I believe strongly in the power of people to advocate for a better future.
For the first time in years I genuinely feel hopeful for real progress.
And it’s all thanks to you.
Every action you take – whether it’s signing petitions, having conversations with friends and family, generously donating, engaging with your representatives – is critical for protecting nature and our climate.
It is so important that I share with you the incredible impact you are having on the world around us. So we’ve put together a special video to say thank you.
You have stopped profit-hungry corporations stealing precious water from our drought-prone landscape.
You have exposed the weakness of our nature laws and added your voice to the fight to protect our precious wildlife and habitats.
You have demanded our government take real action on climate and nature.
You have changed the future of Australia.
Together we can create an Australia we’re all proud of.
Thank you.
From every living thing.
Saving our Big Backyard
Investigations Update
In May this year, we published the Aggravating Extinction report. After months of painstaking research, our Investigations unit uncovered the devastating impact a decade of government-approved habitat destruction has had on many of Australia’s most vulnerable animals.
But, thanks to you, we’re pushing for strong nature laws to protect the animals we love. You have helped us expose the destruction. And it’s you who will help us stop it.
“Every day I’m grateful that our supporters make it possible for me to do this absolutely vital work.” - Kim Garratt, Environmental Investigator
To say I am blown away with the generosity of our community would be an understatement. We have raised a whopping $846,673 to support the vital work of the ACF Investigations Unit, ensuring our work exposing the truth can continue over the next 12 months.
Photo: Eastern Quoll, Annette Ruzicka
Almost 500,000 signatures!
Our national environment laws are supposed to protect the places and wildlife we love. But they are failing. Almost 500,000 of you have signed our petition to demand nature laws that actually protect nature, and an independent regulator to enforce them.
If you haven't yet signed the petition - it's not too late!
Photo: Rainbow Bee Eater, Annette Ruzicka.
The platy-project
Spotting a platypus in the wild is a magical moment that you don’t forget. But platypus numbers are in decline, and this unique creature is now at risk of extinction. Land clearing, dams, drought and bushfires are destroying critical platypus habitat, leaving them nowhere to go. To survive, platypuses need safe a habitat to call home.
In February this year, we asked Aussies to head down to their nearest creek or river, find a quiet place on the bank, and try to spot a platypus and record what they saw.
In 5 weeks, 257 people participated and recorded 43 different platypus sightings. The pilot gave us the information we needed to proceed with the platy-project later this year. It’s clear that people love the platypus and want to help them. This project is a collaboration between the University of New South Wales and ACF and helps platypus researchers understand more about this elusive animal, and how we can better protect it.
And it’s your support that makes this vital work possible.
If you want to get involved, sign-up now to participate in the platy-project throughout August at www.acf.org.au/platy-project.
Happy searching!
Photo: Richard Woodgett
A record breaking day of generosity!
On February 12 we held ACF’s very first Giving Day. Thanks to you, we raised an astonishing $518,530 to power our on-the-ground investigations and call for lasting, systemic change to protect the places and wildlife we love.
Thank you so much to everyone who showed their support on the day and an extra special thank you to our matching donors.
“Giving to ACF is the most loving thing I can do for future generations to enjoy nature.” — Felicia Huppert, Matching Donor
People Power
EarthVoice
Photo: James Thomas
ACF is funded by tens of thousands of Australians. Thanks to you, our campaigns to protect our living world are fearless, objective and independent. Our amazing and growing EarthVoice Community now has over 26,400 committed members, each giving regularly to support our vital work.
Together we are bold, courageous and powerful – we make change happen. Donate a regular monthly gift and help us deliver the long-term solutions people, wildlife and future generations need.
You’re taking on Woodside
In October last year, you forced Woodside to withdraw its application to dump a toxic, steel and plastic mooring next to the Ningaloo World Heritage Area. And now, thanks to your support, we’re going face to face with Woodside Energy in Federal Court to stop their Scarborough Gas project in its tracks until its climate impacts are properly assessed.
If we win this case – and we're hopeful we will – it’ll set an important precedent requiring future projects to be assessed for climate impact under our national environment law.
“The Scarborough Project’s enormous greenhouse gas emissions will fuel climate damage that is already threatening the Great Barrier Reef.
We won’t stop until we have exhausted all legal options to get the climate consequences of this project properly considered.” - Adam Beeson, General Counsel
Your support allows us to take our best ever shot at nature-wrecking organisations and their friends in high places.
Thank you so much to everyone who donated to support the ACF Legal Fund. Your support makes all the difference.
To read more about Woodside's Scarborough Project click here.
United we stand on climate action
Climb It For Climate
In May, almost 1,000 people got sponsored to climb mountains, staircases, boulders and even their own house walls - and together, raised over $150,000 to help fight climate change! These incredible people spent the whole month of May challenging their endurance and raising funds as part of ACF's annual community fundraising event, Climb It For Climate.
Image: Shutterstock
Together We Can
Last year ACF Community groups and our partners launched the Together We Can campaign to demonstrate the huge public demand for real action on climate this decade. We brought together everyday people, communities and businesses all over Australia, demanding action on climate and nature solutions to cut pollution by more than half this decade.
We helped organise a rally of 2,800 people to protest a high-rise apartment complex being built on sensitive wetlands in Toondah Harbour.
Together, we delivered a deafening call for climate action and a fairer democracy.
The Australian community has spoken. Years of dedication has amounted to the clearest mandate yet for our Parliament to step up – at a time when nature needs us most.
Click here to read more about our call for #ClimateActionNow.
Photo: Liz Reen
Australia’s biggest climate poll
Last year, we asked YouGov to conduct the biggest and most in-depth survey ever undertaken of adult opinion on climate change. And the results couldn’t have been clearer. Thanks to the poll, we:
- showed a majority of people want faster climate action, and that net zero by 2050 is "too little, too late".
- revealed a majority of people in every seat believe the economy will become stronger by taking greater action on climate.
With your help, we’ve shown that while Australia is a diverse nation, we are united in our desire for climate action.
You're building a healthy democracy
A vibrant and healthy democracy helps us solve our biggest challenges – like ending climate pollution and the extinction crisis.
But in Australia, the deep-pocketed coal and gas industries distort the political process and influence our government’s decisions for their own gain. This throws our whole democratic system out of balance, leaving everyday Australians struggling to have our voices heard.
Together we can revitalise and restore faith in our democracy, and ensure it works for all of us.
Thanks to you, we’re building a democracy that’s clean, fair, active and meaningful.
Here’s what your support is helping us achieve:
- Strengthen political donations and spending regulation so there is meaningful transparency and caps on donations, ensuring corporations can’t use their oversized wallets to drown out our voices.
- Transparency around lobbying so we know who is meeting our politicians and why.
- A federal integrity commission that has the power to investigate allegations of corruption and uncover deep networks of influence in politics.
- A strong civil society to advocate for people and planet, where our right to advocate for the changes we need is respected and protected.
It’s time to make our democracy fair for everyone.
Photo: Thomas Kinsman/ACF
