Climate Reality leadership in Brisbane

LLC Clare heads to Brisbane to join Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project

Climate Reality leadership in Brisbane

LLC Clare heads to Brisbane to join Al Gore and The Climate Reality Project

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LLCI012-21

The issue

I work extensively with Landcare, Bushcare and the community volunteers of Sydney. Together, myself and six other Landcare coordinators target areas surrounding loss of biodiversity, youth, marine and fisheries and river stewardship. The ability to bring in a greater element of climate change, to help create real change (rather than just talk) and network (and be inspired by!) some incredible leaders and changemakers was too good to pass up!

The solution

From June 5-7, I joined more than 60 mentors, nearly 50 speakers and more than 700 trainees and leaders at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre. With Al Gore acting as both keynote speaker and part-facilitator, we discussed climate change, policy, climate injustice, and future energy transitions and networked. I live blogged the entire event, and Tweeted key messages from the conference here. Just a few people we met and heard from included:

- Natalie Isaacs - Founder of 1 Million Women
- Numerous leaders and project leaders working in the Torres Straight, Indigenous Communities and the Pacific
- Queensland politicians, Al Gore
- Corporate leaders such as Mike Cannon-Brooks of Atlassian
- Numerous academics including Prof. Xuemei Bai (environment and urban sustainability) and Prof. Terry Hughes (Director ARC Centre of Excellence on Coral Reefs, at James Cook)
- Anna Oposa, Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas ... and plenty more!

The impact

I've been inspired, and motivated to make climate change awareness and action a reality to the Greater Sydney community- in a time where together we face unprecedented levels of development, environmental destruction and urban heating. I've heard from people experiencing the bigger picture - particularly first nations people at 'ground zero'; I've networked with people from 350.org, government, international leaders and business leaders. I'd like to:

  • Increase culturally and linguistically diverse engagement
  • Bring Indigenous/first nations people to the committee and support them
  • Make climate a key focus of GSLN
  • Bring the 'act global, think local' to our network, and help people understand climate change 

Learnings

We can't work in isolation, and we're more powerful in partnerships!

Key facts

  • 700 trainees, more than 60 mentors
  • 3 days in Brisbane
  • People from 19 countries
  • 7,000 pledges of change made for the next 2 years from across the audience

Project Partners