Ballarat has huge potential to be a leader in community-led action to mitigate climate change.
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Working out the pathway to get there was what was discussed by a modest group of climate conscious residents who gathered at Trades Hall on Saturday morning.
The intention was to begin the conversation ahead of a series of forums to be held in the city, with the aim to identify the issues, educate and mobilise the wider community about the changing climate to create real, grassroots action.
The forums aim to highlight how a changing climate will affect Ballarat residents and will involve discussions and guest speakers, who specialise in various fields, to inform the best ways for community members to address them.
Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions (BREAZE) is leading the forums with the Ballarat Environment Network as well as other groups including the Ballarat Regional Sustainability Alliance.
The forums will discuss a range of issues surrounding climate change: managing amid the increasing number and intensity of bushfires, ensuring a sufficient water supply in a warmer and drier climate, protecting and managing the health impacts due to extreme heat, ensuring energy systems are more diversified and secure - both renewable energy and batteries- to cope with extreme weather conditions and protecting biodiversity.
Organiser Joseph Natoli said the aim of the forums was to identify that changes would occur and to help the community to be better prepared.
"I wanted to open a conversation about just what a hotter climate is going to mean."
Mr Natoli said the forums would not just be about recognising the issues and coming up with solutions, but would also bring the community together.
"[Climate change] is going to affect a lot of people around the world.
"The balance in the forums is to recognise some of these issues and to attempt to find what we can do personally to address them and then the larger steps that are needed by governments and authorities to protect our communities," he said.
The forums will be a vehicle to open the conversation on behalf of all citizens.
- Joseph Natoli, BREAZE
It is hoped that by building momentum among the community, and recording the outcomes of each forum, that the ideas can be presented to the various levels of government for consideration.
Related coverage: Ballarat hosts zero emissions forum
Mr Natoli said he was "heartened" that so many people showed up in support.
"There is clearly a core of people who understand how critical it is that we take effective steps to protect our economy and environment as the climate gets hotter," he said.
The first forum, focusing on bushfires, will be hosted on November 10.
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