2021 Program

Our moment to drive national climate action

Conversations with leading voices were hosted across three days to discuss the opportunities that a society and economy-wide approach to driving ambitious climate action offers.

DAY 1: Tuesday 17 August | Ambition for a healthy, prosperous zero emissions Australia

DAY 2: Wednesday 18 August | Short-term actions and opportunities

DAY 3: Thursday 19 August | The road to Glasgow: Together, we can do this!

Unconfined by a physical location, the Better Futures Forum met attendees where they were, in a virtual space, providing everyone with a moment to drive national climate action! The themed sessions included lightning talks, interactive workshops, plenary sessions and entertainment across a number of virtual stages. Recordings of all sessions are available here.

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Day 1 | Tuesday 17 August | Ambition for a healthy, prosperous zero emissions Australia

9:00am - 9:10am

WELCOME
Dan Ilic - Presenter, filmmaker and comedian

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Pastor Ray Minniecon - Executive Member of Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation-Australia

9:10am - 9:45am

WELCOME ADDRESS - KEYNOTE: Australia's opportunity to transform the economy and society for the benefit of all
Ban Ki-Moon - Former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Chair of The Elders
The Hon. Matt Kean MP - NSW Minister for Energy and Environment
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor - City of Adelaide

9:45am - 11:00am

PLENARY - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Working across sectors and with government to enhance climate ambition
Francis Wedin - Founder & CEO, Vulcan Energy Resources
Debby Blakey - CEO, HESTA Super Fund
Taylor Hawkins - Managing Director, Foundations for Tomorrow
Abigail Forsyth - Co-Founder & Managing Director, KeepCup, KeepCup
Deo Prasad - Scientia Professor, Manager of the Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub at UNSW
John Lydon - Senior Partner, McKinsey and Company
Kerrie Wilson - Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability Strategy), Queensland University of Technology
Adam Morton - Climate and Environment Editor, Guardian Australia

12:00pm - 12:30pm

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: Creating prosperous, climate resilient cities and regions
Mayor Karen Redman - Town of Gawler, South Australia
John Grimes - CEO, Smart Energy Council
Fiona Armstrong - Founder and Executive Director, Climate and Health Alliance
Tennant Reed - Principal Advisor - National Public Policy, AiGroup

12:30pm - 1:20pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Local Governments demonstrating leadership
- Darren O'Connell - Energy Management Coordinator, Shoalhaven City Council
- Alexi Lynch - Business Manager, Ironbark Sustainability
- Mayor Karen Redman - Town of Gawler, South Australia
- Stephanie Ziersch - Principal, Stephanie Ziersch Consulting
- Ben Leonello - Environment and Sustainability Officer, City of Mitcham
- Michelle English - Associate Director, Sustainability, City of Adelaide
- Victoria Hart - Sustainable Built Environment Unit Manager, City of Moreland
- Nick Tobin - Managing Director, Networked Urban Solutions Pty Ltd on behalf of Gwydir Shire Council
- Robert Morrison - Sustainability Advisor, Cultural and Community Services, Blue Mountains City Council
- Rebecca Petit-Bramwell - Project Officer- Climate Emergency Response Plan, Queenscliffe Borough Council
- Bec Nichols - Sustainable Environment Officer, City of Stonnington
- Katie Biggs - Sustainability Planning Officer, Augusta Shire Council
- Sam Green - Climate Emergency Coordinator, City of Yarra
- Dorean Erhart - Climate Risk & Preparedness Specialist, Linden Climate Advisory
- Daniel Stronggrove - Sustainability Coordinator, Cairns Regional Council
State governments driving renewable powered futures
- Chloe Hicks - Director, Energy Infrastructure Zones, NSW DPIE
- Georgie Skipper - Chief of Corporate & Government Affairs, Sun Cable
- Lance McCallum MP - QLD Assistant Minister for Hydrogen Development
- John Grimes - CEO, Smart Energy Council
The path to a healthy and resilient Australia
- Prof Kathryn Bowen - Deputy Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, IPCC Lead Author (Sixth Assessment Report)
- Fiona Armstrong - Founder & Executive Director, Climate and Health Alliance
- The Hon. Meaghan Scanlon - QLD Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs
- Dr Omar Khorshid - President, Australian Medical Association
Common approaches to reducing Scope 3 emissions
- Tennant Reed - Climate, Energy and Environment Policy, AiGroup
- Jorge Chapa - Head of Market Transformation, Green Building Council of Australia
- Dr Susanne Etti - Environmental Impact Specialist, Intrepid Travel
- Nick Palousis - Managing Director, 2XE
- Peter Shelley - Sustainability Manager (Energy & Carbon), Australia Post

1:20pm - 1:30pm

WRAP UP + ENTERTAINMENT WITH POP ARTIST GRETTA RAY

3:30pm - 4:00pm

NETWORKING (Optional)
Better Futures Australia - Ask us anything
Australian Parents for Climate Action - How do we activate people who are concerned but inactive on climate?

