BREAZE

Linking up with other groups and joining the climate movement

With so much to be done on climate change, it’s important that we are all working together to have a greater impact. Climate Action Groups and environment groups can be most effective when we combine our efforts as much as possible.

Make sure your group knows what is going on in the broader climate movement by joining some of the many networks or online lists that are available.

Existing networks

The following provides a list of existing network opportunities, but it is by no means comprehensive due to the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of community climate action.  Networks mentioned here have been used by BREAZE and other climate groups in Central Victoria.  To find out more about how to get your group linked up, read the document prepared by BREAZE.

The two main roles they perform are to keep groups informed about each other's work and, in some cases, to share resources.

National

At the national level, there are two main networks:

• The National Climate Summit, held in Canberra from 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2009, strengthened and formalised communications between climate action groups across the nation[1]. Its primary means of communication is the Grassroots Climate Oz email list. The summit has recently released its proposal for a national network, to be called Community Climate Network (Australia) or CCN. This proposal, if enacted, will create a structure for ongoing organisation of climate groups across the country. Organisation of annual summits and preparation and dissemination of policy proposals and media content are primary goals of the network.
• The Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) provides networking opportunities for member organizations. CAGs can become members alongside environmental NGO's and business groups.

State

• Within Victoria, several communication channels operate to inform climate action groups of political and policy developments: Environment Victoria (EV), a peak body for Victorian environmental groups, provides opportunities for groups to update each other on the latest local developments within their area and supplies resources for advocacy on key policy issues.  EV has set up the Victoria Climate Action google group mail which provides an avenue for emailing other groups who have registered in the site. The Climate Action Centre provides information on some of the latest advocacy campaigns.  Its website links to the Climate Emergency Network Calendar and a list of Victorian climate action groups

The Climate Emergency Network has been actively working to facilitate group communication and action and has established the Victorian climate action calendar of events.

Regional Victoria

Following on from the National Climate Action Summit, a Regional Climate Action Summit was held in Daylesford on 21 March 2009. The event was very well attended by groups and individuals, mainly from Western Victoria.

One of the outcomes of the day was to begin an informal regional advocacy alliance. Through their community-based work, regional Victorian CAGs have developed significant membership numbers, with financial membership of the three largest groups in the region exceeding 2500 people in total. It was recognised that this membership base provides real legitimacy when groups advocate for strong government action on climate change. It was determined to explore this opportunity further.

In the central Victorian region, the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (CVGA) was established to network local government and other organizations, setting aspirational targets for emission reductions, acting to implement government policy on climate change initiatives and providing a significant advocacy role in the region.  Until about a year ago, climate action groups were not on their membership list, but recently climate action groups have begun to join CVGA.  There is an opportunity for CVGA to operate in a supporting and linking role between climate action groups and other member organisations in central and northern Victoria and this remains to be fully developed.  This model may be equally applicable to other regions and Greenhouse/Sustainability Alliances across the state, and would complement other climate action group networks.

Community Radio EarthMatters Program - hear what some groups have to say!

Recently 5 Climate Action Groups were interviewed by Radio 3CR to showcase some of the activities that are being undertaken by innovative communities across the country:

"Some times it can feel like not much is happening federally on climate change. To find out what’s happening on the ground, Earth Matters spoke to five of the dozens of community climate groups across the country, and found that the community is taking climate change into its own hands."  Follow the link to Earth Matters Program 13.09.09.