discounted goods and services. volunteers contributed over $413,440 of their time! This year we have received pro bono (or discounted cost) good and services Please see our appreciation pages for legal, graphic design, conference acknowledging all our pro bono attendance, venue facilities, consulting supporters and volunteers. fees, administration resources, creative resources as well as not for profit charity discounts for IT services, hardware and travel costs.
Image: Bungala Solar Farm, South Australia.
47 Our Team Councillors & Board Members
COUNCILLORS
Professor Tim Flannery Amanda McKenzie Chief Councillor CEO
Professor Tim Flannery is one of Amanda is one of the best known public Australia’s leading writers on climate commentators on the climate crisis in change. An internationally acclaimed Australia. She is the CEO and co-founder scientist, explorer and conservationist, of the Climate Council, an independent Professor Flannery was named climate change education and advocacy Australian of the Year in 2007. Professor Flannery has body. Previously, Amanda co-founded the Australian held various academic positions including Professor Youth Climate Coalition and has served on Renewable at the University of Adelaide, director of the South Energy Expert Panels for the Queensland and Northern Australian Museum in Adelaide, Principal Research Territory governments. Amanda was the founding Chair Scientist at the Australian Museum and Visiting Chair of the Centre for Australian Progress and is a former Board in Australian Studies at Harvard University in the Director at Plan International Australia and the Whitlam Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. Institute. She holds an Honours degree in Law from A well known presenter on ABC Radio, NPR and the Monash University and an Arts Degree from Melbourne BBC for more than a decade, he has also written and University. Amanda has won numerous awards including presented several series on the Documentary Channel being recognised as one of Westpac’s 100 Women of including The Future Eaters (1998), Wild Australasia Influence and a finalist in Telstra Young Business Woman (2003), Islands in the Sky (1992) and Bushfire (1997). His of the Year Awards. books include Here on Earth (2010) and The Weather Makers (2005). His latest book is 'Life: Selected Writings'.
Professor Lesley Hughes Councillor Gerry Hueston Councillor and Chair of Board Lesley is an ecologist in the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie Gerry is a prominent businessman University and an expert on the who retired in 2011 as President of impacts of climate change on species BP Australasia, after a career with and ecosystems. Her research has BP spanning 34 years in a variety of mainly focused on the impacts of climate change on management and senior executive species and ecosystems. She is a former federal Climate roles in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the United Commissioner and former Lead Author in the IPCC’s Kingdom. He is a former board member of the Business 4th and 5th Assessment Report. She is also a Director for Council of Australia, former Chair of the Australian WWF Australia, a member of the Wentworth Group of Institute of Petroleum, and a former Commissioner with Concerned Scientists and the Director of the Biodiversity the Australian Climate Commission. Gerry is currently the Node for the NSW Adaptation Hub. Chair of Plan International Australia and a Director of the International Board of Plan International.
48 Annual Report 2019-20
Professor Will Steffen Professor Andrew Stock Councillor Councillor
Will is a world-renowned climate science Andrew brings over 40 years experience expert and researcher at the Australian in senior management and executive National University. He was on the panel roles in energy businesses. During of experts supporting the Multi- Party his career, he was responsible for Climate Change Committee, has served developing several ‘000 MW of power as the Science Adviser to the Australian Department of generation plants, major interstate pipelines, several Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and was chair of large wind projects, and innovative solar and geothermal the Antarctic Science Advisory Committee. From 1998 technologies. He has served as a Director of numerous to 2004, Professor Steffen served as Executive Director ASX listed and unlisted energy companies and was a of the International Geosphere- Biosphere Programme, founding Board Member of the Clean Energy Finance an international network of scientists studying global Corporation. Andrew currently chairs Melbourne Energy environmental change. His research interests span a broad Institute’s Advisory Board at the University of Melbourne range within the fields of climate change and Earth System and is a member of the SA Premier’s Climate Change science, with an emphasis on sustainability, climate Council. He was founding National President of the change and the Earth System. Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (now Clean Energy Council) and has served on research and energy advisory committees for State Governments and the CSIRO. He is Enterprise Professor in Engineering at Greg Bourne the University of Melbourne, a Fellow of the Institution of Councillor Engineers Australia, and Fellow of the Institute of Energy. Greg Bourne has worked at the nexus of climate change, energy business and policy for over 30 years. With BP he lived Cheryl Durrant and worked in the UK, Middle East, USA, Councillor Canada, Ireland, Brazil, China, Venezuela and Australia. For two years he was Special Adviser on Cheryl has over 30 years experience in the Energy and Transport to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. national security sector, including specialist He returned to Australia in 1999 as Regional President, BP Army intelligence and Defence capability Australasia and worked with business and governments and preparedness roles. Cheryl led the on the Climate Change