Climate campaigners hoping to turn down temperature while talking up the need for change

By Murray Silby

Feb 1, 2023

**Call of the youth:** Young people across the world have been among the most vocal and prominent climate change campaigners and Lillian Richardson, of Shepparton, is adding her voice to the calls for action. Photo by Megan Fisher

The world had not even ticked over into the new year before the first dire climate warning for 2023 was broadcast by Britain’s Met Office, which, late in December, predicted that this year would be one of the Earth’s hottest on record.

It may have been a warning issued in a faraway land, but it was one of a chorus across the world declaring climate change is upon us and the haste of the human response must increase.

In the Goulburn Valley, the messages are being headed by those arguing for greater action, and the News has asked some what action they hope to see in 2023 to address the warnings.

Some of the loudest calls for action on climate change have come from the world’s youth, and likewise, the Goulburn Valley’s younger citizens are finding their voice through Greater Shepparton City Council’s Climate Change Youth Leadership cohort.

It’s hardly surprising, given it’s predicted they will be the ones inheriting a planet of scalding temperatures and increasingly violent storms.

Fourteen-year-old Shepparton student Lillian Richardson is among them.

“I thought if I don't take action, then who will? If I don't learn about it, then who will? I sort of made it my mission, or I've tried to learn about it as much as I can, so that I can make a contribution to tackle climate change,” she said.

And, in 2023, Lillian is planning to educate and inspire other youth to join the movement, saying they are the future workers, business people, councillors and parliamentarians of the world.

“If they can embody the change into the workplaces and into their future decisions, then we can really make an impact,” she said.

“I do think that the mindset of Australians is changing and I think that they're finally realising that it is an issue, that something needs to be done about it.”

**Grid lock:** Geoff Lodge says major reform of the energy grid and regulatory processes is needed to clear the way for the shift to renewable energy. Photo by Megan Fisher

A change of federal government last year has also altered the rhetoric around climate change, something local campaigners have noticed.

“There’s been a shift in the conversation that’s happened in the political sphere,” Community Energy chief executive Geoff Lodge said.

GV Energy is a registered social enterprise not-for-profit company that helps businesses and residents across the region purchase renewable energy in line with what best suits their circumstances.

Mr Lodge said natural disasters across the country, including flooding and storms across the Goulburn Valley, had helped turn people’s minds to climate change.

“We’re seeing a lot more airplay about the necessity to accelerate the decarbonisation of our economy, and that’s a good thing,” he said.

**Greater concern:** Climate change campaigners say natural disasters around Australia in recent years, including floods across the Goulburn Valley, have heightened awareness of climate change. Photo by Anna McGuinness

Mr Lodge said major reform of the management and structure of the electricity grid was required in 2023 to speed up the transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

“The grid is very congested and many projects are not going to come to fruition because they just can’t get access to the grid. So that’s problematic,” he said.

“Other projects are experiencing lengthy delays in getting planning permits approved and this is causing significant delay in projects across Victoria.”

He said improved public transport in regional areas and reforming the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords to add solar power to their investment properties could also help make major steps towards decarbonisation of the economy.

**More to do:** Climate change campaigner John Pettigrew says “a lot, lot more needs to be done — and a lot quicker”. Photo by Contributed

John Pettigrew has a background in horticulture and is a board member of GV Community Energy.

He has also welcomed the increased attention being paid to climate change issues, but said much of the momentum had come from a local level.

“Local government, and within the community, we’ve made some improvements, we’re making ground in adaptation and reducing greenhouse emissions, but a lot, lot more needs to be done — and a lot quicker,” he said.

“I reckon the future is going to be electrification. We won’t be using gas. Can’t afford to be using gas, fossil fuels. The simplest way is to electrify virtually everything and produce renewable, green energy.

“We can really do it. We have to improve some storages, batteries and things like that. Hydrogen will play a role, but I suspect not the role some people say.”

Mr Pettigrew said the Goulburn Valley was well positioned to thrive in the new economy.

“I think we are. We’re not in the best area for producing solar power, but a damn good one, dramatically better than most areas trying to do it,” he said.