4:00pm - 4:30pm

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: Creating zero emissions, healthy, prosperous futures
Dr John Hewson - Former Federal Opposition Leader
Dr Amanda Cahill - CEO, The Next Economy
Natalie Isaacs - Founder & CEO, 1 Million Women
Portia Odell - Director, Cities Power Partnership

4:30pm - 5:20pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Policy settings for a climate-resilient society and economy
- Cassandra Goldie - CEO, Australian Council of Social Service
- Dr John Hewson - Former Federal Opposition Leader
- Innes Willox - Chief Executive, AiGroup
- Warwick Ragg - General Manager Natural Resource Management, National Farmers Federation
- Rebecca Mikula-Wright - CEO, Investor Group on Climate Change
What does a climate-friendly economy look like?
- Dr Amanda Cahill - CEO, The Next Economy
- Jaine Morris - Founder, COREO
- Kirsty Howey - Co-Director, Environment Centre NT
- Emma-Kate Rose - Project Manager, Food Connect Foundation - The Next Economy
Cities activity database and regional priorities
- Paris Hadfield - Research Fellow, Urban Innovation Connected Cities Lab
- Alexi Lynch - Business Manager, Ironbark Sustainability
- Portia Odell - Director, Cities Power Partnership
- Matt Sullivan-Kilgour - Head of Data Analyticsm, Ironbark Sustainability
Women transforming their livelihoods to be zero emissions
- Natalie Isaacs - Founder & CEO, 1 Million Women
- Caroline Pidcock - Director of Pidcock Architecture and Sustainability
- Abigail Forsyth - Founder & CEO of KeepCup
- Gemma Meier - Grong Grong farmer
- Alana Marsh - Meriam woman (Torres Strait Islander) & Wayapa Practitioner

5:20pm - 5:30pm

CLOSING REMARKS
Bishop Philip Huggins - President, National Council of Churches

Day 2 | Wednesday 18 August | Short-term actions and opportunities

9:00am - 9:10am

WELCOME
Dan Ilic - Presenter, filmmaker and comedian

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Dr Virginia Marshall - Executive Member of the Indigenous Peoples' Organisation-Australia, Australian National University Climate Change Institute; Wiradjiri Nyemba Educator, Legal Academic and Practising Lawyer

9:10am - 9:30am

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: Collaborative opportunities for driving credible climate action
Prof Kathryn Bowen -Deputy Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, IPCC Lead Author (Sixth Assessment Report)
Fredrik Andersen - Corporations & Supply Chains Lead, Carbon Disclosure Project
Petra Stock - Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation
Chelsea Hunnisett - Policy and Advocacy Adviser, The George Institute for Global Health

9:30am - 10:20am

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

A Better Transport Future: Local Governments and the Transport Revolution
- Alexi Lynch - Business Manager, Ironbark Sustainability
- Rob Law - Executive Officer, Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance
- Petra Stock - Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation
- Claire Painter - Head of Business Development, JET Charge
- Alice Woodruff - Director, Active City
- Helen Rowe - Transport Program Impact Manager, ClimateWorks Australia
Justice in the community on a path to zero emissions
- Dr Amanda Cahill - CEO, The Next Economy
- Mark Wakeham - Senior Advisor, Australian Council of Trade Unions
- Prof Kathryn Bowen - Deputy Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, IPCC Lead Author (Sixth Assessment Report)
- Kellie Caught - Senior Adviser - Climate and Energy, ACOSS
Creating a zero emissions healthcare sector for Australia
- Dr Jason Wu - Associate Professor at The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW
- Peter Thomas - Executive Director, Association of Medical Research Institutes
- Janine Mohamed - CEO, Lowitja Institute
- Sally Mangan - Director Sustainability, Ambulance Victoria
- Josh Karliner - International Director of Program and Strategy, Health Care Without Harm
- Eugenie Kayak - Spokesperson, Doctors for the Environment
Partnering to achieve zero emissions supply chains
- Fredrik Andersen - Corporations & Supply Chains Lead, Carbon Disclosure Project
- Ian McConnel - Director of Beef Sustainability, Tyson Foods
- Monica Richter - Senior Manager Low Carbon Communities, WWF
- Ryan Swenson - Head of Sustainable Development, Officeworks
- Jarrah Bassal - Sustainability Manager, Transurban

