Newsletter #1 – Australia Climate Action Fund

Hi All,

Welcome to our Quarterly Newsletter.

Firstly, all of us here at ACAF, would like to thank you so very much for signing up to be initial supporters.

Whilst things maybe slow to start with, as we build relationships with partners who can deliver emission reductions, we hope you will stay with us during our journey as we build up.

After many months of hard work by our directors and volunteers, dealing with the multiple requirements of states and federal government, banks and ACNC, we quietly launched ACAF in late May 2021 and since then we have been delighted by the support that we have received from our new members.

Over the last several months, ACAF and our volunteer directors have been busy working to reduce emissions by undertaking the following:

Building new relationships with various community organisations that are committed to building renewable energy systems. This includes a state peak body in Rugby Union, a peak body in community renewable energy systems, and Solar my School who we have already established a relationship with. Our aim here is to assist these organizations to realise their renewables goals, either by helping them find state and federal grants etc, or by using our own funds raised from members such as yourselves. We will keep you informed as these relationships develop, and when specific projects come to hand that satisfy our funding criteria.
Submissions to the Federal Government committee reviewing the terms of the Climate Change Bill 2020 introduced by Warringah Independent MP, Zali Steggall. The idea was to follow the UK model that has worked so well in Britain since 2008 when a separate non political body took control of emission reductions. The end result? In the UK: Economically -no negative outcome. Emissions 2019 5.4 tonnes per capita, versus 2005 9.3 tonnes per capita – 42% reduction. Australia: Emissions 2019 17.3 tonnes per capita, versus 2005 19.4 tonnes per capita – 11% reduction. Australia has 3 times more emissions per head than UK. But who has more sunshine?
Submission to Matt Keane NSW Environmental Minister suggesting that the NSW Government should fund solar on all public schools in NSW at rough cost in interest of approximately $4mn pa against savings of close to $30mn in energy savings plus more than 170,000 tonnes savings in CO2. (Still awaiting response)

Although our primary function is to deliver real emission reductions solutions, we feel that advocacy is another tool in our case to help us move to a low carbon emissions environment.

In the next month or so we will be sending you our first annual accounts, which will not show a great deal as we have barely started.

In the meantime, please encourage your friends to at least follow us on social media, and better still, become members.

Thank you.