Winning The Next Climate Fight

Contents

Introduction

What will it take to win the next fight for climate justice? This Progress 2026 panel brought together leaders in the climate movement in Australia to take stock of where the climate fight is at and what comes next.

Linh Do moderated the panel which included:

Adam Bandt (Australian Conservation Foundation)
Amanda Cahill (The Next Economy)
Larissa Baldwin-Roberts (Common Threads)
Michael Wright (Electrical Trades Union)

From winning stronger policies and standing up to fossil fuel interests, to building alliances with workers and communities and keeping public support onside, the conversation engaged with the challenges facing the movement and pointed towards a stronger future ahead.

The Progress 2026 conference was hosted by Australian Progress on March 24-25 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Narrm/Melbourne. This article was produced by The Commons Library to enable ongoing learning.

Are we losing the climate fight?

The panel opened by posing the question, “are we losing the climate fight?” In response, the panellists turned to history, reflecting on where the movement has come from as a way to understand where it stands now, and what comes next.

Larissa opened by stating that “we are not losing at everything, but we are losing where it matters.” She emphasised the need to learn from the movement’s history.

If you do not know where you come from, how do you know where you are going? – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

Michael challenged the usefulness of framing the climate crisis in terms of “winning” or “losing.” He argued that this binary can be counterproductive, where “losing” leads to doomerism and inaction, and “winning” risks complacency. Drawing on the past two decades, Michael reflected that while the movement has achieved more than ever before, the real loss has been time.

We are winning more and more and more. But the thing we have lost is 20 years. That’s the problem, we are on the clock. – Michael Wright

Amanda emphasised how much progress has been made in a relatively short period of time. Stating that after a decade of limited movement, the past four years have opened up space for action, and action has proceeded, with renewable energy now reaching around 50%. She also discussed the shift in the conversation, where coal-dependent communities are no longer contesting whether the transition will happen; instead, they are asking what it means for them and how to navigate it.

There is a window open to talk about how, not why or what. – Amanda Cahill

Key Themes

Movement Building
Messaging
Dream Bigger, Aim Higher
Learning from History
Listening to Affected Communities
A Movement Under Pressure
Strategies for 2026

Movement Building

The panel emphasised that movement building must now be a priority.

Adam argued that the climate movement cannot remain predominantly white, and must better reflect the diversity of Australia, including First Nations communities and the significant proportion of people born overseas or with parents born overseas. He also highlighted the importance of building a movement that is not only inclusive, but fun and motivating.

Amanda reinforced that movement building now requires bringing more people in. She emphasised that there is now space to get practical and focus on how to manage the transition in a way where people are not left behind. She noted that being honest with people about the impacts, whilst also highlighting practical solutions (particularly for people in regional communities), helps bring these people into the movement.

Messaging

The panel highlighted messaging as an ongoing challenge for the movement. They emphasised the need to communicate in ways that resonate beyond existing supporters. All panellists converged on the same point: the message must be positive; focused on winning real benefits and what people gain, rather than what they give up.

Adam emphasised the importance of framing climate action in terms of tangible benefits, not sacrifice, positioning it as enabling people to have more, not less. This includes connecting climate policy to everyday experiences, from protecting homes to lowering energy costs.

Similarly, Michael reinforced the importance of focusing on material benefits. He discussed how some members of the Electrical Trades Union might be sceptical about renewable energy but when it is framed in material dividends, like saving money and giving them jobs, the message cuts through.

Disinformation runs into a brick wall when people see the drop in their bills. – Michael Wright

Larissa reflected that the movement can sometimes overcomplicate its messaging. She noted a disconnect between movement language and the realities of people on the ground, particularly in regional areas.

Sometimes we are too smart for our own good. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

Larissa stressed the need to test ideas in the real world rather than staying within “perfect” strategies. She emphasised the need for simple, repeatable narratives that link climate action to cost-of-living pressures, while also celebrating wins in ways that reach beyond politically engaged audiences.

Dream Bigger, Aim Higher

The message throughout the discussion was clear: dream bigger, aim higher and win at scale.

This was a particularly prominent focus for Larissa who reflected on the words of an Elder who during a large gathering of First Nations Leaders said: “We just have to cut the low hanging fruit, we don’t have time for all this incremental change because we need to make sure the next fight we have is a big one, because we need to make sure the momentum we have right now will bring us into the next big win.”

Larissa stressed that this lesson also applies to the climate movement. She argued that the movement needs a clear, ambitious “big fight” to engage people on the frontlines, one that can motivate and inspire belief that change is possible.

To achieve this, she called for greater consolidation of strategies and investment, noting that too many efforts remain fragmented. Instead, she emphasised the need to come together around something bigger, with shared focus and scale.

Adam also cautioned against setting the bar too low, suggesting that simply being better than previous governments is not enough and raised concerns about placing too much faith in government action.

Amanda stressed that the movement must come together on major campaigns and move beyond tactical debates, instead investing in everything from grassroots organising to inside-track work.

We need everything and more of it. – Amanda Cahill

Learning from History

The panel emphasised the importance of learning from history.

Larissa highlighted the role of Elders in holding collective memory, understanding what works, what wins and the lessons that come from past struggles. She noted that the movement has not been doing enough to take stock of or communicate its wins and reflect on its strategies.

