Discover the Big Picture: Climate Action through Systems Thinking & Visual Storytelling

To tackle climate change effectively, we need to think big and embrace a systems thinking approach to reveal how the climate crisis is deeply interconnected with other global challenges across ecological, social, cultural, and economic factors.

Join us for a dynamic, hands-on workshop featuring three inspiring changemakers pioneering alternative economic models for climate action, alongside three systems thinking experts, including a talented visual storyteller who will bring our conversation to life in real time on the big screen.

Together, we’ll engage in thought-provoking discussions and collaborative activities to sketch a live visual systems map of the climate crisis. This exercise will uncover the root causes, ripple effects, and complexities of the issue, highlighting where meaningful actions can drive real impact - both in Sydney and on a global level.

Attendees will leave with practical insights and tools to contribute to climate action, whether through advocacy, government lobbying, or community-led initiatives.

This event is your chance to meet subject experts and discover how you can step into the role of a changemaker and help shape a sustainable future for our planet!

Who should attend?

This workshop is for anyone eager to become a more informed, responsible, and active citizen in the fight against climate change.

The session will feature the following individuals and organisations:

Changemakers

• Dr Michelle Maloney, Australian Earth Laws Alliance - Dr Michelle Maloney is an Earth lawyer and advocate for ecocentric governance. She is recognised for her work advocating for Earth centred law and governance, including First Laws and the Rights of Nature. Michelle is Co-Founder and Director of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), and Co-Founder and Director of Future Dreaming and the New Economy Network Australia. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and History) and Laws (Honours) from the Australian National University and a PhD in Law from Griffith University.
• Henry Coleman, Local Futures - Henry is a writer, speaker and campaigner who has worked in the environmental and social activism space since he was a teenager. Through his decade-long position with the international non-profit Local Futures, Henry has contributed to the building and strengthening of a worldwide movement for economic localisation. He coordinates Local Futures' projects in Ladakh, India, runs workshops on The Economics of Happiness and 'Big Picture activism', and gives talks about localisation. 
• Kiran Kashyap, Regen Sydney - Dr Kiran Kashyap is a Transition Designer, maker and activist with 10 years of collaborative design experience on Gadigal Country. Their work is primarily focused on encouraging system-level transitions towards regenerative economics and bioregionally-adapted governance. Kiran has recently completed their PhD, and continues to work with Regen Sydney, using design-led approaches to embed relational ontologies, encourage collaboration and form coherent missions for change.

Systems thinking experts

• Mark Rowland - Since studying Systems Thinking and Systems Dynamics at MIT in 1999, Mark has been a champion of using systems-based approaches to drive meaningful change. With a deep understanding of how complex systems function and where leverage points exist, he has spent his career empowering entrepreneurs, executives, government leaders and changemakers across the UK, US and Australia.
• Dr Leila Alem, ArcSense - Innovation award-winning scientist, Adjunct Professor at UTS, and coach to changemakers and startup founders, Leila is driven to advance sustainability and equality by delivering incubation and acceleration programs for startup founders, research commercialisation programs for early-stage researchers, and courses/training in responsible innovation, complexity thinking, and sustainable futures entrepreneurship for both university students and corporates.
• Vivien Sung, School of Being - Viv is a systemic facilitator, educator and regenerative practitioner passionate about enabling individual and collective change to restore balance and healthy relations with our living world. Her practice spans the areas of strategic design, leadership, systems change and visual storytelling working with public and private sectors in New York, San Francisco and Sydney. She co-founded School of Being, which revitalises wellbeing within ourselves, in our relationships and our natural world.

MC

• Julie Macey, Impact Heroes - Julie is a trailblazer in economic development, social impact, and climate action, with over 20 years of leadership experience across consulting and government. She is the Founder of Impact Heroes, a social enterprise providing advisory and ecosystem-building services to support changemakers and empower communities through entrepreneurship, social and environmental impact, sustainable development, and best business practices.
  

What will you gain?

• An increased understanding of the complexities of climate change and the ways in which it impacts the world around us.
• Insights into alternative economic models that drive environmental and social transformation.
• Inspiration from various changemaker approaches to restoring wellbeing and inclusion.
• A practical action plan to drive meaningful change in your community.

This event is committed to accessibility and inclusion. If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know at info@impactheroes.com.au, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs.

The session will be held at The Impact Story Lab Sydney in Darlinghurst. The Impact Story Lab is a home-like work, event and production space for purpose-driven individuals, social enterprises, not-for-profits, and community groups to connect, dream and collaborate. We are a place, community and network of people and organisations intentionally sharing stories for impact, broadening the field of stories, and weaving regenerative narratives for the future.

More events on systems change at CAW'25 can be found here.

Click here to see all events happening on Climate Action Week Sydney 2025.


About Climate Action Week Sydney

This event is part of Climate Action Week Sydney (CAW.SYD) which is Australia’s premier climate action event, uniting communities, businesses, and organisations to drive climate action impact. Held annually and coordinated by the not-for-profit Climate Action Foundation, CAW.SYD showcases Sydney’s leadership in climate innovation and collaboration through a diverse program of community-led events.

The Climate Action Foundation is a charitable organisation that funds, supports, and delivers initiatives for a positive impact on the climate.