Please join us in signing the Community Sector Climate Change Declaration
We need significantly more urgent climate action from both Federal and State Governments. Energetic Communities has joined a growing number of community service and environmental organisations seeing the need for greater action from the community service sector, which in itself can only occur with greater systemic change. 
Private and Social Housing Renters deserve climate resilient homes too!
Rapidly worsening climate change is hurting our communities. Our sector has been on the frontline of helping communities respond to the impacts of more intense and frequent bushfires, drought, floods, storms, and heatwaves.
We have seen firsthand the increasing devastation of climate change impacts on communities, to their mental and physical health, homes, jobs, general quality of life and sadly loss of life.
People experiencing financial or social disadvantage are impacted by climate change first, worse, and longest because they have access to fewer resources to cope, adapt and recover.
It is already exposing them to greater levels of harm and disadvantage, and is posing a particular threat to First Nations communities and to the future of our young people.
It is clear that climate change impacts and a slow, poorly managed transition to zero emissions are a major threat to ending poverty and inequality, and our sector’s ability to support our communities.
Without rapid, fair and inclusive action on climate change, these threats will continue to worsen.
However, a fair, fast and inclusive plan to address climate change has the ability to improve the lives of people facing disadvantage, from the cities to the outback. It creates opportunities for more affordable, healthier and reliable energy, housing and transport suited to a changing environment and access to jobs in the new energy economy.
Australia has committed to achieving the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius and pursue limiting it to a rise of 1.5 degrees. The science shows that to keep warming at 1.5 degrees Australia must do its fair share and reduce climate pollution by 75% by 2030.
We call on the federal Government to commit to stronger targets and fair and inclusive policies to cut climate pollution this decade. 2050 is too late.
Delaying action will cost society more and make poverty and inequality in Australia worse.
As a wealthy, developed nation, and one of the top 15 largest emitters of greenhouse gases globally, we have a responsibility to respond more rapidly than less developed countries. Rapid, fair and inclusive action on climate change can create new economic opportunities, healthier communities, more affordable energy and sustainable employment.
We need a fair, fast and inclusive national plan to cut climate pollution this decade.