Climate Changers: Talking Leadership

Documentary Australia and TEDxSydney will co-present a special online Q&A during the Tipping Point Film Festival. Join us at 12pm on Tuesday 5 September for a lunchtime discussion on forthcoming Tim Flannery documentary Climate Changers, and the pressing global need for leadership in the climate crisis.

Tune in to hear producer Mark Forstmann, Climate Council Founder and CEO Amanda McKenzie, former Head of BP turned Climate Councillor Greg Bourne, and Kulkalaig woman and advocate Tishiko King discuss the opportunities for climate leadership in community, industry and political settings, and the next steps we can all take for climate action. The session will be moderated by TEDxSydney’s Head of Curation Caitlin Gibson.

The Tipping Point Film Festival and Q&A are presented as part of Documentary Australia’s Environmental Accelerator program with support from Intrepid Travel.

Register for the Tipping Point Film Festival
Watch Climate Changers in cinemas from 17 September

About the film 

Climate Changers follows Tim Flannery’s search for leadership on climate change. Where are the leaders who will drive change? How might they succeed where others have failed?

In cinemas 17 September, 2023. Watch trailer  |  Get tickets

About the panelists

Mark Forstmann, Producer and Writer

A graduate of Australian Film TV & Radio School, Mark is a filmmaker with 17 years experience in drama and documentary. His feature Monkey Puzzle won awards at several international film festivals, including Best Environment Film at Shanghai International Film Festival, and is now on Amazon Prime. He produced and directed documentaries Freestyle Man (National Geographic) and Bulls & Bears (ABC). Mark also holds a B.Sc. and has in-depth experience in ethical investment. He served on the Board of the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW from 2009-2015, and was one of Al Gore’s ACF climate change ambassadors in 2007.

Greg Bourne, Film Participant

Greg Bourne is a leader at the nexus of climate change, energy business and policy. With BP he worked in Australia and Internationally and for two years was Special Adviser on Energy and Transport to the UK Prime Minister. He was Regional President, BP Australia and worked with business and governments on the Climate Change agenda. Greg was a CEO of WWF Australia, a non-executive director of Carnegie Wave Energy and Chair of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. He was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to the environment.

Tishiko King, Film Participant

Tishiko King is a Kulkalaig woman from Masig (Yorke Island). As a First Nations Youth Representative she attended the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. The former campaign organiser at Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network studied Ocean Science and witnessed first-hand the impact of climate change on her ancestral lands. She condemned the Australian government for failing to reference Indigenous people in its plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050. After COP26, her article entitled "Empty words, no action" was published in The Guardian and went viral.

Amanda McKenzie, CEO of Climate Council

Amanda McKenzie is the Founder and CEO of the Climate Council, which she launched when independent, evidence-based organisation on climate science, impacts and solutions came under threat following the government abolition of the Climate Commission by Tony Abbott in 2013. As a prominent Australian environmental leader, Amanda has embedded climate into the forefront of our national consciousness, communicating solutions to fight - oftentimes against a furious tide of denialism, delayism and outright blockers - to accelerate climate action in Australia. An agenda-setter, a trailblazer, an international voice of the climate movement; Amanda has proven time and again that she confidently holds the megaphone and encourages everyone to come along on the journey towards a better future. Amanda has been recognised as one of the top 25 Women Reshaping Australia by Sunday Life Magazine, as well as being named in the Westpac 100 Women of Influence, Telstra Business, Banksia, and Monash University Alumni Awards. She currently holds the baton as one of Australia’s longest-serving climate CEOs.

Caitlin Gibson, Moderator

As the Head of Curation for TEDxSydney Caitlin has the privilege and pleasure of working with Australia’s leading thinkers, creators, and creatives to produce talks and performances for TEDxSydney’s busy annual program. This program encompasses the main event, one of the largest TEDx events in the world, as well as TEDxYouth@Sydney, TEDxSydney Salons and Pitch Nights. As head of curation Caitlin manages a team of volunteer curators, dedicated to spreading great ideas from science, technology, arts, business and design. Caitlin has a background working across broadcasting and in the arts, producing a diverse range of theatre and public art projects.