12:00pm - 12:30pm

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: Sustainable jobs and industries in healthy communities
Roslyn Morgan - Environmental Health Officer, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
Emma Bacon - CEO, Sweltering Cities
Dr Amanda Cahill - CEO, The Next Economy
Mindy Leow - Head of Community Building, B Lab Australia & New Zealand
Tom Quinn - Head of Policy and Research, Beyond Zero Emissions

12:30pm - 1:20pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Tourism and outdoors: stepping up ambition
- Susanne Etti - Environmental Impact Specialist, Intrepid Travel
- Mindy Leow - Head of Community Building, B Lab Australia & New Zealand
- Dom Courtney - EO & President, Outdoor Council of Australia
- Robert Quirk - Executive Director - Park Programs, National Parks & Wildlife, NSW
- Patrick McCormack - (former) National Sustainably Lead, Scouts Australia
Building the resilient, sustainable, and equitable cities of the future
- Michael Li - Senior Project Manager (Cities), ClimateWorks Australia
- Emma Bacon - CEO, Sweltering Cities
- Evelyne De Leeuw - Director - Healthy Urban Environments, UNSW Australia Research Centre for Primary Health Care & Equity
- Rob McLeod - Sustainable Housing Advocate, RENEW
- Anna Crabb - CEO, Australian Energy Foundation
Healthcare workers as part of the climate solution
- Roslyn Morgan - Environmental Health Officer, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
- Dr Martin Nguyen - Founder & CEO, Medical Pantry
- Dr Kate Charlesworth - Medical Specialist, Sydney North Health Network
- Prof Alexandra Barratt - Lead Investigator on Wiser Healthcare, The University of Sydney
From the Front Lines: Working with Impacted Communities on the Energy Transition
- Julie Lyford - Chair, Groundswell Gloucester
- Dr Amanda Cahill - CEO, The Next Economy
- Wendy Farmer - President, Voices of the Valley - Latrobe Valley, Victoria
- Warwick Jordan - Coordinator, Hunter Jobs Alliance
- Jaclyn McCosker - Climate & Energy Campaigner, Australian Conservation Foundation
Better futures for heavy industries
- Tom Quinn - Head of Policy and Research, Beyond Zero Emissions
- Michael Wheatland - Business Manager – Sustainable Processing, Calix Limited
- Prof Petra Ashworth OAM - Director of the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership, and Chair, Sustainable Energy Futures, University of Queensland
- Francis Wedin - Founder & CEO, Vulcan Energy Resources

1:20pm - 1:30pm

WRAP UP + ENTERTAINMENT WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER NIDALA BARKER

3:30pm - 4:00pm

NETWORKING (optional)
Better Futures Australia - Ask us anything
Building & Infrastructure - Building Climate Resilient Cities
Corporate & Finance Leaders - Meet & Greet
Local Government

4:00pm - 4:30pm

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: Achieving zero emissions together
Jane Hadjion - CEO, Contexis Australia
Katie Hammer - Senior Project Manager, ClimateWorks Australia
Holly Crockford - Project Lead, Foundations for Tomorrow
Peter Christoff - Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne Climate Futures

4:30pm - 5:20pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Managing complexity to deliver solutions
- Jane Hadjion - CEO, Contexis Australia
- Kim Ballestrin - Global Division Manager, Elabor8
- Chris Foley - Head of Energy & Environment, Kmart
- Mindy Leow - Head of Community Building, B Lab Australia & New Zealand
Raising the natural capital agenda
- Peter Holding - Third-generation wheat, canola and sheep farmer, Southeast NSW
- Katie Hammer - Senior Project Manager, ClimateWorks Australia
- Jennifer West - Managing Director, Carbon West
- Cathy Waters - Principal Research Scientist and Leader - Climate Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Justice in the Courts on the pathway to zero emissions
- Prof Jacqueline Peel - Director, Melbourne Climate Futures
- David Barnden - Principal Solicitor, Equity Generation Lawyers
- Tim Baxter - Senior Researcher, Climate Council
- Adam Beeson - General Counsel, Australian Conservation Foundation
- Sister Brigid Arthur - Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project
Talk is cheap: Let's [just] transition
- Holly Crockford - Project Lead, Foundations for Tomorrow
- David Leitch - Principal, ITK Services Australia & Author, Renew Economy
- Steven Hamilton - Assistant Professor Economics, George Washington University
- Karen Cain - CEO, La Trobe Valley Authority

5:20pm - 5:30pm

CLOSING REMARKS
Dr Daud Batchelor - Co-Founder, Islamic Thought, Legacy and Renewal (ITL&R) Group

Day 3 |Thursday 19 August | The road to Glasgow: Together, we can do this!