Building on this, Amanda stressed the need to actively use these lessons in communication.

[We need to] arm ourselves with examples of progress and hard-won victories. – Amanda Cahill

By bringing these stories into everyday conversations the movement can counter negative messaging and reinforce a sense of hope, motivating collective action.

Listening to Affected Communities

The panellists also brought a strong sense of self-reflection to the discussion, highlighting the need for the climate movement to listen more deeply to affected communities. This included recognising the role of class, the uneven impacts on regional and remote communities, and the broader Global North–South divide.

Larissa challenged the movement to look deeply at the real impacts of climate change. She pointed to the thousands of people displaced across Northern Australia due to fires and floods, many of whom remain without adequate support, including access to social housing. She emphasised that climate change is not a future threat for many communities, but a present reality. For some First Nations communities, climate projections are already signalling displacement within the next decade. At the same time, these are often the communities where critical and rare earth minerals are being extracted, raising deeper questions about justice and inequality.

Larissa also highlighted the movement’s lack of engagement with class, noting that those most affected are often treated as an afterthought.

We need to get serious about what is happening with the invasion from the US and Israel in Iran and what that is doing to the global energy market, because that is making people very scared… The cities will be okay. But our regions are already out of fuel. The Global South is going to have a disaster in terms of delivering food and water. This movement needs to get on the right page quickly. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

A Movement Under Pressure

The panelists also pointed to structural challenges within the movement, particularly in relation to funding availability and cuts.

Everyone is struggling funding wise. – Amanda Cahill

Alongside funding pressure, Larissa reflected that the climate movement has found itself at a moral crossroads, particularly in response to the failed Voice Referendum and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

I saw the climate movement spiral about whether we were a movement for justice or a movement for action. We do not have a choice, we are a movement for both. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

Larissa also critiqued the movement’s focus on the perfect response: “We spend too much time thinking about the perfect strategy, knowing that strategy does not survive first contact with reality. Instead of doing that, we need to be braver and say something in the moment when [it] needs to be said.”

People are too afraid to say the wrong thing, so they say nothing at all. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

Strategies for 2026

In concluding the discussion, the panellists outlined key strategic priorities for the year ahead. Central to their reflections was the need to build broader alliances, meet people where they are, bring coal and gas back into the conversation, draw on past wins, and look to First Nations leadership for guidance on how to secure major victories.

Michael highlighted the importance of building strong alliances to take on billionaires. He acknowledged that alliances are imperfect, often involving bringing together very different groups who disagree on some issues, but they are ultimately essential to winning on big issues. He also emphasised the importance of meeting people where they are at, and making arguments that work. Drawing on the most recent ETU campaign against nuclear, Michael highlighted the value of strategic clarity and focus.

Our anti-nuclear campaign had one aim and that was ‘Hurt Them’. – Michael Wright

Adam stressed the importance of centring coal and gas again, particularly Australia’s role as the third largest exporter of fossil fuels. He finished by stating:

Let’s agree on solutions that improve people’s lives and are as easy to communicate as those of the people we’re up against. – Adam Bandt

Amanda emphasised the importance of storytelling grounded in real wins, to inspire people that change is possible. She stressed the importance of positive stories to counteract nihilistic sentiment.

Finally, Larissa closed the panel with a strong call to learn from and stand in solidarity with First Nations communities, not only in recognising the impacts they face, but in understanding their leadership and long history of winning hard-fought change. She closed with the following remarks:

Think about how Treaty is climate action. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

We have done big, courageous, groundbreaking pieces of legislation and I don’t think this movement spends enough time thinking about how we have won in the past… It might take longer but we get further. – Larissa Baldwin-Roberts

About the Speakers

Dr Adam Bandt is the CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the country’s oldest and largest nature and climate organisation. After a decade in the private sector including as a Partner in a major national law firm, Adam read climate science. Spurred on by the need to act, he ran for Parliament, was elected as the Member for Melbourne and served there for 15 years, including as Leader of the Australian Greens. A believer that people power can change the world, Adam recharges by going camping with his family and hitting the decks as an enthusiastic DJ.

Amanda Cahill is the founder and CEO of The Next Economy. She is an author, sought after media commentator, and trusted advisor to communities, government and industries navigating the complex transition to net zero emissions. She has over two decades experience working on economic development, public health, gender equality and climate adaptation across Australia, Asia and the Pacific.

Larissa Baldwin-Roberts is a proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung Nations. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Common Threads: a First Nations-led organisation building collective power for justice and self-determination. Larissa also serves as the research director of Passing the Message Stick, Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change, and Board Director with Climate Action Network International.

Michael Wright is the National Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union. Since joining the Union in 2007, Michael has represented electrical workers across Australia and the region. He is committed to advancing members’ rights and ensuring a bright future for the workers delivering our energy transition.

Linh Do moderated the panel. She is passionate about addressing climate justice and social inequality. She’s spent the last decade working across advocacy and engagement, media and enterprise. Linh is currently the Director of the Wattle Fellowship at the University of Melbourne. She is a board member at Climate Action Network Australia, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and a research committee member of the Centre for Policy Development.

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