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Program

Our best chance to shape an ambitious climate agenda.

 

On 6-7 September 2022, leaders from around Australia joined in an exciting mix of interactive plenary sessions, lightning talks, workshops, roundtable dialogues, exhibits and entertainment. 

The program centred on commitments to cut emissions and work together to deliver prosperous, zero emissions futures. 

Day 1 | Tuesday 6 September 2022 | Opportunities of climate action at all levels

Day 2 | Wednesday 7 September 2022 | Strengthening our climate ambition

 

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Note: This event has taken place, updated information will be added as it is made available.

Day 1 | Tuesday 6 September | Opportunities of Climate Action at all Levels

Businesses, investors, communities, government and others exchanged ideas for how we can work together to create better futures for us all.

8:30am - 9:00am

REGISTRATION

9:00am - 9:20am

OPEN & WELCOME: Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country

Forum MCs: Dan Ilic & Dan Bourchier

  • Aunty Matilda House

9:20am - 9:30am

OPENING KEYNOTES: Rewiring the nation & powering Australia

  • ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr 

9:30am - 10:25am

PANEL DISCUSSION: Unleashing renewable energy storage

Moderator: John Grimes, CEO at Smart Energy Council

  • ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr
  • Lara Panjkov, Fluence
  • Luke Osborne, Stride Renewables
  • Ric Brazzale, Green Energy Markets
  • Francis Wedin, Managing Director at Vulcan Energy Resources

10:25am - 10:30am

COMING UP & MORNING TEA

10:30am - 11:00am

MORNING TEA & ENTERTAINMENT

  • Nidala Barker, Singer Song-writer

11:00am - 11:45am

PANEL DISCUSSION: Future-proofing Australia's climate agenda

Moderator: Dan Bourchier, ABC Journalist

  • Dr Janine Mohamed, CEO of the Lowitja Institute
  • Brynn O’Brien, Executive Director ACCR
  • Anjali Sharma, Student Climate Activist
  • David Pocock, Independent ACT Senator

11:45pm - 12:20pm

KEYNOTES: Opportunities for Australia in the new energy economy

  • Lord Adair Turner, Chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
  • Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General
  • Janaline Oh, Diplomats for Climate Action Now

12:20pm - 12:30pm

  • Nidala Barker, Singer Song-writer

12:30pm - 1:30pm

LUNCH BREAK & EXPOS

  • Together We Can Author Claire O’Rourke
  • Fonz Moto, Michelle Nazzari
  • Fossil Ad Ban, Matt Bray & Belinda Noble

1:20 -1:30pm

  • Nidala Barker, Singer Song-writer

1:30pm - 2:20pm

KEYNOTES: International policy frameworks

Moderator: Dan Ilic, MC

  • Laurence Tubiana, CEO European Climate Foundation
  • Dr Ian Fry, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change
  • Cathryn Eatock, Co-Chair Indigenous Peoples' Organisation Australia & Pacific representative to the Facilitative Working Group of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform of the UNFCCC
  • Rev. Dr (Hon) (Uncle) Raymond Minniecon, Co-Chair Indigenous Peoples' Organisation Australia & Director of Bunji Consultancies
  • Brianna Fruean, Global Citizen Prize Winner & Pioneering Climate Activist Fighting for Justice in the Pacific

2:20pm - 3:30pm

KEYNOTE & PANEL DISCUSSION: Decarbonising sectors to achieve Australia's climate agenda together

Moderator: Claire O'Rourke, Author of Together We Can

  • Scientia Professor Deo Prasad AO
  • Dr Virginia Marshall, ANU Institute of Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions Co-Chair Indigenous Cluster 
  • Akaash Sachdeva, Manager Responsible Investment at HESTA
  • Michael Wheatland, Manager, Sustainable Processing Calix Limited
  • Louise-Marlena Tarrier, CEO at Carbon Positive Australia

3:30pm - 4:00pm

AFTERNOON TEA

4:00pm - 5:15pm

SECTOR WORKSHOPS: Submissions

The hands-on sessions provided space for participants to interact with and learn from peers and experts across the Better Futures Australia community. The main ambitions, ideas, challenges and outcomes were captured, providing a summary and a record of commitments to work with the new government in over-delivering on Australia's climate commitments. Submissions were recorded and can be viewed here. 

