Spread the word!
Do you know a woman who has been leading the way on climate action through her innovation, communication and service?
Does she come from the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria or Western Australia?
If so, tell her about the Zonta Club of Melbourne-on-Yarra’s Women Taking Climate Action Award.
Applications close on Friday 26 August 2022.
Let’s celebrate women in our community who are walking the talk of gender equality and climate action!
Happy New Year! The summer break is becoming a distant memory, and now is the time to focus on the year ahead.
This year, there are many opportunities to share the messages around Zonta Says NOW to gender equality and climate action. Here are two that you can start planning for today!
International Women’s Day (IWD) – 8 March
The UN women’s IWD theme for 2022 is Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. The theme recognises the contribution of women and girls working to change the climate of gender equality and build a sustainable future.
On Friday, 4 March 2022, UN Women Australia will be hosting five live events concurrently in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and a live stream virtual event. These will all include a virtual interview with the indomitable Jane Goodall, so join online or in person if you can.
Many Zonta clubs are holding IWD events, so please support them too.
Zonta Says NOW and the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 66th Session – 14 to 25 March
The CSW is the most significant global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
This year’s priority theme is Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes.
Zontians from District 23 and the USA Caucus submitted a proposal to present a session on Zonta Says NOW in the NGO CSW/NY parallel event.
We have just heard that the proposal has been accepted! Our session will be from 8.00 am to 9.30 am on Tuesday 15 March EST – that’s New York time.
So please mark your calendars for 15 March from 8.00 pm to 9.30 pm in Western Australia, 10.30 pm to 12 am in South Australia, and 11 pm to 12.30 am in Victoria and Tasmania. Please share the save the date flyer below.
The free session will be on Zoom, and we’ll circulate registration details, program etc., when they are confirmed.
2022 – Bring it on!
The winner of the Zonta Club of Melbourne on Yarra‘s pilot Women Taking Climate Action Award 2021 is Margaret Hender from South Australia.
Margaret is the creator of CORENA (Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia) – Australia’s first solar revolving fund. The idea of CORENA was conceived when Margaret was on the ‘walk for solar’ from Port Augusta to Adelaide in 2012.
What is a revolving fund? CORENA uses donations to provide interest-free loans to small not-for-profit organisations to install solar, invest in energy efficiency, get off gas, or purchase electric vehicles. Repayments are used to fund further projects.
So far, CORENA has successfully loaned $800,000 to fund 44 projects, generating almost $200,000 in savings for the not-for-profits. CORENA loans have helped many child care centres, specialist schools, housing associations for the disabled and community resource centres throughout Australia.
Many women involved in not-for-profit organisations are daunted making investment decisions related to energy – which is still a very male-dominated industry. CORENA’s key positions are all held by women and they are able to offer independent technical advice and support.
The pilot Women Taking Climate Action Award was developed by the Zonta Club of Melbourne-on-Yarra to acknowledge women who are taking innovative climate action that engages with women.
Funding for the $1,000 award was raised through a Climate Action webinar with inspirational guest speaker, Natalie Isaacs, the CEO of 1 Million Women.
The Award was open to any woman living in District 23 (Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia). The judges were Suzanne Lees and Dr Jasmine Schuijers from the Zonta Club of Melbourne on Yarra and Carole Theobald from the Zonta Club of Perth who is the convenor of Zonta Says NOW to Gender Equality and Climate Action.
Competition for the award was very strong and judging was complicated by the diverse range of activities and experience levels of applicants. Applicants will be invited to speak at club and Zonta Says NOW meetings to share their work and passion. Knowledge gained from the pilot will be valuable to review the criteria for future years.
If you and/or your Zonta Club is interested in becoming involved with Zonta Says NOW, and/or supporting the Climate Action Award, please contact Carole Theobald via zontasaysnow@gmail.com.
Improved Climate Bill
The improved Climate Bill will be tabled in the Australian Parliament. It has been revised to reflect feedback from the inquiry process and introduce a new, short-term emissions reduction target of 60% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.
As Zali Steggall, the independent MP for Warringah, puts it in her media release:
“Climate change is the single biggest threat to Australia’s prosperity and largest opportunity for economic development,” she said. “These bills will ensure Australia gets a share of the estimated $1.7 trillion per annum invested globally in the net zero transition.”
“The Government hasn’t done the work and is letting Australia down, scrambling to negotiate a last minute plan with the Nationals. We must act decisively in this next decade to set Australia up.”
“There is a new wave of opportunity, and we need leadership and commitment to be part of it. We need to set ambitious targets to drive investment and uptake in clean technologies.”
“I call on the Morrison Government to pass the Bills without delay and go to COP26 with a strong, responsible position on climate.”
Sharma Case Appeal to be heard
In May this year, the Federal Court found that the Minister for the Environment has a duty of care to protect young people from the future harm caused by the climate change impacts of a proposed coal mine extension project (Vickery Extension Project).
