Serena Joyner, CEO of Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action, has addressed the Climate Crisis Summit, sharing stories of those who have been on the front line of extreme weather events caused by climate change. 

We don’t need an imagination to know how bad it can get,” she said. 

I hoped (the Black Summer bushfires) would be a wake up call for Australia”. 

She spoke about the ongoing effects from extreme weather events, such as being unable to insure your home, or rebuild. 

As co-CEO of the Australia Institute, Dr Richard Denniss, wrote in July: 

The scientific reality is that sea level rise and increased storm damage will make heavily populated parts of Australia uninhabitable, and the economic reality is that houses in those areas will be uninsurable.”

Ms Joyner said her organsiation has a list of five asks: 

1. Unite behind 1.5 aligned climate target and put the policitcation of the climate crisis behind us 
2. Stay the course on the renewable rollout and ensure the community benefits
3. Commit to a total phase out of fossil fuels and make a plan to do so 
4. Invest deeply in communities and be guided by them so they can plan for and recover from future disasters (which we know are going to happen) 
5. Raise the money required by making big corporations pay for the damage they are causing for their climate 

If you’re interested in that last point, here is a link to a petition for a levy on fossil fuel producers: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/climatedisasterlevy