In 2019-20, we held decision makers to account and spoke up for solutions to keep nature healthy for generations to come.
Our work in action
Our greatest power is in the people who stand with us. This year, we grew our social media communities and mobilised more people through digital and community-based tactics.
On June 30, an incredible 409,908 people had signed on to the biggest petition in the 55-year history of ACF — one that asks for strong new nature laws. Members of Parliament have received thousands of personal letters from constituents asking them to end the extinction crisis.
Our community inundated the Business Council of Australia (BCA) member companies like Coles and Woolworths with calls, emails and social media messages. And it worked! The BCA became a climate advocate.
We now have 37 ACF Community groups with 507 group members. This year, these groups ran 235 events and delivered efforts on big moments, like the student climate strikes, the campaign to save Toondah Harbour and our work targeting Adani mine contractors. They also held 25 meetings with state and federal MPs asking for their public support for our Recover, Rebuild, Renew campaign.
Climate strike Melbourne. Photo: James Thomas
To support our people, we trained more than 200 Community members in digital organising.
We ran quarterly leadership training in Brisbane and Melbourne, offered monthly Community webinars, and established a Community hub on the ACF website.
Our Fellowship program continued, with 13 Fellows all volunteering two days each week in a role specifically designed to support the ACF Community.
To better represent and include our diverse Australian community, our Equity Project team consulted with a range of stakeholders, including external organisations. We developed our partnership with the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and recently supported their 'All One Together' anti-racism campaign.
Our impact
- We grew our community in one year, from 650,000 to more than 700,000 people.
- 409,908 people signed on to the biggest petition in the 55-year history of ACF.
- Our community raised the pressure on big banks to move money out of coal and gas.
- We shifted business lobby groups from undermining climate action to advocating for it.
