Thanks to your support, this year Climate Council has led the national conversation about climate pollution and our warming world, participated with fantastic partners in the major climate policy fights, and celebrated hard-fought wins on renewables and electric vehicles (EVs). Did you know Australia is now powered 40% by renewable energy? A major achievement in a highly contested environment!

As Australia’s own community-funded and independent climate organisation, our focus this year has been on shaping and winning national debates about how Australia responds to climate change, as well as developing and socialising our roadmap for how to cut climate pollution by 75% this decade. 

Together, we have exerted pressure on decision-makers and new political players to amplify climate ambition and action. By producing expert reports, undertaking targeted advocacy, and running powerful media and digital campaigns, we have ensured that climate solutions remain at the forefront of both government and business agendas. This has played a pivotal role in driving tangible policy changes.

This year, our dedicated Councillors and staff authored 15 influential reports on gas exports, clean transport, our warming oceans, the need to reform our national environment law to account for climate pollution, and many more. The Climate Council and Climate Media Centre (CMC) provided journalists with accurate information about climate solutions and climate impacts to improve their coverage, and more than 90 climate spokespeople trained and quoted in over 27,000 pieces of media. Our highly engaging online content was interacted with over 500,000 times across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and more. This phenomenal reach demonstrates the expertise and dedication of our communications team to get climate stories and compelling, evidence-based information in front of enormous numbers of people and shape Australia’s conversation about climate change.

While Australia’s nation-shaping clean energy revolution takes place, we cannot ignore the forces seeking to obstruct progress. We are in the ‘misinformation era’, where trusted and respected voices, like those of our experts, are more important than ever. Every day, Australians are confronted with two visions for Australia’s future when it comes to our energy sources: one based on renewable energy like solar and wind, backed by storage, and the other a scheme that can only lead to more coal and gas pollution as we wait for nuclear power stations that may never arrive.

Above all, we are grateful to Climate Council’s community, whose passion and generosity powers all the work we do. None of it is possible without you. As we chart the path towards the upcoming federal election, it’s thanks to your support that Climate Council is actively shaping how quickly we can scale up climate action in Australia and help secure a safer future for our children. 

Thank you.

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The climate crisis has intensified this year, underscoring the urgent need for emissions reductions. 

We have seen harrowing weather extremes across the world, and more records broken as the year progressed. But there is hope: with more nations and economic sectors bolstering their climate commitments. This renewed determination must absolutely propel a united global effort towards even more ambitious action.

Globally and in Australia, demand for climate solutions has reached unprecedented heights. When a new Federal Government came to power in 2022 with a clear mandate to fast-track climate action, the Climate Council refined its strategy in this new political context to identify how we could push for stronger climate action, while continuing to empower our community.

Together, we have exerted pressure on decision-makers and new political players to amplify climate ambition and action. Through expert reports, targeted advocacy and digital campaigns, shaping the national conversation on climate through a range of communications, and collaborating with a diverse array of organisations across the country, we have ensured that climate solutions remain at the forefront of both government and business agendas. This has played a pivotal role in helping to drive tangible policy changes.

Across our key goals – to grow the good, stop the bad and transform the landscape – our teams have been working hard to keep up the momentum for critical action. Throughout this report, you can read about how the switch to clean energy is already underway, and the race to the top on renewables and efficient all-electric households is gaining momentum. In terms of clean transport, we’ve worked hard to explain that we need to fundamentally transform the way you and I get around and have been pushing to unlock affordable electric vehicles for more  Australians. We’ve also launched a number of influential campaigns to make sure all Australians are aware that gas is dirty, unsafe and doesn’t belong in our homes. After the climate election of 2022, a lot has shifted in the media landscape, with climate change now clearly viewed as being in Australia’s national interest.

The Climate Council has significantly shaped the narrative on our issue via more than 37,000 media stories that amplify our messages. Through the Climate Media Centre, we have also empowered more than 150 new spokespeople this year to speak about climate impacts and action through media platforms. We have also spearheaded campaigns designed to clean up our transport system, electrify our households and stop the expansion of the fossil fuel industry.