9:00am - 9:10am

WELCOME
Dan Ilic - Presenter, filmmaker and comedian

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Aimee Mehan - Regenerative CleanTech Entrepreneur & proud Gamilaroi-Irish Australian woman, University of Newcastle

9:10am - 9:40am

PLENARY - KEYNOTE ADDRESS & INTERVIEW: The road to Glasgow for the US and major allies
Jonathan Pershing - US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change
Adam Morton - Climate and Environment Editor, Guardian Australia

9:40am - 10:30am

PLENARY - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: How leaders across the economy and society are shaping the future now
John Davis - Director, South Pole
Mikako Suzuki - Corporate Officer, In charge of ESG and Risk Management, RICOH
Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa - Deputy Director, Microfinance and Community Development Institute (MACDI)
Mariana Panuncio-Feldman - Senior Director -International Climate Cooperation, WWF-US
Mario Ramón Silva Rodríguez - General Director of the Metropolitan Planning Institute, Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Mexico
Gonzalo Muñoz - High-level Champion of Chile, UNFCCC
Lisa Cliff - Program Manager, Better Futures Australia

12:00pm - 12:30pm

PLENARY - BREAKOUT INTRODUCTION: A healthy, just and resilient zero emissions Australia
Prof Don Henry - Melbourne Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism, University of
Melbourne & International Board Member of The Climate Reality Project
Monica Richter - Senior Manager - Low Carbon Futures, WWF Australia and Project Director, Business Renewables Centre-Australia
Dr Cathy Oke - Melbourne Enterprise Senior Fellow in Informed Cities in the Connected Cities Lab, University of Melbourne
Dr Georgia Behrens - Board member, Doctors for the Environment

12:30pm - 1:20pm

BREAKOUT SESSIONS:

Justice for people on the pathway to zero emissions
- Uili Lousi - President, OHAI Tonga
- Kera Sherwood-O'Regan - Co-Founder & Impact Director, Activate Agency
- Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner - Marshall Islander poet, performance artist, educator
- Prof Don Henry - Melbourne Enterprise Professor of Environmentalism, University of
  Melbourne & International Board Member of The Climate Reality Project
- Pastor Ray Minniecon - Executive Member, Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation-Australia
Cities Race to Zero
- Dr Cathy Oke - Melbourne Enterprise Senior Fellow in Informed Cities in the Connected Cities Lab, University of Melbourne
- Andy Deacon - Managing Director, Global Covenant of Mayors
- Rohan Leppert - Councillor and Chair of Environment Portfolio, City of Melbourne
- Mayor Susan Aitkin - City of Glasgow
- Jess Scully - Deputy Mayor, City of Sydney
- Trent McCarthy - Councillor, Darebin City Council
- Darcy Pimblett - Program Development Manager, Cities Power Partnership
- Michelle English - Associate Director Park Lands - Policy & Sustainability, City of Adelaide
Prioritising health in the national climate response
- Prof Tarun Weeramanthri - President, Public Health Association of Australia
- Assoc. Prof. Ying Zhang - Co-Chair, The MJA-Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change for Australia
- Dr Georgia Behrens - Board member, Doctors for the Environment
- Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum - Team Leader, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organisation
Scaling finance to drive action
- Monica Richter - Senior Manager Low Carbon Communities, World Wildlife Fund
- Mara Bun - Chair of Australian Impact Investments
- Neil Salisbury - CEO & MD, Point Advisory
- Sebastian Loewensteijn - Associate Director - Sustainability, CEFC
- Patrick John Martin - Climate Finance Expert

1:20pm - 1:30pm

WRAP UP + PERFORMANCE FROM MUSICIAN BEN BARKER

3:30pm - 4:00pm

NETWORKING (optional)
Better Futures Australia - Ask us anything
The Climate Reality Project - Australia, NZ & Pacific
Local Government - Meet & Greet

4:00pm - 4:30pm

PLENARY - KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Australia on the Road to Glasgow
The Hon. Chris Bowen MP - Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Australian Government
The Hon Alok Sharma UK MP - COP26 President Designate, 26th UN Climate Change Conference

4:30pm - 5:10pm

PLENARY: Identifying and responding to climate change priorities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples
Pastor Ray Minniecon - Executive Member, Indigenous Peoples' Organisation-Australia
Cathryn Eatock - Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples' Organisation-Australia
Dr Janine Mohamed - CEO, Lowitja Institute
Dr Virginia Marshall - Executive Member, Indigenous Peoples' Organisation-Australia

5:10pm - 5:45pm

PLENARY - CLOSING REFLECTIONS: Australia's voice and where to from here?
Jahin Tanvir - 20-year-old policy adviser, author and multicultural youth advocate
Dr Rebecca Huntley - Author, Researcher and Independent Consultant
Kelly O'Shanassy - CEO, Australian Conservation Foundation
Joel McKerrow - Writer and Speaker