2017: It’s been an eventful year to say the least.
Australia experienced its hottest winter on record, the Great Barrier Reef suffered its second year of back-to-back bleaching and extreme weather events intensified globally with supercharged storms, heatwaves and bushfires dominating the headlines.
On the political front, Trump threatened to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. At home, Australia has had another year of inaction, censorship and delay tactics by the Federal Government, who at the end of 2017 still don’t have a credible policy or plan for tackling climate change.
But 2017 wasn’t all bad!
Solutions surged ahead around the world. The cost of renewable energy plummeted and is now cheaper than new coal. China opened the world’s largest floating solar plant, and at home, South Australia launched the world’s biggest battery. Meanwhile, Australia celebrated 30 years of wind power.
And in the face of federal inaction on climate change, across Australia, local heroes have been working to reduce emissions and transition to cleaner, renewable powered communities. This year we launched the Cities Power Partnership, which has brought nearly 70 local councils together to reduce pollution and grow renewable energy. The program now represents over 7.5 million Australians!
Here’s to another year of climate action- bring on 2018!