We know what needs to be done to address climate change effectively. Across the world, policies, technologies and practices already exist that, if taken up at scale and speed, could stop or even reverse global warming. What we are missing is the social and political will needed to act at the speed and scale we need to secure a safe future for all of us.
Climate for Change seeks to create that social and political will – the social climate in Australia in which our political leaders can and must do what it takes to stop, and ultimately reverse, global warming. Most Australians are deeply concerned about climate change, but very few talk about it with their friends and family. Without pressure from our communities, governments won’t feel urgency to act with the speed and ambition we need. Talking about our concern is one of the most powerful actions we can take to drive climate action. We support people to talk about climate change within their friend, family and peer networks, to take action in their communities, and to connect with other people already taking action. We are proudly non-partisan and have tax deductible gift recipient status.
Our vision
Our vision is an Australia in which climate action is a top priority. Community, business and government unite to make the courageous and urgent changes needed to return a safe climate. Imagine an Australia where…
• Effective climate action is embedded into all societal, cultural and economic structures. It is an essential factor in all decision-making.
• Communities, businesses and governments of all levels are united around enabling conditions that will return temperatures to pre-industrial levels and for all life on earth to flourish.
• We collaborate and work constructively together regardless of geographical boundaries, demographics or political differences.
Our approach
We’re Australia’s first environmental organisation focused on helping people to have conversations about climate change with their peers. Our approach is based on social research that explains that people process information best through conversations with people they trust. This is how we make sense of information, make decisions, and take actions. This is how social change happens. Our flagship program, Climate Conversations, uses the party plan model made famous by Tupperware® to facilitate discussions about climate change in people’s homes and workplaces, among friends and colleagues. This model of engagement is unique within the climate movement and has proven extraordinarily effective in engaging new audiences through deep, transformative conversations within trusted networks. Every year we run a Fundraising and Communications Fellowship, a four month leadership program which trains passionate people in key skills used within the not-for-profit sector. In the final six weeks, the fellows fundraise and help coordinate Climate for Change’s annual peer to peer campaign, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support our essential work. From 2018 – 2021, we supported Communities Leading Change in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. In partnership with Gippsland Climate Change Network and Psychology for a Safe Climate, we developed and delivered a suite of resources to support productive conversations among residents of the Latrobe Valley, exploring how best to respond to climate change and shift from coal burning power generation to renewable energy. In 2023, we’re excited to be replicating the project in southern regional Queensland – supporting communities at the forefront of Queensland’s transition to clean energy. Find out more here. Alongside these programs, we also run community-based initiatives helping everyday Australians to take climate action locally, like our annual peer to peer crowdfunder Challenge for Climate, online and in-person MP Engagement Groups. You can also check out our Climate C.A.F.E. and conversation resources.
Who we are
Climate for Change is an incorporated association and registered charity based in Naarm/Melbourne, with volunteers all across Australia. We are the only organisation in Australia specifically focused on helping people to have better conversations with their peers on climate change – something that is now being recognised by experts as key to building public support for the action we need.