ISOC CNI SIG: Community Network Spotlight Online Gathering Series 2026

CN Spotlight Event 1: Community Networks and Climate Change Adaptation – The Merri-bek Tech Case Study in Australia

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The Internet Society's Community Network and Infrastructure Special Interest Group (ISOC CNI SIG) invites you to join this online community gathering.

The Internet Society (ISOC) is a global nonprofit dedicated to building an Internet that is accessible, secure, and trustworthy for everyone. It advances connectivity, supports Internet infrastructure and governance, and advocates for policies that help the Internet remain an open and inclusive resource for society.

Community-centred connectivity initiatives (CCCIs) around the world have proven essential to efforts to connect the unconnected. Each year, more CCCIs operate sustainably and provide better services to their communities. No longer a fringe experiment, community networks are here to stay.

The ISOC CNI SIG is dedicated to supporting and celebrating community network infrastructures worldwide. Join the SIG via the ISOC website — membership is free.

Climate change adaptation involves complex social processes as well as technical ingenuity. These challenges affect urban, rural, and remote communities alike. What role can community network infrastructures play in supporting more resilient communities?

Agenda and Talking Points

Welcome and introduction to the ISOC CNI SIG (Jan Brueggemeier, ISOC CNI SIG)
Principles and typology of community-centred connectivity (LocNet)
Learning from Latin America: CCCIs in the Mexican and Latin American context — selected case studies (Adriana Labardini, Rhizomatica)
An enabling policy framework for community-centred connectivity initiatives (Adriana Labardini, Rhizomatica)
A brief overview of the policy framework in Australia: is it an enabling environment for community network infrastructures? (Eugenia Georgiades, UniSQ)
The social (and quieter) processes of climate change adaptation in an urban context such as Narrm/Melbourne (Susie Moloney, RMIT)
The story of Merri-bek Tech in Narrm/Melbourne (Jade Ambrose, Merri-bek Tech and colleagues)
ISOC tools and processes to support community networks (Warren Finch, ISOC)

Q&A: In an increasingly urbanised world, how can communities and neighbourhoods self-organise to become more climate-conscious, and what role can community networks play?

Part 1: Observations from the field (George Fong, Ballarat Community Server; former ISOC Australia Chair)

Part 2: Open questions and how do we continue the conversation?

Contact the host of CN Spotlight event 1

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