Thousands of councils around the world have made climate emergency declarations (CEDs). These declarations accelerated action on global warming while leading state and national governments. However, no council has gone into full climate emergency mode or fully mobilised. This forum unpacks what council mobilisation looks like and how to get your council into emergency mode. This forum is a precursor to Reclaiming the Climate Emergency Conference in April 2024.
Sally MacAdams – Climate Emergency Australia / Coordinator: Sally runs the peak body for councils that have declared a climate emergency. Sally will introduce Climate Emergency Australia and her work in prompting emergency action by councils around Australia as well as act as MC for the event. https://www.climateemergencyaustralia.org.au/
Adrian Whitehead – CACE / Council Officer: Adrian has over 35 years campaigning experience, including co-founding the influential think tank Beyond Zero Emissions and helping win the Otway National Park. Adrian will unpack what emergency mobilisation looks like for a council, how it can drive action at higher levels of government, and will contrast current council climate emergency communication with the communication around the COVID crisis.
Bryony Edwards – Director CACE: Bryony is experienced in campaigning and played a critical role in getting the first council in the world to declare a climate emergency. She will discuss how we can use council elections to leverage a council’s climate emergency agenda and potentially help a council into emergency mode.
Trent McCarthy – Darebin Councillor and Sustainability Expert: Trent will present on hurdles facing sitting councillors in moving into full emergency mode and discuss the role of the community in supporting councillors to make the shift into emergency mode.
Dale Martin Local Government Climate Emergency Toolkit / former Councillor: Dale is the author of Local Government Climate Emergency Tool Kit and a former councillor. Dale’s Toolkit is used by dozens of councils and council officers to guide their climate response. Dale will describe key mechanisms to influence council processes across the broad scope of council climate actions.
Tiffany Harrison
Coordinator and the world’s first climate emergency officer.
This event is part of The Climate Cooling – Mini Summit. See full program for more events.
