Australians are already feeling the effects of climate change, and we’re running out of time to turn things around. We urgently need governments and big business to take significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition more quickly to renewable energy.
So this New Year, why not commit to some resolutions that will help to reduce Australia’s emissions, positively change the national conversation around climate change, and pressure decision-makers to take climate action seriously?
Here are our five top suggestions:
1. Make a commitment to get your news from credible, reliable sources – especially when it comes to climate.
There is no better time to conduct an audit of the news you consume and subscribe to than at the start of a fresh year. Have a good look at what sort of news content you’re currently consuming and think about where it comes from, what vested interests or personal bias may be influencing the news piece, and whether the claims can be fact-checked.
Nowadays, over 50% of Australians consume their news via social media, so make sure you’re also taking a critical eye to the accounts and pages you’re following there.
Our top picks for climate, energy and extreme weather news platforms to follow are:
– ABC
– Bureau Of Meteorology
– CSIRO
– Renew Economy
– Climate Council – you can also find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where we post daily about the latest climate and energy developments in Australia and the world.
At the Climate Council, we believe providing Australians with credible, reliable and up-to-date information is key to developing a deep understanding of climate change impacts and solutions and changing the public narrative around climate and energy policy. It’s safe to say we take our news seriously.
2. Make your home more energy efficient
Electricity generation is the biggest contributor to climate change in Australia because the majority of our electricity is still made by burning fossil fuels like coal and gas. Australians are also among the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases on the planet (both in total and per person), which means there is a lot more we could be doing at home to reduce our energy consumption heading into the new year.
Click here to find our top tips for improving the energy efficiency of your home!
Top tips for improving your household energy efficiency during summer.
3. Commit to having more conversations about climate change with your nearest and dearest
People are more likely to take information on board if it comes from a friend or family member. This means chatting with your nearest and dearest about climate impacts and solutions is one of the most important actions you can take to influence the public narrative on climate change today.
So this year, make a conscious effort to sit down with your parents, neighbours or friends – even if it’s just over Zoom – to let them know why you think climate action is important, and why they should too.
A few top tips to get you started:
- Help people understand how climate change is affecting them in particular. For example, were they affected by the bushfires last summer? Do they love snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef? Have they experienced a heatwave?
- Talk about how renewables are already creating good, new jobs for Australians and lowering power bills, and explain how it can also solve long-term problems like climate change.
- Invite people to be open to new information by sharing the latest facts and demonstrating how a renewables-led recovery can create a more self-reliant and sustainable Australia.
- Help people understand that phasing out fossil fuels is inevitable, makes economic sense, and is already well underway.
- Explain that investing in renewables is a win-win situation: it’s both a win for the environment, and a win for our economy.
Plus, check out the Climate Council’s social media pages for ideas on what to post on your own accounts – you can find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
4. Send a letter to the editor supporting urgent action this decade
With a federal election around the corner, there’s going to be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing over coming months on what credible climate policies mean for everyday Australians.
Take 5 minutes to write a letter to the editor this weekend, and show your support for stronger action this decade.
A letter to the editor can be a powerful tool for sparking conversation, and can help keep climate change issues in the public eye. Everyday Australians need to speak up to support ambitious climate policy when we see it, and call for far greater speed, and scale, when we need to.
5. Become a Climate Council member
This year, we need to fight harder than ever before, change more hearts and minds, and have the biggest impact yet, to stand up against a tough, well-resourced opposition.
we’ll keep fighting back against dangerous, and unnecessary new fossil fuel projects to accelerate the switch to renewables. We’ll keep championing the clean jobs policies and progress we need to see scaled up at a state and local level
And we’ll use this momentum to push the next federal government into action – developing strong climate policies that will slash emissions, create jobs, and keep us safe from extreme weather.
It’s our Climate Council Members, who contribute an average of $7 a week, who underpin the work that we do. So if you haven’t already, consider joining us by becoming a Climate Council Member today.
Weekly and monthly donations make up a significant proportion of our funding, and they’re critical in helping us shape the conversation on climate change in Australia and push for real action from our Federal politicians. Time is running out, and we know that we need to be bigger and better to see significant emissions reductions and large-scale solutions to climate change.
Becoming a member powers our important work, so we can keep doing what we do best.
So make your New Year’s Resolutions count this year, by taking on board one – or all – of our climate resolutions.