Climate Space is designed to be a safe space for people to deepen their engagement with taking action on climate change. The end goal is to expand and accelerate the actions being taken on climate change. At the core of what we do is run a series of events, mainly as Open Space ‘Un-conferences’ which is a really energising process. Through these events we aim to:
● Engage and nourish people (both beginners and old hands),
● Encourage collaboration and support (between people and with organisations)
● Build a stronger community & eco-system to support each other in taking action
● Better understand what needs to be done and catalyse actions, projects and collaborations.
Our focus is on these initial aims:
ACTIVATE THE MAINSTREAM
Our first objective is to help activate the mainstream. The goal for this initiative is that anyone who acknowledges the facts of climate change can come along to an event and get involved (regardless of where they are on their sustainability journey – from newly convinced hummer owning petrol head, to deep green climate change specialist). Anyone is welcome and as long as they have a genuine desire to take some sort of next step. Within the open space format, people can join sessions, talk with others without being judged, share their journeys/ideas and questions and also meet with other people & organisations that align with where they’d like to head next. People will have the opportunity to network with environmental organisations and projects and even create their own projects, or just learn some tips. It’s designed to be an easy, inspiring and safe experience for anyone to take their first or next steps in climate action. We aim to be both an opportunity for people to collaborate and also a funnel for newly active members of the public to connect with all the established organisations and projects.
STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM / COMMUNITY
Our second objective is to strengthen the eco-system and community around climate action. We’ve had a lot of people within the environment ‘sector’ talk about how often environmental organisations can be very competitive. In a world where these organisations have historically been under-resourced, under-staffed, under-funded and under-recognised this is understandable. However, the benefits of bringing all the players together in a way that allows for new connections, approaches and collaborations are huge and will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the individual organisations and even the resources available to the sector. We’ve had early success with this already, with almost instant support from every environmental group we’ve reached out to so far. Exciting new things are happening here and if you’d like to connect with us, we’d love you to reach out. Researchers/companies/industry bodies/councils & government agencies also welcome to join us. Come find us if we haven’t found you yet.
NOURISH THE PLAYERS & EXPERTS
We don’t yet have the best name for this group, but you’re a member of this group if you’ve dedicated your career and or spare time to climate and environmental causes. Many people in this group are worn out and jaded after working so hard for so long and the changes being too slow. For these people, we want the experience of participating in climate space to feel like a great big re-energising, rejuvenating hug. Newly active people will look to these people for wisdom and advice and show them how grateful we are of all their years of service to our common future. These people will help temper the enthusiasm for new projects and ideas with their seasoned perspectives and provide deeper understanding into the learning from the past efforts and the systems we’re dealing with.
SOLUTIONS FROM SYSTEMS AND DESIGN THINKING
Throughout all of this we apply our own brand of systems and design thinking and our experience building projects and organisations. We aim to deeply understand key levers and opportunities and help launch or support key system level initiatives that have the potential to have widespread impact and accelerate the changes that are needed.
Climate space is also:
CO-CREATED & DESIGNED TO SPREAD
The future of Climate Space is largely in the hands of everyone who participates in it. It will be co-created as it grows and our hopes are that it evolves into a form that is both self-organising and easily replicable so that it can quickly spread around the world – accelerating connection and collaboration around climate change action everywhere it goes.
INCLUSIVE, FUN AND INSPIRING
One thing we’ve learned in growing other organisations, is that activating people in creating spaces that are inclusive, fun and inspiring makes a huge difference. We want Climate Space to be all those things and more.