Queensland Climate Movement Summit

The Queensland Climate Summit was a community convergence hosted by Six Degrees on the 25^th October, 2008.

The impetus for the Summit came from a series of conversations between people from a range of organisations concerned about climate change, and also about the implications of climate change for peace, justice and sustainability.

We were also aware that in Brisbane and right across Queensland, there were passionate and committed individuals affected and concerned about climate change issues, but who work in relative isolation from others who share their concerns.

The Summit was conceived, in the initial phases, as a communication forum, to allow these varied groups and individuals to connect with each other and begin a dialogue for taking meaningful collective action on climate change. It would also serve as a preparatory session for the National Climate Action Summit, to be held from January 31^st to February 3^rd, 2009.

Invitations were sent out, with activists, thinkers and citizens from across Queensland invited to meet to discuss ideas, issues, opportunities, campaigns and strategies in response to the impacts of climate change. The overall aim was to encourage discussion and co-operation between groups and individuals who are working on or interested in working on climate change in order to strengthen and build a movement for change across the state. But we also hoped that through those discussions, we would be able to provide an opportunity:

• for information sharing about key issues and campaigns
• to develop ‘cross movement’ strategies
• to debate tactics, strategies and politics
• to discuss visions and alternative energy futures
• for people who are new to the movement to gain an understanding of who is doing what, how, and why.

More than sixty people from Queensland and across the country converged upon a small community hall at an inner city primary school, and participated in an open and self-organised forum space; which resulted in 26 workshops and discussion forums.

The proceedings, which will be uploaded shortly here, provide a glimpse of the inspiring moments that resulted from the multitude of spontaneous, dynamic and abundant interactions made possible by the convergence.

About Six Degrees

• Six Degrees is campaign initiative of Friends of the Earth in Queensland, targeting Queensland’s dependence on the coal industry. Queensland is the largest coal exporting state in the largest coal exporting country in the world. Our campaign recognises that the greatest impediment to meaningful action on climate change in Queensland is our embedded political and economic addiction to coal - the most polluting and hazardous of all the fossil fuels.

Six Degrees has two related campaign objectives:

• Sustained public opposition to the expansion of the coal export industry in Queensland through state-sponsored infrastructure.
• A systematic and equity-focused economic diversification and structural adjustment strategy for regions and communities to transition away from coal reliance towards a clean energy future.

Upcoming Events

Coal Affected Communities Tour: The first major project of Six Degrees is a listening tour through coal affected and dependant communities of Queensland to canvass the needs, values and motivations of these communities as part of the development of a transition strategy that is democratic, equitable and just.

Walk Against Warming: The annual Brisbane Walk Against Warming is on again in Brisbane on the 15th November.

Contacts

• Email: john.mackenzie@griffith.edu.au
• Phone: 0405 433 550
• Address: 294 Montague Rd, West End, QLD
• Postcode: 4101
• Web: www.enoughhotair.com