Groundswell Changemakers: Stories from the field with the Australian Marine Conservation Society

Join us for the first event of our new webinar series – Groundswell Changemakers: Stories From the Field.

We'll hear from grant winner Louise Morris, Oil and Gas Campaign Manager of the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), for a behind-the-scenes update on her team's work galvanising strong community opposition to new offshore oil and gas development in Australia.

What do the Australian Marine Conservation Society do?

Australian Marine Conservation Society are the guardians and voice for marine life. They connect people, science, and action to protect Australia’s extraordinary oceans. AMCS achieves change by building and mobilising widespread support from the Australian community for practical and science-based solutions to the big problems facing Australia’s oceans. 

Why is this work important?

Australia remains one of the world’s most active offshore oil and gas provinces. Despite the globally acknowledged climate crisis, oil and gas companies are aggressively expanding. The industry and its promoters are relying on debunked claims that gas is transition fuel. Little consideration is given to the fact that if these methane intensive projects come online, they will exacerbate climate pollution - prolonging the fossil fuel age.

Despite the influence of the fossil fuel lobby, the political landscape is shifting against new oil and gas, within AMCS target areas, this presents an opportunity for change. 

How is Groundswell supporting this work?

AMCS is working in collaboration with other aligned ENGOs to challenge the false narrative of gas as a transition fuel, while reinforcing and extending the biodiversity case against offshore oil and gas industrialisation, and building public opposition to new offshore oil and gas.

Louise Morris, Oil & Gas Campaign Manager, AMCS

Louise is the AMCS Campaign Manager on offshore oil and gas, and brings over 20 years experience in environment and markets campaigns, policy and political engagement, strategic litigation and community engagement to the role.

Growing up along the magnificent west Australian coast from Perth, Shark Bay to the Pilbara regions. It was here that Louise developed a deep love of our oceans and marine life, and understanding of the harm caused by industrialisation and offshore oil and gas.

Louise was one of the Gunns 20 who were successful in defending Australia’s largest ever Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) civil law suit issued by the now defunct logging corporation Gunns Ltd. Louise is a passionate advocate for Australia’s wild places and communities’ right to protect the places they love, and live in.

About Groundswell

Groundswell was co-founded in 2020 by three friends – Clare, Anna and Arielle – to accelerate climate action in Australia. We started Groundswell because while we could see no shortage of people deeply concerned about the climate crisis and wanting to be part of change, many were unsure about how to make the biggest impact. We could also see there was no shortage of brilliant climate action out there, ready to scale up and deliver important change, but that most organisations were restricted by a critical lack of funding. So, we created Groundswell to join the dots.

Since our launch, Groundswell has grown into a powerful community committed to funding and accelerating strategic climate action in Australia. In addition to grant making, Groundswell runs a renowned climate fellowship program for philanthropic, business and cultural leaders working to change the game on climate this decade.

www.groundswellgiving.org