VIEW SUBMISSION CLIPS

  • A renewable energy export strategy
    • Moderator: Phil Freeman, WWF 
    • Speakers: Hilly Montague, Australian Conservation Foundation; Shaun Chen, Accenture
  • Communicating the need for storage
    • Moderator: Dan Ilic
    • Speakers: Smart Energy Council; Climate Media Centre; Solar Citizens; IEEFA; ANU storage expert; The Australia Institute
  • Making zero emissions transport accessible to all
    • Moderator: James Whelan, CANA
    • Speaker: Audrey Quicke, The Australia Institute
  • Industrial decarbonisation is a good news story
    • Moderator: Laura Simes, ClimateWorks Centre
    • Speakers: Michael Wheatland, Calix Limited; Hudson Worsley, MECLA; Aimee Mehan, University of Newcastle; Sarah Stanley, Collie Shire
  • How businesses are reducing emissions and decarbonising supply chains
    • Moderators/Speakers: Serena Stewart & Melissa Edwards – UTS Business School
  • Transitioning heavy industry regions - Justice for workers and communities
    • Moderator: Warrick Jordan, Hunter Jobs Alliance
    • Speakers: Amanda Cahill, The Next Economy; Trevor Gauld, National Policy Officer, ETU; Steve Murphy Secretary, AMWU; Tony Wolfe Power stations worker/Gippsland Climate Change Network
  • Advancing the national climate and health strategy and building a sustainable and climate resilient healthcare system
    • Moderator: Claire O’Rourke, Sunrise Project 
    • Speakers: Dr Veronica Matthews – University of Sydney; Dr Rebecca Patrick – Deakin University/ CAHA; Dr Sophie Scamps – Independent MP for Mackellar; Prof. Eugenie Kayak – University of Melbourne/ DEA; Mr Justin Clancy – Member of the New South Wales Legislative; Ms Liz Lopa – ACT Health Directorate; Ms Fiona Armstrong – Climate and Health Alliance
  • Partnering with local government to transition and build climate resilience
    • Moderators/Speakers: Alexi Lynch, Ironbark Sustainability; Portia Odell and Darcy Pimblett, Cities Power Partnerships; and Cathy Oke, University of Melbourne
  • No net zero without nature: How to plan land-use and scale up nature based solutions to help meet our net zero targets
    • Moderator: Celina Garcia, ClimateWorks Centre
    • Speakers: Virginia Marshall, IPO – Australia; David Hall, Auckland University of Technology; Joanne Griffin, Conservation Futures/ Bush Heritage; Daniela Binder, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists

5:15pm - 5:30pm

CLOSING REMARKS

5:30pm - 7:30pm

RECEPTION | Live Music & Networking

  • Dan Watters, Capital Brewing Co. 

  • Mitchell Taylor, Taylor Wines

  • Jess Green - Jazz Trio

Fireside Chat | Renewable manufacturing opportunities

  • Simon Currie, Energy Estate

  • Simon Corbell, Energy Estate

  • Monica Tan, Beyond Zero Emissions

  • Tim Buckley, Clean Energy Finance

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Day 2 | Wednesday 7 September | Strengthening our Climate Ambition

Attendees and speakers engaged Australia's new government to support ambitious, society and economy-wide action on climate change.  

