Climate Action

The Climate Action campaign is an initiative by SCEC focused on broadening Sunshine Coast residents’ awareness of climate change issues, and encouraging them to become involved in climate action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

There is consensus in the scientific community that as a result of our increasing greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, methane and other gases), we are on track to cause catastrophic changes in the earth's climate that will affect generations across all nations and all sectors of the economy. Beautiful icons such as the Great Barrier Reef are seriously at risk.

The five hottest years on record have all occurred since 2010 according to both NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), with 2016 ranking the hottest year to date, with 2017 following closely behind. The world has warmed up by a bit more than 1 degree Celsius since 1880, and despite the year-to-year variability due to climate patterns like El Niño which tends to increase global temperatures, chief scientists from NOAA say the long-term trends are very clear. In fact, 2017 ranked among the hottest years on record, even without an El Niño which spiked temperatures in 2016.

What does this mean?

Sustained above-average temperatures, as the planet has seen so far this century, can affect the ice sheet, global sea levels, ecosystems, agriculture, coastal development, ocean acidification, rainfall and a number of cyclical rhythms. In 2016, we saw the worst ever coral bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef – a direct result of increased sea water temperature. Changes to the ocean’s pH also prevent carbonate structures like shells from forming.

Organisations such as CSIRO, the International Energy Agency, NASA, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)  and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) all agree that we must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions if we are to prevent catastrophic climate change into the future.

What is SCEC doing?

We believe that once ordinary people understand the issues surrounding climate change (and are not misled by the well-organised climate denial industry), they will demand serious commitment by our political leaders for real action.

Lobbying local governments and institutions to divest from fossil fuels

We want our politicians, of all parties and at all levels, to acknowledge that they must show real leadership by committing to reductions in greenhouse emissions both in Australia and internationally. Across Australia, more than 120 institutions such as local councils, universities and churches have resolved to shift their investments out of the fossil fuel industry.  

SCEC is campaigning for similar ethical action to be taken by the Sunshine Coast Council, the Noosa Council and the University of the Sunshine Coast.

What is divestment and why is it important? Find out more here. 

Sign here to show your support for local councils and institutions to divest from fossil fuels

Sign the Petition

Climate Action in the Community

SCEC hold a variety of community events, and film screenings to raise awareness and spread knowledge about the impacts of climate change in the community. We want to show our politicians that their constituents want action on climate change now!

Over the years, SCEC have held a number of community events to coincide with international climate conferences and days of action. 

Our aim is to bring the broader community together and lend their voice towards the environmental issues that matter to them. Whether that be through one of our Earth Hour events,The Rise to Meet the Tide event,our Eumundi Lantern Parade or Plates in the Paddock evening, our Paddle out for Climate Action event, one of our documentary film screenings; or one of our Climate Change Relays – we aim to build a resilient community ready to adapt to the changes we face in the future.

What you can do to act on climate change

Please join us in our efforts to tackle the most important of all 21st century issues.

  • The most powerful thing you can do is visit www.marketforces.org.au and look up your bank and superannuation fund. Are they investing in fossil fuels? If so, move your money to a bank or fund that doesn’t.
  • Sign our online petition above asking for your local council and university to divest from fossil fuels.
  • Talk to your friends and family about climate change. Many people find it difficult to bring up this topic, but we will never move society on this issue if we all remain silent.
  • Join the climate action team. There are countless opportunities to progress the issue of climate change in our community, such as: film nights; seminars; rallies; letter writing; renewable technology exhibitions - the list goes on. Our ability to make progress is limited only by the number of people in our team. So join the team and help make a difference.
  • Make a tax deductible donation to support climate action projects.