Climate Council - We’re more powerful when we work together

Written by Climate Council Founding Friend Helen Esmond

On my trip to the Kimberley region with the Climate Council to see the impacts of climate change firsthand

Five years ago in 2013 when I heard the Abbott Government was going to axe the Climate Commission, the nation’s independent climate science body, I was certain this was a move that would take Australia backwards.
Like many Australians, I was angry and frustrated, but wanted practical action. So when I heard the news that the Climate Council would launch as a truly independent not-for-profit organisation, I knew I had to be a part of it. I chipped in straight away, along with thousands of others, in what was to become the largest crowdfunding campaign in Australian history.
As a retired teacher, I value honest facts and clear science. The Climate Council publishes reliable and up to date information on climate science and solutions. It’s given me the knowledge to speak confidently with my friends and family about climate change, the impacts of extreme weather and renewable solutions.
Most importantly, the steady practical communications work of the Climate Council has given me hope and demonstrated the collective power that we all hold to make a difference for our climate in our local communities. Together, we’re changing the conversation about energy in Australia and standing up for a clean, affordable and reliable renewable future.

Chief Councillor Professor Tim Flannery & I

Five years on now, we still desperately need a strong authoritative independent voice on climate change in this country. The Climate Council is exactly that. Its fifth birthday is cause for us all to celebrate – a triumph of rationality and community action supported by ordinary Australians who understand what is at stake and want to know the facts.