How we win in 2024

For many of us, the start of a new year is a nudge to think about what’s important – and where we want to be in another year’s time.

At the end of 2024 I’d like to look back and see:

• The rapid expansion of renewable energy that’s good for nature – to end powering our lives with climate-wrecking fossil fuels
• Communities celebrating and experiencing the diverse and colourful plants and wildlife in our big backyard – thanks to strong new laws that actually protect nature and businesses taking seriously their role in ending habitat destruction, and
• Our stories of hope and impact moving others to act, building a more powerful, inclusive and joyful movement for change than we’ve ever seen.

2024 is the year we must see people and nature put first.

Illawarra locals say "Yes to Renewables" at the Wollongong Family Fun Day. Photo credit: Catherine Treloar / ACF.

Here at ACF, our community has big ambitious plans to:

1. Call out the big polluters like Woodside and Santos who are wreaking havoc on our climate, and the places we love, for profits. Over the next few months we’ll ramp up the pressure on Woodside and its investors to stop climate-wrecking activities – so stay tuned for ways to get involved! And don’t forget that in September, we’re taking Woodside to court over the impact of their Scarborough gas project’s greenhouse gas emissions on the Great Barrier Reef.
   
   
2. Stop new coal and gas and ramp up support for renewable energy. Our movement has a long history of saying no to destructive projects. We'll keep doing that. But now it’s time to start saying yes to well-designed solar and wind projects necessary for increasing renewable energy to power our lives. To ramp up wind and solar solutions across Australia, this year communities need to speak up in support of big renewable projects that are kind to nature.
   
   
3. Secure strong laws that actually protect nature through a refreshed and effective Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – so that our rivers, forests, wildlife and communities can all thrive. There are so many ways to speak up for nature now, like having your say in the federal government’s nature laws survey, emailing your federal Member of Parliament (MP) to urge them to speak up, or raising funds for nature with Australia’s Biggest Bushwalk.

And so much more!

Wollongong Family Fun Day. Photo credit: Yes2Renewables / Friends of the Earth. 

Our collective dedication towards nature protection is what allows us to achieve incredible change together.

Whatever your strengths – having powerful conversations that motivate others to action, genuinely listening to others, creating emotionally uplifting and enjoyable experiences connecting people to each other and nature, engaging with decision-makers like your MP, or contributing the donations that make this work for nature possible – nature needs you in 2024!

And if you’re looking to collaborate with others in your neighbourhood, have a look to see if there is an ACF Community group near you.

There’s so much to look forward to and achieve for nature in 2024. I’m really excited to work with you on making this a year filled with hope, action, and wins for people and planet.

So, let’s do this!