The case was brought by eight children led by Anj Sharma with the assistance of Sister Brigid Arthur, their 86 year old litigation guardian.
The day after the decision, the Minister of the Environment announced she would appeal to the Full Federal Court.
Since then, the Minister has approved the extension of three large coal mines: the Vickery Mine extension, expansion of underground mining at the Russell Vale Colliery, and expansion of the Mangoola mine.
Three judges heard an appeal from 18-20 October, and you can see progress on this Federal Court link.
Thousands of people around Australia have not given up on the Climate Change Bills. A concerted effort is underway to get them reintroduced into Parliament.
The recent IPCC report showed we are in a climate emergency. We must achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 to have any chance of preventing runaway global warming. Are you worried and don’t know what to do?
A Different Approach Community (ADAC) has been writing 227 letters a month to all Federal parliamentarians since 2019, asking for urgent action on climate change. They have devised this ingenious Mass Mailout for Climate campaign and have asked community groups to send letters to their MPs:
Throughout September, an expected 30,000 letters will be collected in a post office locked bag in Canberra and delivered to independent parliamentarian Zali Steggall at a media photoshoot event in October.
Visit the Mass Mailout for Climate website to view videos of Zali Steggall describing the campaign, get instructions on where to send your letters and some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
UPDATE: The pandemic stopped the letters being presented, but follow progress on the Mass Mailout for Climate Website.
The findings of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released this week have gone beyond being a wake-up call – they are a scream to take action.
As the Climate Council puts it:
There’s so much packed into this report – so we’ve compiled some of its key conclusions into our latest article: What does the IPCC’s latest report mean?. Here’s what it all comes down to:
The findings of this latest report are unmistakable: only stronger action this decade can prevent climate catastrophe.
Looking for ways to take action?
There is not a day to waste!
If the world does not act now, and forcefully, the catastrophic effects of climate change will be far greater than the current pandemic
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General
In its Statement on Climate Change, Zonta International affirms that climate change requires swift and decisive actions and the time for such actions is now.
Please write to your MP asking them to support the Climate Change Bill that is working its way through Parliament.
Let your MP know your views on this important climate legislation. Remind them that climate change threatens human rights, such as right to life, food, water, health, education livelihood and safety.
Ask them to uphold the principles of climate justice agreed to in the Paris Agreement and ensure that the most marginalized groups do not bear the brunt of the climate crisis.
Australia is a signatory to the Paris Agreement. However, according to the Climate Action Tracker,
For the last six months the Climate Change Bill has been working its way through the Federal Parliament. The Bill was introduced by independent MP, Zali Steggall. The Bill is currently with the Environment and Energy Committee that is expected to report in June on the public consultation process that took place between January and March.
For the Bill to be debated in parliament, either:
a) the government must agree that a debate should take place, or
b) a majority of MPs in the House of Representatives must support what is called a “suspension of standing orders” to pause planned business and debate the Bill. For this to happen, at least two coalition MPs will need to vote in favour of a debate.
Please use the links on the Climate Act Now website to email your MP, the Prime Minister and the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister.
Now is the time to add your voice and stand up for a gender equal, sustainable future!
One Million Women know how to put on a show, even in a pandemic! This year’s LoveEarth Festival on 5 December was enjoyed by hundreds of women and men around the world – all on Zoom.
Hosted by Natalie Isaacs, the founder of 1MW and lively co-host Bernie Hobbs, the award-winning science writer and broadcaster with the ABC – this event had it all: connection with country, mind, heart and soul.
Highlights for me:
Sleep my country sleep, as off the cliff, the kingdoms leap, count them as they pass on by. Our children might know them, but their children will not, we won’t know ’til it’s gone all the glory we’ve got.
Just like the boiling frog, as we go, we won’t feel a thing…
Paul Kelly from Sleep Australia Sleep
Step One: We must take the climate crisis personally and make it our own issue.
Step Two: We must get angry and be active about those who are not doing enough – join an organisation
Step Three: Imagine the world we are hurrying towards; new jobs, new opportunities and make it a just transition. Don’t neglect those who helped build the economies
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and climate champion
Women globally have woken up to the fact that we have to be there at the table.
There has to be parity of decision making. We need women to be half of the cabinet, half of the board in business. We need women to be involved at every level – we need their voices.
Yes, I say to all women globally, this is our time, our century and we must step up and take that responsibility… We must walk tall, take our place and make it the century where women’s leadership will lead us forward.
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and climate champion
Throughout the event Natalie and Bernie kept the virtual event personal, feeding off the comments in the chat line. One Million Women are doing some great work and their new initiative is the Marketplace where they showcase a range of sustainable products – check it out.
My verdict? A thoroughly enjoyable, educational and moving morning. Congratulations to the One Million Women team for putting it together!
