Hope is becoming action

Yes, that feeling is hope. 

Last week, the Climate Change Bill passed the House of Representatives and will now go to the Senate. Its target to slash climate pollution by at least 43% this decade falls far short of what the science tells us we need (75%), but it is a significant step forward that we can build from.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek indicated she will stop Clive Palmer’s proposal for a new coal mine just 10km from the Great Barrier Reef. It would be the first time our federal environment minister has rejected a coal mine.

And in response to the devastating State of the Environment report in mid-July, Minister Plibersek locked in the government’s commitment to creating strong national environment laws that actually protect nature. She also committed to protecting 30% of our lands and oceans by 2030 in line with other countries’ goals.

There is still a long way to go to solve the climate crisis and end nature destruction. But here in Australia we now have more than hope. Finally, we have action.

People like you taking action over many years has led us here. Donations, emails to MPs, putting signs up in our front yards, building power deep in communities. Together we keep growing a thriving movement and winning hearts and minds. Now our decision-makers are starting to take action with us.

And while our new government’s policies so far are not enough to protect our communities, rivers, forests, wetlands and animals, we now have the momentum to call for strong action. Let’s keep it up!

Here’s some of how we keep growing momentum together:

Let’s improve the Climate Bill as it heads to the Senate

Next, the Albanese Government’s Climate Change Bill must be voted on in the Senate – likely in September – before becoming law. We will continue pushing for further improvements and may need your help in calling on decision-makers to step up. Stay tuned!

Let’s build a powerful movement for nature

We’re growing a thriving movement of people from all walks of life to protect and restore nature – and push our government to do the same so that by the end of the decade nature is healthier than it is today.

Join us in September spotting platypus and record your findings so together we can help researchers understand more about this elusive animal, and how we can better protect it. Invite your friends and colleagues along to help us work with new communities in raising their voices for nature protection.

Encourage the young people in your life to take part in Wild At Art: threatened species art competition for kids aged 5-12, bringing a conversation about Australia’s extinction crisis into families and classrooms around the country. Entries open on Threatened Species Day, 7 September.

Local ACF Community Groups around the country are working deep in communities to build our movement and speak up for nature. Find a group near you, or start one yourself!

And stay tuned for more on how we raise ambition from our government to create strong laws that actually protect nature, and be a global leader in nature protection and restoration.

Let’s put the brakes on new coal and gas

Our court case against Woodside and their mega-polluting Scarborough gas project is funded by people like you.

If we win, we will hopefully set a legal precedent that new or expanded fossil fuel extraction projects are not approved without consideration of their climate impacts under our national environment law.

While the gas extracted at Scarborough is burnt overseas, its climate pollution still drives climate impacts that risk our nature and communities here in Australia. Together we can make it harder for all new coal, gas and oil projects to be approved.

Let’s build a future where we all travel clean

In Parliament, we can start pushing for long overdue standards for vehicle emissions that can take pollution off our roads and help all of us to travel clean with electric cars, buses and more. Stay posted for opportunities to contact your decision maker about cleaning up transport pollution.

Thank you for reading and acting. Together let’s keep growing the momentum for the big leaps we need to secure the survival of all living things.

Donations from our community power everything we do and keeps us independent and fearless. Make a donation today to help us be an even greater force for nature.

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