agenda. Greg was CEO WWF Department’s Global Change and Energy Australia for six years. He was the inaugural Chair of the Sustainability Initiative from 2013-2016 and established Australian Renewable Energy Agency, is Chair of Granville the position of the Australian Defence Force’s Climate and Harbour Operations Wind Farm and is a member of the Security Advisor in 2016. She was the lead author for Defence’s NSW Climate Change Council. A Fellow of the Australian submission to the Senate Inquiry on the implications of Institute of Company Directors, he was awarded the climate change for Australia’s national security. Centenary Medal for services to the environment and Cheryl has also championed international, cross an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Western Government, academic and business collaborations focused Australia for services to international business. on creating a better understanding preparedness for existential risks, and exploring the systemic connections between climate change and other security risks. As the Defence partner to Emergency Management Australia she supported the development of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and the co-design of the Profiling Australia’s Vulnerability Report. Under Cheryl’s leadership Defence completed a major review of Defence Mobilisation in 2019. Cheryl is currently a member of the Climate and Security Working Group – Asia Pacific and a Fellow of the Institute of Integrated Economic Research-Australia.
49 Dr Joëlle Gergis Greg Mullins Councillor Councillor
Dr Joëlle Gergis is an award-winning Greg is an internationally recognised climate scientist and writer from The expert in responding to major bushfires Australian National University. She is and natural disasters and has a keen interest an internationally recognised expert in in the linkages between climate change, Australian and Southern Hemisphere extreme weather events, and bushfires. He climate variability and change based in the Australian coordinated responses to many major natural disasters Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Climate over more than two decades and retired in January 2017 Extremes. Her research focuses on providing a long-term as Commissioner after a 39 year career with Fire & Rescue historical context for assessing recently observed climate NSW. Prior to retirement he was President of the national variability and extremes. In 2013 Dr Gergis was awarded council for fire and emergency services (AFAC), and Director an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career of the International Fire Chiefs Association of Asia. He is Researcher Award (DECRA) fellowship, and her team won currently Chair of the NSW Ambulance Service Advisory the 2014 Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Board, a member of the Nature Conservation Council’s Scientific Research – informally known as the ‘Oscars Bushfire Advisory Committee, and a volunteer firefighter of Australian Science’. In 2015 Joëlle was awarded the with the NSW Rural Fire Service. Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research in the Faculty As acting Chair of the NSW State Emergency Management of Science at the University of Melbourne. In February Committee in 2005-6 he re-established a Climate Change 2018, she was selected to serve as a lead author for the Working Group focused on adaptation and was a member Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth of the NSW Government’s Climate Change Council from Assessment Report – a global, state-of-the art review of 2007- 16. He has worked with fire departments worldwide climate change science. In February 2020 Joëlle received and represented Australian emergency services at many the 2019 AMOS Science Outreach Award, a national prize international forums. for science communication awarded by the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS), Australia’s peak professional body for climate science. Her book, Sunburnt Country: The future and history of Professor Hilary Bambrick climate change in Australia, is now available through Councillor Melbourne University Publishing. Hilary is Head of the School of Public Health and Social Work at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She is Dr Kate Charlesworth an environmental epidemiologist and Councillor bioanthropologist researching the health impacts of global heating, especially on more vulnerable Dr Kate Charlesworth MBBS (Hons), populations, and has expertise in the development, MPH, FAFPHM, PhD is a public health implementation and evaluation of adaptation strategies. physician in Sydney. After working as a She has consulted for WHO and UNDP on climate hospital doctor in Perth and Sydney, Kate adaptation strategies for health, and she led the health completed much of her training in public impacts assessment for Australia’s national climate change health medicine in the UK. She worked as a Research review (The Garnaut Review, 2008). At sub-national scale Fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical she has worked on community-based adaptation projects Medicine and then at the Sustainable Development Unit in the remote Pacific and in the Ethiopian Rift Valley, and in Cambridge. The SDU is a world-leading unit tasked contributed to a number of city and state-based health with reducing the carbon footprint of England’s National adaptation strategies in Australia, including for Sydney, Health Service. Kate has also completed a PhD in low- Queensland and Tasmania. She contributes regularly carbon healthcare, and has 15 peer-reviewed papers. Kate to media and public debate. Areas of expertise include now works in the NSW public health system as a medical extreme weather, vector-borne disease, food safety and specialist in environmentally sustainable healthcare – security, health systems and vulnerability. Hilary advocates the first such role in Australia. for rapid and managed energy transition away from fossil fuels to protect health, now and in the future.
