On August 17, the Network Working Group, formed out of the January Climate Action Summit, circulated its national network proposal to 300 climate action groups and networks that make up the grassroots climate movement. The groups have until September 18 to vote on the proposal.
To be adopted, it must get 75% approval from at least 100 responses, with at least one response from each state and territory.
The Network Working Group urges all climate groups to respond to the proposal. It is ringing groups around the country, has created a Facebook cause called "Support the national Community Climate Network proposal", and will text local groups reminding them to vote.
There will be a special September 9 web conference (7-8pm), hosted by Greenpeace, at which local groups can ask questions about the proposal. Any group interested in taking part should contact network@climatesummit.org.au.
To develop the proposal, the Network Working Group issued a questionnaire soliciting opinion on issues that couldn't be decided at the summit; developed an initial draft on the basis of the feedback; and reworked this draft to clarify issues that had not been specified clearly enough.
The final proposal adopted the following positions:
* Membership: the network should be of climate action groups (CAGs) to spread the CAG movement, but also be open to individuals and community-based organisations that support the 2009 Summit Vision and Purpose statements.
* Working groups: working groups (national, state, regional) should be the main channel for carrying out campaigns decided at summits, but working groups should not be able to change summit decisions.
* National facilitation: the network should have an elected National Facilitation Group, but with responsibilities restricted to overseeing the network website, facilitating communications and facilitating the organisation of Climate Action Summits.
* Policy and media: the network and the National Facilitation Group should not issue policy and media statements in their own name. Once approved by a summit, a policy position should be represented as the position of that summit, but statements in between summits should be in the name of endorsing network members.
The proposal's cover letter says: "We also know it's not perfect but think it's important to trial this proposal — we can then review our experiences of network development at the next summit."
Any questions about the network proposal can be directed to: Wenny on 0402 564 862 or