Right now, community members around the state are writing a People’s Climate Strategy for Victoria. It will capture all the big ideas to rein in emissions and present them to the Andrews government.

What policies will have the greatest bang for buck for cutting emissions from electricity generation?... And what climate impacts does the sector need to prepare for?

Friends of the Earth's Act on Climate collective is pleased to present leading figures in the energy sector to share their top ideas and answer all your questions.

SPEAKERS:

• Dylan McConnell, Melbourne University's Climate and Energy College
• Taryn Lane, Hepburn Community Wind Farm manager
• Colin Long, Melbourne Trades Hall Just Transitions organiser
• Anna Langford, Act on Climate community campaigner

MORE INFO:

The Andrews govt is required to write Victoria's first ever Climate Change Strategy by October 31 this year. But while they deal with the pandemic, community members around the state are coming together online to write a People’s Climate Strategy for Victoria.

The strategy must look at how each region and economic sector of Victoria can rapidly cut emissions, while creating jobs, and tackling disadvantage.

This event is part of a running a series of forums for community members to discuss how we can do just that, with presentations from knowledgeable people in each field.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways in the area now known as Victoria. We pay respect to their Elders past and present, as well as to all First Nations communities who significantly contribute to the life of the area. Sovereignty was never ceded.

Thanks for your interest in helping create The People's Climate Strategy for Victoria!

Here's everything you need to know... 

How To Get Involved

Friends of the Earth are looking for people from all walks of life to participate - First Nations people, unionists, and more. We want to hand a strategy to the Andrews government that's been put together by a big and diverse group of Victorian community members, who all want strong action on climate.

Any and all input is welcome, whether you just time to fill in a survey, or have an hour a day to spare.

• Join your local working group by filling out the registration form below.
• Complete our online Climate Impacts survey yourself and share it with people in your community.
• Click here for a PDF copy of the survey.
• Promote the People's Climate Strategy in your region with this great poster.
• You can also promote it with this smaller flyer that contains an explainer of what the Strategy is on the back.
• Email us at anna.langford@foe.org.au for more info. 

Background

Friends of the Earth Melbourne has been building the case for science-based Emissions Reduction Targets in Victoria for the last couple of years through the work of the Act on Climate campaign.

We are expanding our focus to the state's first Climate Change Strategy which the Andrews govt is required to prepare by 31 Oct 2020. It represents an opportunity to create jobs, tackle disadvantage, and rein in emissions. But as the government is occupied dealing with the pandemic, we’ve decided to take the strategy off their hands - and throw it to the community.

On June 3, we announced our plan to write a People's Climate Strategy for Victoria. This bottom-up initiative seeks to capture local knowledge about climate impacts and solutions, and identify the policy priorities for the state and sub regions.

We're recruiting community members to help us undertake two rounds of surveying (climate impacts + solutions); participate in online conversations to design policy responses; meet local state Labor MPs to talk to them about the strategy; and drive community voting on the priorities.  

You can watch the recorded project launch here, or listen to a shorter podcast version here.

Friends of the Earth Melbourne's Act on Climate collective officially launched its push to write a People's Climate Strategy for Victoria with over one thousand people watching the online launch via Zoom and Facebook live. The strong level of interest is a vote of confidence in the idea.

Writing a People's Climate Strategy for Victoria to present to the Andrews government later this year is a bold and ambitious undertaking. But shaping the state's first climate strategy is an opportunity that can't be missed.

The Victorian government is required to prepare and rollout a climate strategy every five years out to 2050. Our efforts in coming months will influence the Labor government's own plan (which must be prepared by October 31) as well as all those that follow it.  

Friends of the Earth and the Act on Climate collective cant do it alone... 

The collective needs your help to ensure the strategy is robust, capable of getting us to zero emissions as-soon-as-possible, and leaves no Victorian behind.

Here are the immediate next steps...

Friends of the Earth Melbourne has called on the Andrews government to make climate action a focus of the recovery from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic after experts have criticised the Morrison government for pushing for a fossil-fuel-led stimulus.

Community-driven environment group Friends of the Earth have urged the Victorian government to forge its own path and instead embrace new industries and technologies that can make Victoria the national leader on climate action, while creating thousands of jobs.

"Not only does the backward-looking approach of the Morrison government undermine global efforts on climate, but it ties our economic future to out-dated and polluting technology," said Friends of the Earth community campaigner Anna Langford.

"Premier Andrews has already created thousands of climate jobs through legislation such as the Victorian Renewable Energy Target. It can build on this momentum."

On Wednesday 26 February, Friends of the Earth had the opportunity to present to the Victorian Parliament's inquiry into community action on climate change. Here's Act on Climate coordinator Leigh Ewbank's statement to the Planning & Environment committee:  

In my time at Friends of the Earth, I’ve seen the incredible commitment of Victorian communities to tackling the climate crisis.

Friends of the Earth is a community-driven organisation formed in 1974. We have been a strong voice for environmental protection and social justice since then.

We have been engaged on the issue of climate change for over two decades and work towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience through practical programs and advocacy.

Friends of the Earth’s Food Co-op & Café in Collingwood is a case in point. With produce from 150 farmers across the state, the café serves organic, seasonal, and vegan meals to our community every day.

The intentional use of local produce minimises the embodied carbon emissions from excessive transportation. Each year the café serves over 24,000 plates of food including to vulnerable people in the neighbourhood.

The co-op has also pioneered local organic waste composting to demonstrate ways to reduce methane emissions from food waste going to landfill and encourage low-carbon food production.

All compostable waste from the cafe is transported to a nearby primary school, which is only a couple of hundred metres away, where it is composted and used by the students to grow vegetables and educate them about the benefits of urban farming.

In addition to these practical examples, Friends of the Earth has been actively involved in advocacy. Each night of the week, dozens of community members work together on positive solutions.

In less than two months, the Andrews government will make its decision on the state’s first Emissions Reduction Targets for 2025 and ’30. And we’re not wasting a minute calling for ambition. 

The summer bushfires and the impact they’ve had on communities, responders, wildlife and the natural world remind us what’s at stake if we fail to tackle the climate crisis.

Here’s a quick update on our efforts over the last month...

Victorian opposition leader Michael O'Brien has responded to surging community concern about the climate crisis by announcing a policy shift on the issue, accepting the need for state emissions reductions.

Friends of the Earth says the shift is a positive first step.

Mr O'Brien told The Age newspaper that state Emissions Reduction Targets were necessary in the absence of a "consistent national policy."

The Victorian Liberal leader also called on the Morrison government to set national targets for cutting emissions beyond 2030.

Do you want Victoria to be the national leader on climate action?...

Do you think climate policy should be based on science not political expediency?...

Do you want to show the Morrison government what real climate action looks like?...

There’s just ten weeks to influence the Andrews government's decision on state Emissions Reduction Targets for 2025 and ‘30.

It’s a decision that will set the pace of climate action in Victoria for the next decade and have major implications for energy policy, transport planning, forest protection, and more.

The window of opportunity to influence the decision closing fast so we have to make every day count.

With climate impacts occurring much faster than scientists predicted, the key litmus test for the government is whether the targets help keep global warming below 1.5°C. 

Here's what we have in store to demonstrate to strong community support for climate leadership and counter the fossil fuel lobbyists who will be working behind the scenes for loopholes and low ambition.

We’re calling on all community climate champions like you join us on the campaign trail over the next ten weeks so that our call for science-based targets is one that cannot be ignored...