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| 350.org Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | 350.org Australia |
| Formation | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Region served | Australia |
| Leader title | Convenor |
350.org Australia 350.org Australia is the Australian branch of the international climate campaign network founded to address fossil fuel emissions and promote renewable energy transitions. The group has been active in coordinating national and regional protests, lobbying campaigns, and public education initiatives that intersect with environmental movements, indigenous rights campaigns, and renewable infrastructure debates. Its work has connected with activists, NGOs, unions, and faith groups across cities and regions in Australia.
350.org Australia emerged in the late 2000s alongside the founding of 350.org by Bill McKibben and other climate activists, taking cues from international campaigns such as the Global Climate March and the International Day of Climate Action. Early activity in Australia aligned with campaigns opposing projects like the proposed expansions of coal ports in Queensland and gas fields in the Great Barrier Reef region, and it linked with campaigns against coal seam gas in the Pilliga Forest and the Curtin Springs debates. The group played roles during major national moments including the 2009 climate mobilisations tied to the United Nations Climate Change Conference and later mobilisations around the Paris Agreement negotiations. During the 2010s the organisation collaborated with groups active in campaigns around the Adani Group coal mine proposals, the Spotless Group energy projects, and state-level planning inquiries.
350.org Australia functions as a networked campaign body, with regional chapters and volunteer coordinators in metropolitan hubs such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and regional centres near mining areas like Mackay and Gladstone. Its organising model has drawn on tactics used by organisations including Friends of the Earth Australia, Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, and grassroots networks such as Lock the Gate Alliance and Extinction Rebellion. Leadership structures have included convenors, campaign managers, communications teams, and legal support drawn from allied groups like Environmental Defenders Office and union partners such as the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Funding and resource mobilisation have intersected with philanthropic actors and community fundraising methods similar to those used by GetUp! and international sister organisations.
350.org Australia has coordinated mass protests, targeted civil disobedience, and digital campaigns. Major campaign themes have included opposing new coal and gas infrastructure such as the Galilee Basin development and the Adani Carmichael coal mine, advocating for renewable projects like large-scale solar and offshore wind proposals near Bass Strait and Great Australian Bight, and campaigning for divestment from fossil fuel assets within institutions such as universities like University of Sydney and finance entities like the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Activities have included participation in global actions tied to Earth Day, regional actions aligned with World Environment Day, and solidarity rallies during international climate conferences such as COP21 and COP26.
The organisation has advocated for rapid decarbonisation, a phase-out of coal and unconventional gas extraction, and accelerated deployment of renewable energy and storage, echoing positions advanced by researchers at institutions such as CSIRO and policy advocates in think tanks like the Australia Institute. 350.org Australia has lobbied for policy measures including stronger emissions reduction targets, support for a national transition plan for energy workers akin to proposals from the International Labour Organization, and protection of biodiverse areas like the Daintree Rainforest and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Its advocacy has intersected with debates involving federal policy actors such as members of the Australian Senate and state parliaments during deliberations on energy policy and environmental approvals.
The organisation has been visible in several high-profile actions, including mass rallies in central business districts of Sydney and Melbourne, blockade actions at coal port facilities in Newcastle and Gladstone, and coordinated international days of action parallel to events in cities like London, New York City, and Delhi. Notable protests included mobilisation around the Adani debate that drew attention from political figures and corporate entities, direct actions during parliamentary inquiries, and collaborations with indigenous-led protests concerning land rights near sites such as those contested by communities in the Wangan and Jagalingou nations and other Traditional Owner groups.
350.org Australia has formed tactical alliances with environmental NGOs like Australian Youth Climate Coalition, World Wildlife Fund Australia, and faith-based groups such as the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, as well as labour allies including the Maritime Union of Australia and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union. It has participated in broader coalitions such as campaign networks behind climate strikes inspired by activists associated with Greta Thunberg and school strike movements, and has linked to international partners including 350.org chapters in the United States, United Kingdom, India, and Pacific Islands Forum civil society groups.
Critiques of 350.org Australia have mirrored wider debates about civil disobedience and climate advocacy: opponents including industry bodies like the Minerals Council of Australia and some political figures argued that protests risk economic disruption in mining regions such as the Hunter Region and Bowen Basin. Internal debates within climate coalitions have sometimes surfaced around strategy choices, balancing direct action with policy advocacy, and engagement with labour groups over just transition frameworks similar to discussions in international fora like the International Energy Agency. Legal challenges and policing responses to direct actions have involved courts and regulatory bodies in various states, sparking public debate about protest law reforms and the role of NGOs in public policy.