Adrian Whitehead of CACE attended the Southwest Climate Action Forum (Thursday 22 October) in Warrnambool run by Geoff Rollinson of Southwest Climate Action. The Forum was attended by over 70 community members, who presented a wide range of campaigning ideas ranging from getting climate friendly members elected to local council, encouraging local dairy farmers to reduce their emissions, and transitioning the Portland Alcoa aluminium smelter to 100% renewables or shutting it down. Both the City of Warrnambool and Moyne Shire have passed motions recognising the climate emergency. 

CACE's Adrian Whitehead joined local campaign organiser Kitty Walker, in a meeting  with Queenscliffe's Mayor Bob Merriman and new CEO Martin Gill, to discuss the upcoming community meeting about the climate crisis and how Queenscliffe could play are role in responding to it.

Queensc​liffe Borough is a unique local government in Australia, being the only borough and servicing a population of around  2700 (2016 census figure).  


Queenscliffe and surrounding areas will also be drastically affected by climate change, in particular from sea level rise and coastal inundation, making it, as we call them, one of the Atlantis councils who will loose some or all of their land under future sea level rise.

The conversation was wide ranging and positive, heralding a good start for community involvement in the Borough's climate response. 

Please come doe the communty meeting at Pt Lonsdale on Wednesday the 30th. Details below.

As featured in the Colac Heard  7 Oct 19....
"YOUNG LEADERS: Colac Otway Shire schoolchildren joined residents calling for action at a climate and biodiversity emergency meeting in Colac yesterday. Rhani Adams, Piyali Beale, Teararatai Horo and Rose Gitting stood up at the meeting and urged community leaders to acknowledge a state of climate emergency. Read more about the meeting and a petition to Colac Otway Shire Council in Wednesday's Colac Herald. "

​Click for more....

Adrian Whitehead from CACE was a key speaker at a community event held in Colac on Sunday  the 6th of October. The events was organised by local community members and was attended by more than 50 residents.  

The event featured two great speeches from local school children Rhani Adams and Rose Gitting how expressed their concern for their futures and the lack of effort by adults to save them.

Cr Steven Hart spoke about what Colac Otway  Shire had done and was not doing in this space and the meeting was attended by Cr Brain Crook. 

The event launched local petition for Colac Otway Shire to acknowledge that we are in a climate emergency and commit to stronger action. The petition is available in hard cop locally and closes on January the 28th.

People wishing to get involved in this campaign can contact Marina via her email at ​[email protected]

Many councils that declare a climate emergency want a detailed guide to how to proceed post declaration.  The CACE website has been breaking down in more detail some of the areas that councils want spelled out in more detail with pages, under 'A Guide for Councils' now including:
-Motions to declare a climate emergency
-Your climate emergency plan
-Entering emergency mode
-Post declaration
​
More detail will be added to these pages over time but the fundamental framework is there for councils to mobilise, which was the original intent of the climate emergency declarations. 
​
​