Our dedicated Councillors and researchers authored 19 influential reports on climate impacts and the benefits of rapid decarbonisation. These reports garnered significant attention and reached millions of Australians, solidifying our reputation as a trusted source of climate information.

Above all, we are thankful for our community, whose generosity and steadfast commitment has empowered our vital work over the past 10 years. The Climate Council’s ability to advocate fiercely for climate action as an independent organisation would not be possible without you.

Looking forward, we will continue to push for ambitious policies that protect us from the worst impacts of climate change. With collective effort, we can build a safe and prosperous future for all Australians, and serve as a global beacon of climate leadership.

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This year has been no exception. Australians are experiencing the impacts of more frequent and severe extreme weather, with climate change a key influencer in the 2022 flooding emergency that swept through parts of Queensland and New South Wales. The seriousness of the situation we’re in has only been reinforced by the release of the latest reports from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasising the need to aim higher and go faster in cutting emissions.

2022 delivered a federal climate election, with millions of climate-concerned voters voting for climate-friendly candidates on polling day. Our community played an instrumental role in pressuring candidates to cite their climate credentials via initiatives like our Climate Risk Map, where more than 3000 people contacted their representatives to highlight risks posed by worsening extreme weather.

We are committed to being brave and bold in demanding science-backed climate action. From the biggest international and national media publications, to boardrooms and the general public, the Climate Council is focused on transforming what Australians think is possible when it comes to climate action in this country.

The new Federal Parliament presents an opportunity to influence and shape change, and reset Australia’s position on the world stage. But no matter the government of the day, the Climate Council’s role, independence, expertise and commitment to evidence remains critical. Together, it is our task to shape the world we inhabit tomorrow.

Strategic Priorities:

The Climate Council has focused on three strategic priorities:

1. Growing the good
2. Stopping the bad
3. Transforming the landscape

As a proudly community-powered, independent organisation, our work really wouldn’t be possible without the backing of our incredible Climate Council community. You are the heart of our organisation, and your support is deeply appreciated. Thank you.

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But from the ashes we have seen Australian rise, more determined than ever to defend their communities from the greatest threat of all: climate change. 

We are committed to being brave and bold in demanding science-backed climate action. From the biggest international and national media publications, to boardrooms and the general public, the Climate Council is focused on transforming what Australians think is possible when it comes to climate action in this country.

With our community standing alongside us we’ve been able to combat misinformation about gas, and put forward an alternative, clean-energy recovery plan for all levels of government. We’ve prioritised communicating the latest science to the public, including the hard truths about the crisis we face, while remaining solutions-focused and committed to our vision of rapidly reducing emissions this decade, and ensuring Australia reaches net zero emissions by 2035.

Strategic Priorities:

The Climate Council has focused on three strategic priorities:

1. Fundamentally altering the operating environment for decision makers by changing the public narrative.
2. Driving scalable, replicable emissions reductions projects and policies.
3. Empowering constituencies to lead, act and advocate.

As a proudly community-powered, independent organisation, our work really wouldn’t be possible without the backing of our incredible Climate Council community. You are the heart of our organisation, and your support is deeply appreciated. Thank you.

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However, despite these hurdles, we’ve seen the power of our community shine through under pressure: beacons of hope, strength and resilience. Together, we have ensured that the long term challenge of addressing climate change has remained on the nation’s radar.

Our 2020 Annual Report details our strategic interventions and major projects, providing a snapshot of our impact in the last twelve months.

The Climate Council continues to be Australia’s leading climate science communications organisation. This year alone we have secured more than 10,100 media items on climate change, renewable solutions and energy and grown our community of supporters to over 488,000.

Strategic Priorities

The Climate Council has focused on three strategic priorities:

1. Ensuring that climate change remains at the top of the Australian agenda.

2. Build a strong narrative on solutions to climate change, with particular focus on the economic benefits of implementing policies that increase employment and investment while also reducing emissions and restoring ecosystems.

3. In the absence of federal action on climate change, empower everyday Australians, businesses, local councils, communities and state and territory governments with the tools and skills to enact change from the bottom up.