50 Annual Report 2019-20
BOARD
Martijn Wilder Robert Purves Director Director
Martijn is a Co-founder and Managing Robert is both a businessman and Partner of Pollination. He was formerly environmentalist, who, having had head of the Australian and Global Climate an active business career in public Law & Finance practice at Baker McKenzie. companies, now spends much of his time Martijn is President of WWF (Australia) and on environmental issues. He is currently Director of the Climate Council. He is Chair of the NSW a Director Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientist and Climate Change Council, Governing board member of a Director of Farmers for Climate Action while being the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership. involved in several other non-for-profit organisations. He Martijn is also an Honorary Professor of Law at the is the immediate past President of WWF-Australia and a Australian National University. He is also the former Chair former board member of WWF-International. of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and In 2004 Robert established the Purves Environmental a former Director of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Fund, which funds numerous environmental initiatives. (CEFC). In 2012, Martijn was awarded a Member of the Order In 2008 Robert was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition for "service to environmental of Australia (AM) for service to conservation and the law, particularly in the area of climate change through environment, and awarded an Honorary Fellow from contributions to the development of law, global regulation, the University of Sydney. Robert was also awarded the public policy and the promotion of public debate, and to Australian Geographic Society’s Lifetime of Conservation the community". Martijn was awarded the Overall Winner Award in 2015. Robert lives in Sydney and has farms in - Legal Innovator of the Year by FT Innovative Lawyers the Southern Tablelands of NSW. Awards Asia-Pacific 2018, Lawyer of the Year for Climate Change by the Australian Financial Review in 2018.
Matthew Honey Samantha Mostyn Director Director Matt is Partner at Ernst & Young. He provides a range of assurance services to a variety Samantha is a businesswoman and of clients in the resources, utilities and sustainability advisor with a long history technology sectors. He is an Associate of of executive and governance roles. the Institute of Chartered Accountants Samantha is Chair of Citibank Australia, the in Australia and New Zealand and a Registered Company Australian National Research Organisation Auditor. Matt has over 20 years of experience providing for Women’s Safety, Foundation for Young Australians, financial reporting, governance, risk management, Ausfilm and Alberts. She also serves on the boards of Mirvac transactional and climate change related advice to his Group, Transurban Group, Sydney Swans, GO Foundation, diverse client base both in Australian and internationally. the Centre for Policy Development and Climate Council. Matt is also a Director of the Group of 100, Australia’s peak Samantha is a member of the Business and Sustainable body for Chief Financial Officers. Development Commission. Samantha was previously Chair of Carriageworks, Deputy Chair of the Diversity Council of Australia, Director of Virgin Australia, Director of the Australian Council of the Arts, Director of ClimateWorks Australia and a Member of the Advisory Council: Crawford School of Economics and Governance at ANU. She has previously held executive roles at IAG, Optus and Cable and Wireless plc. Samantha was a Member of the Women’s Advisory Panel for the Australian Chief of Defence, served on the Human Right Commission Review of the Treatment of Women in the ADF, was a Member of the National Mental Health Commission and is a former AFL Commissioner.
