Climate Cafe

Join your local climate conversation

If you, like most Australians and most people in the world, are concerned about the impact of fossil fuel burning causing climate heating and increasingly deadly weather impacts, and you would like to learn more and connect with others in your community, come along to our Climate Café!

WHEN: Last Thursday of the month, 7:30pm
WHERE: Platform 3095 Café, 965 Main Road, Eltham (next to Eltham Train Station).
WHAT: Local (and further afield) subject experts and knowledgeable residents share their insights on a range of topics relating to our changing climate. Talks are followed by questions and discussion. Come early and join us for dinner or just come for the talk. All welcome!

2026 Climate Cafe – upcoming topics

• June 25: How does the Anthropocene change how we think about society?
  Rachel Busbridge (ACU)
  – The term Anthropocene designates an emerging geological epoch where humans have taken on planetary powers in reshaping the Earth system, and is as influential as it is contentious. First proposed in the natural sciences, the Anthropocene concept is now ubiquitous across the social sciences and humanities, where it has initiated vibrant debates about unequal responsibility for the intertwined climate and ecological crises we face.
  – In this talk, Rachel will explore the ways in which the Anthropocene changes how we think about society. Specifically, she reflects on how its basic premise –that human activity has become a powerful geophysical force impacting natural processes – upends conventional assumptions about human agency, human institutions, and the nature-society relationship. Seen as a conceptual lens, the Anthropocene highlights the necessity of relational forms of thinking and systems change for comprehending and confronting the planetary predicament in which we find ourselves.
  – Rachel is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, as well as an environmentalist and climate activist. She is a political sociologist who researches, writes, and teaches on cultural politics, local government, and the environment, amongst others.
• July 30: Sustainable Gardens
  Robyn and Paul Gale-Baker, Local Food Connect
• August 27: Nurturing Local Biodiversity / Caring for Country
  Jill Kellow and Vicky Shukuroglou
• September 24: Talking to Kids About Climate Change
  Dr Aimee Maxwell

Climate Cafe is informal, friendly and everyone is welcome. Come early and have a meal, or grab a drink or snack, or just join us for a stimulating talk and discussion. We look forward to seeing you there!

Climate Café events are held on the last Thursday of each month – same place, same time! Speakers on a range of topics start the discussion at each event.

Keep in touch and get reminders and details of Climate Cafe events and speakers, and other events – sign up to receive the NCAT Newsletter.

If there is a topic you’d like to hear about, or a speaker with expertise you know who might like to present at this forum, please get in touch to discuss.

See all upcoming events at What’s On

Previous Climate Cafe topics

2026

#32 – May: Environmental and Climate Resilience Benefits of Cohousing
Teresa Dominik, Brougham St Co-housing Development (summary and slides)
#31 – April: Sustainable Housing: Energy across the life of your home – Melinda Miles, Clean Energy Nillumbik (summary and slides)
#30 – March: Make Big Polluters Pay Alliance and Campaign – Kelly Albion, Climate Justice Coalition Convenor, 350.org
#29 – February: The environment of the solar system and the Earth’s climate with Dr David Jamieson. (summary).

2025

#28 – November: The Aviation Industry and Climate Change – Geoff Collis (summary and slides)
#27 – October: Novel Crops – Dr Chris Williams (notes and slides)
#26 – September: North West Shelf Gas Project – Mitzi Tuke
#25 – August: The science behind climate change – Tim Davis
#24 – July: Gardens for a Warming Climate – Peter May
#23 – June: The State of the Forests: Where are we now? – Kinglake Friends of the Forest – Rosemary Storey
#22 – May: It’s all about us: Understanding people to protect the planet – Lily Van Eeden (RMIT)
#21 – April: Active Transport, Urban Planning and Sustainability – David Collis
#20 – March: Rebuilding Democracy to Solve the Climate Crisis – Sonia Rhandawa (Sortition Foundation)
#19 – February: Housing and Development in Nillumbik: A climate change perspective – Anne Nielsen, Eltham Community Action Group

2024

#18 – November: Fire Preparedness – Alice Gower
#17 – October: Climate Adaptation – Simon Kerr (La Trobe University)
#16 – September: Rewiring Australia – Natalie Bucknell (Clean Energy Nillumbik)
#15 – August: Environmental Principles in Building Design – Lynnsay Prunotto
#14 – July: Transport Decarbonisation – Liz Chase
#13 – June: Slow Fashion – Jodie Stevens
#12 – May: Electric Home Appliances – Natalie Bucknell
#11 – April: The Arts in the Environment Movement – Mitzi Tuke/Angela Davies
March: Nillumbik Climate Month
#10 – February: What’s with the food? – Vasundhara Kandpal

2023

#9 – November: Soil Health – Bev Middleton
#8 – October: Degrowth – Michaela Carter
#7 – September: Renewable Energy in the Home – Guy Palmer
#6 – August: Why I’m a Climate Optimist – Prof. Neville Nicholls
#5 – July: Deep Adaptation – Dr Aimee Maxwell
#4 – June: Why biodiversity is important for climate – Vicky Shukuroglou
#3 – May: Native Forests and climate change mitigation – Sue McKinnon
#2 – April: Energy Efficiency at home – Lucinda Flynn
#1 – March: Climate conversations as a way to build social change – Lisa Whiston

You can find summaries of these talks in our Newsletters.