We’ve been hearing it for decades now: ‘This is a critical decade to prevent the worst impacts of climate change’. As each decade passes with inadequate global action, the refrain remains true. It is a warning, a challenge and an opportunity – one the ACT must act on.
The ACT has been a national leader on climate action, because Canberrans take the climate crisis seriously. It’s no coincidence that the only jurisdiction with Greens in government was Australia’s first to be powered by 100% renewable energy, to begin phasing out the use of fossil fuel gas, to lead the uptake of electric vehicles, and to set the strongest emissions reduction targets. But right now, Canberra is at risk of falling off our perch as Australia’s climate action capital and we need your help to get back on track.
Failure to plan is a plan to fail and sadly, we’ve seen that failure play out as soon as Labor took over the climate portfolio. A government Climate Strategy that I put in place as Minister expired in 2025, with no replacement ready to go from Labor. They promised “no backwards steps” on climate at the last election – tragically underwhelming to begin with – but it’s obvious that if you’re standing still, you’re going backwards when it comes to climate action.
Canberra is a very high-consumption city. We’re growing. We need to do more, not less, if we’re to achieve net-zero emissions and live sustainably, as so many people are already working to do.
I love being part of this community that is so rich in ideas, efforts and practices that all contribute to stabilising the climate we all depend on. We have academics, engineers, growers, designers – innovators of all kinds who are creating the building blocks of the future we want to live in. On the national stage or in their own backyards, Canberrans are leaders on climate action and we deserve that from our government too.
Right now, the ACT Government is (finally) consulting on the next Climate Strategy and I urge everyone in Canberra: if you’ve ever worried about climate change, if you’ve ever protested against inaction, if you’ve ever been inspired by the possibilities, or thought of something you’d change if you could, tell the ACT Government now.
The Greens are hosting a series of workshops to facilitate making submissions to the public consultation. Following Sunday’s session at the Gungahlin Library and Tuesday’s at our party office in Turner, we’ve got another one coming up at King O’Malley’s at 6pm next Friday 13 March.
We’re also hosting a big town hall event next Wednesday 11 March, with a community panel of climate experts and advocates at DKB Hall in Dickson. You can register on the events page of the ACT Greens website.
This is not just a critical decade; It’s a critical fortnight for climate action in the ACT, to ensure the strategy Labor produces is not a plan to fail.
