The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation. Our mission is to be a courageous catalyst propelling Australia towards bold, effective action to tackle the climate crisis.

We provide authoritative, expert advice to the public on climate change, energy solutions and international action, based on the most up-to-date science available. The Climate Council was founded in 2013 by tens of thousands of supporters, in what was Australia’s largest-ever crowd-funding campaign, to create a new, independent and 100% community-funded organisation.

We’re made up of some of the country’s leading climate scientists, energy, health and policy experts, as well as a dedicated team of staff, and a huge community of volunteers and supporters who underpin our work.  As an independent voice on climate change, we get climate stories into the media, produce hard-hitting reports, call out misinformation as we see it and support Australia’s shift to a prosperous, renewable powered economy. 

We provide actionable scientific information to many groups, ranging from emergency services, to farmers, schools and universities and politicians. To date, the Climate Council has produced over 100 peer-reviewed reports, briefing papers and fact sheets on extreme weather, climate solutions and international action.  Our work continues to be powered by our community whose generous support underpins our success.

The Climate Council has established successful projects over the past seven years. Emergency Leaders for Climate Action has had a transformative impact on the media landscape and national narrative on how we communicate the link between climate change and extreme weather. Using their credibility and experience, they are building public pressure and directly advocating to decision-makers to take action. Our Cities Power Partnership project continues to be the largest climate network for local government in Australia. With over 125 members, the Cities Power Partnership is supporting communities on the path to net-zero emissions.

If you would like more information on our strategic direction and projects, please get in touch and we’ll send you a copy of our Major Projects Guide.

Clean Jobs Plan Campaign

Right now we have an opportunity to craft the future we want to see for Australia. We can rebuild our economy with clean energy solutions – getting people back to work by ramping up projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate resilience, that create jobs and drive down emissions.

As our leaders meet to plan our economic response to COVID-19, the decisions made today will greatly determine the kind of world we live in tomorrow. 

It’s time to forge a better path for Australia. We deserve a clean energy-led recovery and a fairer, cleaner stronger economy. 

Using our report, Clean Jobs Plan, we are advocating to our political decision-makers and business leaders to ensure economic stimulus measures reduce emissions and create thousands of job opportunities in the clean energy industry.

The Cities Power Partnership

The Climate Council’s flagship project the Cities Power Partnership (CPP) is now Australia’s largest climate program for local government. The program empowers grassroots action by working with councils and communities to undertake climate solutions projects. With 100 councils on board, the team can’t wait to see what impact Australians can make.

Extreme Weather Education

Over the past five years, the Climate Council’s work on extreme weather has played a key role in educating the public on the impacts of climate change. This has included lengthening bushfire seasons, intensified drought and supercharged storms.

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef

The Climate Council continues to monitor the health and recovery of the Great Barrier Reef since the back to back coral bleaching events of 2016 and 2017 that were the result of increasing sea temperatures.

Discrediting Gas

Gas is a polluting, dangerous and expensive fossil fuel. Despite energy experts opinion that we do not need any more gas in our system, there are loud proponents pushing a gas-led economic recovery. With gas, and its impacts not only on climate change but human health not well understood by the public, the Climate Council has a role in highlighting the danger of gas.

Emergency Leaders for Climate Action

In April 2019, the Climate Council launched a new group, the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA).  For the first time, 23 former Fire and Emergency Chiefs from every state and territory around Australia have come together to call for stronger action on climate change. The highly decorated and experienced group have received extensive media coverage and public support, particularly over the 2019-20 bushfire crisis. ELCA are calling for:

• A well-equipped fire and emergency service, which is able to address the increasing risk to lives and livelihoods from bushfires that are exacerbated by climate change.
• A credible federal climate and energy policy that will ramp up Australia’s transition to renewable energy, dramatically slash our greenhouse gas emissions and phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas.

For more information on the Climate Council’s projects, please contact Cassie, Head of Community cassie@climatecouncil.org.au

Climate Councillors

Professor Tim Flannery – Chief Councillor

Gerry Hueston

Professor Lesley Hughes

Professor Will Steffen

Professor Andrew Stock

Greg Bourne

Professor Hilary Bambrick

Professor Joelle Gergis

Greg Mullins

Cheryl Durrant

Dr Kate Charlesworth

Climate Council Management Team

Katrina Porteus – COO

Martin Rice – Head of Research

Gerry Hueston – Chair of Board

Martijn Wilder

Robert Purves

Samantha Mostyn

Matthew Honey

The Climate Council is an independent organisation and receives 100% of our funding from our community donors and philanthropists.

The Climate Council community are passionate about a bright, clean, safe and sustainable Australia for generations to come.

Thanks to our supporters and founding friends, the Climate Council has built a reputation as a trusted and go-to authority on climate change. Since 2013 we have been working to achieve our vision of a bright, sustainable and clean-energy powered future.

The Climate Council has a clear vision for the future to raise the bar even higher and work towards reaching new and diverse audiences, ramping up local action and demonstrating that a clean, renewable-powered future is not only possible but is already underway.

By leaving a gift in your will to the Climate Council, you can play a vital role in Australia’s energy and climate future.

Our community’s incredible support means we remain independent and funded almost entirely by individual donors. Leaving a lasting legacy in your will ensures the Climate Council will power on with climate action.

If supporting action on climate change is important to you, you can find out more about the impact of a gift in your will here.

Get Involved

Sign up to our mailing list

To stay up to date on the latest climate research, alerts to take action and invites to events, sign up to our mailing list here.

Donate

The Climate Council is 100% independent and community funded. We rely on donations from individuals like you to power our critical research, campaigns and projects. Contributing is one of the best ways you can push for climate change action and take on the biggest issue of our generation.

For more on how to donate to the Climate Council, head to our website.

Fundraise for us

By fundraising on behalf of the Climate Council, you can raise money and awareness for climate change impacts and solutions amongst your friends, family and colleagues. We recognise it’s a big ask, so that’s why we’ve put together some resources with some inspiration on how you might like to fundraise for us. It’s a huge contribution that we greatly appreciate and we’ll support ou very sep of the way. Check out our Fundraising Toolkit here.

Champions Club

Our Climate Champions program provides community donors with the opportunity to provide a significant annual contribution of $1,000 or more to the Climate Council. Funding from Climate Champions gives us the certainty we need to plan ahead and develop ambitious new projects, like our new Cities Power Partnership. We can only be ambitious in tackling climate change because we have champions committed to powering our impact.

Become a Climate Council Champion today!

Workplace Giving

If you’re passionate about supporting climate action, workplace giving is an easy and effective way for employees to make a difference by giving a regular donation through their pre-tax pay.

For companies partnering with the Climate Council, Workplace Giving demonstrates that your business is passionate about supporting climate action and protecting Australia’s future. By matching the donations that your employees make, you’re effectively doubling their impact, and supporting their charitable interests. You can also track the level of charitable giving your workplace has helped achieve.

Head to our website to get started.

A job at the Climate Council is an opportunity to work with some of Australia’s brightest minds tackling the biggest challenge of our time.

We’re powered by a small, high-impact staff team that works alongside our members, volunteers and Councillors to punch above our weight and have a huge impact.

We offer competitive salaries and benefits, a nurturing and flexible workplace and big opportunities for learning and development.

The Climate Council is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, personal appearance, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, or political affiliation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are strongly encouraged to apply for all advertised positions.

Head to our website for current employment opportunities.

Volunteer’s are critical to the Climate Council’s impact. Volunteering is a great learning experience, a chance to meet new people and a huge support for our organisation. 

Head to our website for more information.