Climate Council reveals new chair

The Climate Council has appointed business and community leader Carol Schwartz, AO, as its new chair.

As the chair of Climate Council, Schwartz will work with Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie to propel the council into a “brave new era of climate advocacy.”

“Carol joins us at an exciting time. We are growing bigger and more ambitious with every passing year, and together, we will build on the vast expertise and momentum of the last decade and really ramp up our advocacy for strong and effective federal, state, and territory policies on climate change,” McKenzie said.

Schwartz, AO, said: “My role is to keep supporting the fabulous work underway and for us to collectively harness the shifts in government policy to ensure rapid and meaningful results. I am optimistic about the role Australia can play in leading the world in climate tech innovation and offering solutions that will really shift the dial towards net zero.”

Climate Council's goals

Under Schwartz's leadership, the Climate Council aims to:

• Turn Australia into a renewable energy superpower;
• Keep influential voices and human stories at the forefront of the climate conversation to change the narrative; and
• Build long-term support for solutions on all sides of politics, with a wider range of expert climate councillors who can strongly influence critical policy decisions and update all Australians on the science.

“Our ultimate aim is to get emissions plummeting in the crucial ‘make or break’ 2020s and to position Australia as a true global leader on climate action,” McKenzie said. “We're really excited about the expertise and commitment Carol brings and the connections and opportunities she can unlock.”