51 The Climate Council
CLIMATE COUNCIL STAFF
Staff as of 30 June 2020: Amanda McKenzie Lara Nicholson Michaela Stone CEO Media Advisor, Climate Media Digital Marketing Manager Centre Katrina Porteus Ellyce Crabb Chief Operating Officer Adrian Dodd Fundraising Programs Communications Advisor, Coordinator Dr Martin Rice Climate Media Centre Head of Research Genevieve Stewart Christine Heard Fundraising Campaigns Manager Dr Annika Dean Media Advisor, Economics and Senior Researcher Sally Claydon Finance, Climate Media Centre Database Officer Tim Baxter Lisa Upton Senior Researcher Climate Violette Snow Senior Communications Advisor Solutions Partnerships and Events Brianna Hudson Coordinator Dr Simon Bradshaw Communications Advisor Researcher - Climate Science and Gemma Wilson Impacts Alex Soderlund Operations and Executive Digital Content Producer Assistant Ella Weisbrot Researcher Isabella Lamshed Meg Grayson Digital Content Coordinator Community and Operations Alix Pearce Coordinator Campaigns Director David Craven Director, Cities Power Partnership Louis Brailsford Campaigner Elizabeth Davies Program Collaboration Coordinator, Dinah Arndt Cities Power Partnership Climate Media Centre Co Director Portia Odell Jolee Wakefield Project Solutions Coordinator, Climate Media Centre Co Director Cities Power Partnership Fiona Ivits Victoria Fratin Senior Media Advisor, Climate Media Advisor, Cities Power Media Centre Partnership Vaidehi Shah Quimby Mills Media Advisor, Climate Media Content and Communications Centre Assistant Kate Davies Cassie Bremner Senior Media Advisor, Climate Head of Community Media Centre
52 Annual Report 2019-20
CONTRACTORS & VOLUNTEERS
We would also like to thank the following staff, contractors and volunteers who worked for the Climate Council during the year:
› Tracie Armstrong › Paula Doran › Celia Huang › Emma Jukic › Mara Quinn › Romy Stephens › Rebekah Thielemans › Jane Turner › Sonya Williams › Kerin Welford › Amanda Woodard › Cheryl Balfour › Sacha Breidahl › Ruby Craven › Sophie Gosch › Jess Hardwood › Anne Jacobs › Huw Jones › Anna Kalliomaki › Laura Kirwan › Patrick Miller › Lachlan Pickering › Georgia Rowles › Tracey Russell › Maria van der Schoot › Rhiannon Verschuer › Martin von Wyss › Karen Hussey
Image: Amanda McKenzie and Climate Council supporter at Bungala Solar Farm.
53 Appreciation
The incredible work that the Climate › Spell and the Gypsy Collective Council has undertaken would not have › Ben & Jerry's been possible without the support that › World Surf League (WSL) and WSL Pure we have received from our incredible community. We are deeply grateful for PHILANTHROPY their ongoing support and dedication to the Climate Council. An important group of philanthropists and foundations have contributed to amplifying The Council’s work only gets such wide the contributions of the Climate Council distribution because our social media community. Thank you. followers, supporters and other organisations › ARENA The Cities Power Partnership share that information. Those daily shares received funding from ARENA as part of are changing the conversation. ARENA's Advancing Renewables Program › ACME Foundation Without your support, the Climate Council simply wouldn’t exist. Together we have › Andrew and Beth Phillips Foundation made a significant and important impact in › Australian Communities Foundation Australia. Thank you sincerely for chipping › Beverley Jackson Foundation in what you can. › Bluesand Foundation › The Capricorn Foundation FOUNDING FRIENDS, CHAMPIONS › Community Impact Foundation & COMMUNITY GIVERS › Crothers Walton Foundation › Diversicon Environmental Foundation Our special thanks goes to our incredible › The Garry White Foundation community of Founding Friends, Champions and Community Givers. › Groundswell Giving Together we have built the Climate Council › Herschell Family into a highly impactful organisation. › Jocelyn Luck Thank you for making all of this possible! › John T Reid Charitable Trusts › The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation PARTNERSHIPS › Morris Family Foundation › The NR Peace and Justice Fund The Climate Council is grateful for a number › Pace Foundation of corporate partners who share our vision › Patagonia for climate action and a transition to a clean energy future. We would especially › The Reichstein Foundation like to thank our major partners who have › The Robert Hicks Foundation, contributed to a number of great successes managed by Equity Trustees this year and look forward to inspiring › Vincent Chiodo Foundation climate action together: › Wiggs Foundation