7:30am - 8:30am

BETTER FUTURES BREAKFAST: With Minister Chris Bowen

8:30am - 9:00am

REGISTRATION

9:00am - 9:20am

OPEN & WELCOME

9:20am - 10:25am

PANEL: Renewable export opportunities

  • Moderator: Emma Herd
  • Michele O'Neil, President at ACTU
  • Karrina Nolan, Executive Director at Original Power & a key architect of the First Nations Clean Energy Network
  • Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO at ACF
  • Dermot O’Gorman, CEO at WWF
  • Clark Butler, Director at Zero Industrials

10:25am - 11:00am

COMING UP & MORNING TEA

11:00am - 12:00pm

KEYNOTES & PANEL DISCUSSION: Preparing Australia for climate impacts in communities across the Asia Pacific

Moderator: Associate Professor Fengshi Wu

  • Professor Anthony Burke, Deputy Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW Canberra
  • Dr Elizabeth Boulton, Independent Researcher at Destination Safe Earth
  • Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong, Political Scientist & China Specialist
  • Mr Ian Cumming, experienced climate and security advisor
  • Willy Missak, Vanuatu Climate Action Network
  • Jane McAdam AO, Scientia Professor of Law & Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney

12:00pm - 1:00pm

KEYNOTES & PANEL DISCUSSION: How can we strengthen the resilience of local governments to protect communities from the impacts of climate change

Moderator: Dan Ilic

  • Dr Paul Barnes, Judith Neilson Research Fellow (Disaster Resilience) & Coordinator: Resilient Futures Collective: UNSW
  • Professor Jason Sharples, Professor of Bushfire Dynamics in the School of Science, UNSW Canberra
  • Dr Sophie Lewis, ACT Commissioner for Sustainability & the Environment
  • Cr HY William Chan, Independent Councillor with City of Sydney
  • Prof Mary O’Kane AC, inaugural NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer

1:00pm - 2:00pm

LUNCH & EXPOS

  • Fonz Moto, Michelle Nazzari
  • Fossil Ad Ban, Matt Bray & Belinda Noble

2:00pm - 3:00pm

PANEL DISCUSSION: Do we need a Business Manifesto to advance accelerated action on Australia's climate recovery?

Moderator: Andrew Petersen

  • Hudson Worsley, Chair of the MECLA
  • Brynn O'brien, Executive Director at ACCCR
  • Brett Shoemaker, CSO at Microsoft A&NZ
  • Skye Blair at KPMG
  • Ilona Milar, Partner at Gilbert + Tobin

3:00pm - 4:00pm

POLICY SUBMISSION ROUNDTABLES

Representatives of new Federal Departments in Canberra were invited to join discussions, allowing participants to connect and build partnerships towards agreeing on and activating plans together.

  • A renewable energy export strategy
    • Moderator: WWF & ACF
  • Communicating the need for storage
    • Moderator: Smart Energy Council
  • Making zero emissions transport accessible to all
    • Moderator: James Whelan, CANA
  • Industrial decarbonisation is a good news story
    • Moderator: Laura Simes, ClimateWorks Centre
  • How businesses are reducing emissions and decarbonising supply chains
    • Moderators: Andrew Petersen - BCSD-A & Melissa Edwards – UTS Business School
  • Transitioning heavy industry regions - Justice for workers and communities
    • Moderator: Warrick Jordan, Hunter Jobs Alliance
  • Showcasing action on climate and health
    • Moderator: Fiona Armstrong, Climate & Health Alliance
  • Partnering with local government to transition and build climate resilience
    • Moderators: Alexi Lynch, Ironbark Sustainability; Portia Odell and Darcy Pimblett, Cities Power Partnerships; and Cathy Oke, University of Melbourne
  • No net zero without nature: How to plan land-use and scale up nature based solutions to help meet our net zero targets
    • Moderator: Celina Garcia, ClimateWorks Centre

4:00pm - 4:30pm

AFTERNOON TEA

4:30pm - 5:15pm

BETTER FUTURES ASSEMBLY

Representatives of breakout discussions shared commitments and action plans to support over-delivery of the new government’s climate commitments.

5:15pm - 5:30pm

CLOSING REMARKS

  • MC & Digital Scribe share reflections
  • Closing statement from Bishop Philip Huggins

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