Engaging in the climate emergency
We as humans are highly motivated by urgency and immediacy. We sometimes even thrive in emergencies. Consider not just large-scale ones like WWII but also flood, bushfire and earthquakes. When we are threatened, we can be quite remarkable in our preparedness to sacrifice, to contribute, and to tolerate - even demand - intervention from those in authority to reduce the threat. This human tendency to connect and act during times of crises seems to be deeply ingrained in us. Researchers believe it stems from our need to counter feelings of isolation, vulnerability and loss of control and may be an important factor, at least in part, for our collective survival as a species. So it could be again.
There is much to do to reduce the threat of our rapidly changing climate. Some choose to change their personal impact, some choose activism and some try to influence the organisations they work in, which could range across business, policy makers, defence forces etc, to get involved.
The purpose of this website is to provide information, not to advocate any particular approach or to be another advocacy organisation. There are many ways to contribute and everyone can choose the way that is best for them.
Therefore in this section we highlight a range of organisations that are acting on the climate emergency in different ways. This is intended to support readers who want to become more engaged to do so. There are of course many thousands of organisations focused on climate change so we don’t list them here.
Our focus here is on organisations we see as primarily focused on climate emergency mobilisation. We will add to this list over time and welcome suggestions from readers.
Extinction Rebellion is an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change in order to minimise the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse. They take an explicit focus on climate being an emergency and are expanding around the world. They welcome volunteers to join them.
The Climate Mobilization was we believe the first group in the USA to focus explicitly on the climate emergency, making that their central focus. It is a community and network of organizers, researchers, volunteers, and policymakers spanning the U.S. and extending internationally. They work with engaged individuals, communities, organizations, and governments in initiating a massive, economy- and society-wide Climate Mobilization to restore a safe climate. They welcome volunteers to join them.
The Breakthrough Centre for Climate Restoration (Breakthrough) is an independent think tank that develops critical thought leadership to influence the climate debate and policy making. They have been a leader on the climate emergency and were one of the first organisations globally to focus on this topic. Breakthrough is a source of information and reports not a volunteer or community based organisation.
Fridays For Future (also known as School Strike for Climate, Youth for Climate and Youth Strike 4 Climate) is a movement that began in August 2018, after 15 year old Greta Thunberg sat in front of the Swedish parliament for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. It is now an international movement of more than 1 million school students from over 125 countries who participate in coordinated strikes to demonstrate for action on the climate crisis.
Sunrise is a US based youth movement leveraging civil disobedience and lobbying to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Supporting the Green New Deal, the sunrise movement want to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.
CACE (Council Action in the Climate Emergency) was created to encourage and support councils adopting a Climate Emergency response. Through council leadership, community education and positive action, state and federal governments will be forced to follow suit to meet growing community demand for real action to reverse global warming.