54 Annual Report 2019-20
AWARDS AUTHORS, CONTRIBUTORS & REVIEWERS We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate awards the All Climate Council reports are assessed by Climate Council and our Councillors have a panel of expert reviewers. Their technical won over the past year. knowledge, understanding and industry experience greatly enhance the credibility Professor Lesley Hughes and Professor Will and accuracy of our work. We extend our Steffen were recognised with the Ngara thanks for their assistance. Institute Activist of the Year Award for their work on climate science. This is what climate change looks like (September 2019) Greg Mullins AO AFSM was recognised for his leadership with an Impact 25 Award. The Climate Council is extremely grateful to the many colleagues who have advised on The Climate Council won the 2019 Australian the examples in this report, and generously Charity Award for Charity of the Year. provided images: Mick Baron, Dr Ian Bell, Dr Dana Bergstrom, Catherine Dickson, Dr Norman Duke, Dr John French, Dr Ken VALE JOHN RUMNEY Green, Rob Gregory, Dr Dean Heinze, Alyse Huyton, Emma Ligtermoet, Dr George In memory of John Rumney, a Matusick, Dr John Morgan, Dr Ajay Narendra, climate crusader and warrior for Dr Robert Nowicki, Prof. Sharon Robinson, Dr the Great Barrier Reef. Denis Saunders, Dr Mike Saynor, The Shark Bay Research Project, Bruce Thomson, Dr The Climate Council was lucky Jordan Thomson, Prof. Eric Warrant, David enough to work with John for White, and Dr Dick Williams. the past seven years, learning and growing our organisation Primed for Action (May 2020) in reflection of his love of the natural world and dedication to This Climate Council would like to thank protecting the Reef. He had a passion Deborah Peterson and AlphaBeta. that can not be compared, and that was felt by the thousands of lives he touched around the world. With his teachings, we can all learn how to do better and with the legacy he has left behind, we will.
We thank John for all he has done. He will be greatly missed.
55 SUPPLIERS IMAGE CREDITS
We would like to thank Baker & McKenzie Front Cover: for providing pro-bono legal advice to - 'Wind farm in Albany, WA.' Photo credit: the Climate Council. Your support is Shutterstock user Chichmaru. Licence: All absolutely invaluable. rights reserved by the owner. Used with permission. Thank you to Adam Perry, AKQA, Azility, - Amanda McKenzie at Bungala Solar Farm. Brandd, Black Ant Films, Bryan Coelho, Photo credit: Andrew Correll. Centre for Australian Progress, Claire Snyder, Community Shapers, Creative - 'Mt Barney QLD Bushfires 2020.' Photo Freedom, CTAS Finance & Tax, Dan Guia, credit: Beyond Coal & Gas Image Library. Ecocern, Ernst & Young, Ethical Jobs, Licence: CC BY 2.0. Feet like Fins, Good Chat, Impact Digital, Page 8: Bushfire NSW Oct 2019. Photo credit: Inspired Adventures, Kristyn Crossfield, Ash Hogan. Lara Ihnatowicz, Lewin Advisory, Made Visual, Manuel Perez, Perform HR, Radio Page 27: Bushfires in the Crescent Head, Release, Spade & Arrow, Tactic Lab, Tribal Forster and Taree regions October 2019. Apes at Fox Studios and Yoghurt Digital. Photo credit: Ash Hogan. Pages 28, 43, 47 and 53: Bungala Solar Farm. We’d also like to acknowledge our Photo credit: Andrew Correll. members and governors who use their Page 29: Photo credit: Bathurst Regional expertise, influence and networks Council. to promote and support the Climate Council’s work. Page 44: - Home Bushfire Relief Art Auction. Photo credit: Jodie Barker.
- Adrienne Doig 2018 Too Political courtesy Martin Browne Contemporary Sydney.
56 Thank you for supporting the Climate Council.
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