Climate Summit for Local Government
Australia is the sunniest and windiest inhabited continent on the planet. We have unrivalled potential for renewable energy, clean industries, and clean jobs.
Join us for our March webinar as we host a blockbuster panel of world-class renewable energy experts PLUS we hear from a Lord Mayor leading one of Australia’s former most coal-reliant communities to a clean energy future.
They’ll discuss the current renewables landscape in Australia, the economic and community benefits of large-scale renewable projects (and their challenges too!), as well as transitioning fossil fuel reliant communities.
This webinar will showcase how building large-scale wind and solar projects is the cheapest way of producing electricity in Australia, even when paired with storage.
It’s open to the public! We especially encourage council executives (e.g. CEOs), elected officials (e.g. Mayors and Councillors) and council officers to attend.
Councillor, Climate Council
Tim has nearly 25 years of experience in energy and climate policy and is one of Australia’s leading energy and environmental economists. He is an Associate Professor at the Griffith University Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research. He holds a PhD in economics for which he earned a Chancellors Doctoral Research Medal and a first-class honours degree in economics. Tim is currently on the Executive team at Iberdrola Australia, one of the world’s largest renewable energy providers.
Professor of Engineering, Australian National University
Andrew was the co-inventor of the PERC solar cell, which constitutes 90% of global solar sales and is mitigating about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions through the displacement of coal. This year he was joint winner of the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. His research interests include solar cell technology, energy storage (including pumped hydro energy storage), and 100% renewable energy futures.
Mayor, City of Newcastle
Nuatali is the 14th Lord Mayor of Newcastle and has served for seven years, returning for a third consecutive term as the Lord Mayor following a general election held in December 2021. She has seen the City of Newcastle shift to 100% renewable energy (from 1 January 2020), which has reduced the City’s carbon footprint by 77%. She has also ensured the delivery of a 15,000 panel, 5MW City owned solar farm at Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Nuatali represents Newcastle on a global scale within ICLEI - an international group promoting sustainability within local government, and is also the chair of the Global Covenant of Mayors Oceania committee.
Yes2Renewables Coordinator, Friends of the Earth
Pat is the Coordinator of Friends of the Earth's Yes2Renewables campaign, which aims to accelerate the transition to wind and solar in a way that builds energy democracy and delivers real benefits for regional communities. He played a key role in securing national legislation to kickstart Australia's offshore wind sector, organising alongside the union movement and community members in Gippsland. Prior to that he coordinated Friends of the Earth's campaign to legislate Victoria's Renewable Energy Target, which was recently increased to 95% by 2035, and he sits on the board for Friends of the Earth Asia-Pacific.
