The Sunshine Coast Environment Council is the peak environmental advocacy group, protecting the beautiful Sunshine Coast for 40 years. We advocate for better environmental policy, support local groups on campaigns to protect our natural landscape and marine environments, and encourage action on climate change through education and community engagement. In a time of rampant development in the late 1970’s, dedicated conservation groups and individuals from all over the Sunshine Coast came together to become a united voice for the environment. In 1980, the Sunshine Coast Environment Council (SCEC) was born. SCEC continues to be a strong and respected voice as the peak environmental advocacy group for the region – having worked with groups on over 80 campaigns to promote and protect the natural values of Queensland’s magnificent Sunshine Coast.
SCEC acknowledges that we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government. On the 4th June 2021, the SCEC Management Committee passed the following motion; SCEC acknowledges that there is an ongoing climate emergency and call on local, state and federal governments to act swiftly and decisively to reduce carbon emissions in the hope that we can avert dangerous climate change. SCEC is currently reviewing it’s annual plan and operational activities and developing a climate emergency plan that will outline the actions SCEC is taking to reduce emissions as an organisation and the ways in which SCEC is advocating for the reduction of emissions on a local, state and federal level.
Over its 40 year history SCEC has been involved in many campaigns to preserve the beautiful natural environment of the Sunshine Coast region. Most of these campaigns were in response to development pressures stemming from rapid population growth. SCEC continues to play an active role in advocating for environmental protection with local and state government and increasingly with the development industry. SCEC is also involved in broader environmental issues such as climate change and resource depletion. We recognise that these issues cannot be solved by SCEC alone, but believe that they will not be resolved unless organisations such as SCEC drive change within their own community.
The threat posed by such issues to the natural environment in our region may not be as obvious as that posed by urban development, but they are no less real. For example a global average temperature increase of 2 degrees will translate into a local increase of 4-6 degrees. Much of our local flora and fauna will not be able to deal with such a dramatic change in our climate. SCEC acknowledges that we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government. On the 4th June 2021, the SCEC Management Committee passed the following motion; SCEC acknowledges that there is an ongoing climate emergency and call on local, state and federal governments to act swiftly and decisively to reduce carbon emissions in the hope that we can avert dangerous climate change. SCEC is currently reviewing it’s annual plan and operational activities and developing a climate emergency plan that will outline the actions SCEC is taking to reduce emissions as an organisation and the ways in which SCEC is advocating for the reduction of emissions on a local, state and federal level.
SCEC is working with the local community and the broader conservation sector to come up with solutions to environmental problems while working to promote and protect the natural values we hold so dear.