Thank you for supporting independent climate science research and communications. Thank you for standing with us shoulder to shoulder, as we knuckle down, and get on with making our vision a reality.

For more details about our achievements over the past year, please read our 2019-20 Annual Report.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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The Climate Council continues to be Australia’s leading climate science communications organisation. This reputation has secured us more than 53,000 items on climate change, renewable solutions and energy, in the media. This is worth over $118 million in ad coverage to date.

Strategic Priorities

To achieve this, the Climate Council has focused on three strategic priorities:

1. Ensuring that climate change remains at the top of the Australian agenda.

2. Build a strong narrative on solutions to climate change, capturing the public’s imagination on the possibilities of renewable energy and the need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.

3. In the absence of federal action on climate change, empower everyday Australians, businesses, local councils and communities with the tools and skills to enact change from the bottom up.

Thank you for supporting independent climate science research and communications. It is because of the passion and vision of people like you that our projects and the interventions we’ve undertaken are possible.

For more details about our achievements over the past year, please read our 2018-19 Annual Report.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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The Climate Council is a go-to organisation on climate change and extreme weather issues. Over the past year, we have extended our reputation as a trusted and reliable organisation to include communication and commentary on energy issues. This reputation has secured us more than 38,000 items on climate change, renewable solutions and energy, in the media. This is worth over $97 million in ad coverage to date.

Strategic Priorities

To achieve this, the Climate Council has focused on three strategic priorities:

1. Consistently communicate the localised impacts of extreme weather events and educate Australians on how they are influenced by climate change.

2. Build a strong narrative on solutions to climate change, capturing the public’s imagination on the possibilities of renewable energy and the need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.

3. In the absence of federal action on climate change, provide local councils and communities with the tools and skills to enact change from the bottom up.

Activities

The Climate Council has retained its position as the number one organisation communicating on climate nationally. We have more media mentions than the next four organisations combined, and boast four of the top five climate change spokespeople. When combined with our prolific social media output, this means that many, many people have heard from us many, many times, which is exactly how public opinion is shaped.

The backbone of the Climate Council’s communications continues to be the release of timely, science-based publications. With dozens and dozens of publications now under our belt, these are the primary vehicle through which we educate Australians across the nation on the science, impacts, and solutions to climate change. The reports also form the basis through which we continue to brief key stakeholders.

We would like to our amazing community of supporters, who have been, and continue to be, the lifeblood of our organisation. Your power enables us to achieve all this and more, so thank you for your ongoing support.

For more details about our achievements over the past year, please download our 2018 Annual Report.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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We’ve also kept up the drumbeat on extreme weather, continuing to drive home the impacts of climate change on a local scale, while consistently demonstrating that renewable energy can power Australia.

We’d like to thank our amazing community of supporters who continue to power climate communications in Australia. We couldn’t do this work without you.

For more details about our achievements over the past year, please read our 2016/17 Annual Report.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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So much has happened since then, and with the ongoing support of our incredible community we’ve been able to achieve a huge amount in three years. We’ve moved the public discourse forward from a debate about whether or not climate change is real, to discrediting climate denial in the media and focusing on local, tangible impacts and solutions. We’ve educated the public on the links between climate change and extreme weather, and we’ve elevated renewable energy to be a top-tier political issue in Australia.

To achieve these outcomes, we’ve written 60 publications, we’ve reached hundreds of millions of people through the media and we’ve worked alongside scientists, firefighters, health professionals, teachers, local governments and planners to make sure that climate change is front and centre.

To find out more about what we’ve achieved together check out our 2015/16 Annual report.

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We’ve achieved an incredible amount in under two years! Our strategic media work has gained over $34 million worth of media coverage, we’ve written 40 research publications, and reached over 100 million people on social media with important climate change information.

We would not be able to do all of this without your support. The Climate Council cannot exist without our community that has backed us all the way! We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support.

To find out more about what we’ve been able to achieve together check out our 2014/15 Annual report.

Download and read our Annual Report here.

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