Climate impacts are already here. We need solutions, support and solidarity enacted now.
In November we launched the Frontline Climate Alliance Victoria, to make the case for the Victorian government to resource adaptation for climate impacted Vic communities.
At this meeting, we will be hearing from Amanda Kelly of Women’s Health Goulburn North East on its Care Through Disaster report, which it has released in partnership with Australia Remade. The report explores how we can better set ourselves up to care and be cared for well, especially during times of deep disruption. It asks, "when business-as-usual falls away, what works and what doesn’t? What needs to already be in place so people can continue to get by, recover and thrive?"
Amanda will share the report's findings about what can be done to care for communities before, during and after a disaster, and why and how to build infrastructure of care.
The alliance will build grassroots power for community led adaptation solutions, and build pressure on the Victorian government to act on climate adaptation.
While there are lots of alliances focused on resisting extractive projects and cutting emissions, there is less work happening to bring communities together on the basis of building resilience to climate impacts.
The Victorian government has made impressive investments into emissions reduction measures in the last ten years. However, in 2023, it seems bizarre that there is still no annual provision of resources in the budget for long term climate adaptation and resilience.
Communities need to make the case for the government to create a dedicated fund for climate adaptation. Through solidarity we can share knowledge and skills with each other as communities battle the same impacts.
This call will progress discussions about climate impacts, our responses and solutions. We will share how grassroots communities across Victoria can benefit from a campaign for a Community Climate Adaptation Fund.
Many communities around the state are already experimenting with different ways to monitor and build resilience to impacts. When climate disasters do happen, we want to be able to signal-boost messages from local communities about what support they need.
This meeting is online.
--We acknowledge that the lands we meet and work on across so called Victoria are stolen from First Nations people. Climate justice means land back and there can be no climate justice without justice for First Nations communities everywhere. Act on Climate values the leadership of elders past and present in caring for country. Solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people under settler colonialism in so called Australia is critical in the fight for liberation from all oppressive systems that devalue and exploit people and the environment.