Seed
$40,000 | May 2020
What do Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network do?
Seed builds the power of young people in Aboriginal communities to protect country and block gas fracking in the Northern Territory, where currently over 51% of the territory is covered in gas exploration licenses.
In 2014, Seed began to build a movement of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people alongside the Australian Youth Climate Coalition in the fight for climate justice. To ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - who are on the frontlines facing the effects of climate crisis - are at the forefront of change.
Why is this work important?
Seed’s main campaign is to stop fracking in the Northern Territory - specifically targeting Origin Energy who are one of the first major energy companies planning to frack. In 2018, after the moratorium was lifted by the NT Labour Government, 51% of the territory was opened to unconventional oil and gas exploration and extraction. Fracking the NT will blow the world’s carbon budget past 1.5 degrees causing irreparable damage to communities, country and culture in the region.
That is why Seed have been working on the ground in solidarity with communities who are most at risk - those who are, and have been, protecting their country for millenia. The overall aim is to raise awareness, build self-determination and compel the economic transition away from fossil fuels towards sustainable communities powered by renewable energy.
How is Groundswell supporting this work?
The people of the NT have told decision makers time and time again that the frackers aren’t welcome here. We can have a brighter future, with sustainable industries that don’t wreck water and land rights. The Territory election is a powerful opportunity to talk to decision makers and pressure candidates from all parties to stand with remote communities and Aboriginal young people against fracking.
With Groundswell’s support, Seed’s activites include:
Have hundreds of conversations to build the political power of Aboriginal people in the NT, making sure people are enrolled to vote and have access to information about where candidates stand on key issues like fracking.
Conduct wider outreach across the Territory to educate voters about the dangers of fracking and where the different candidates stand. This may include doorknocks, phone banks and community meetings.
Generate a colourful, visible public presence and gain media attention around the vision of young mob and Aboriginal communities for the NT’s future, powered by clean energy projects that should replace dangerous fracking plans.
Resource community-wide surveys and votes on fracking, similarly to how Seed has previously supported the communities of Borroloola and Minyerri to declare themselves no-go zones for fracking.
Undertake rapid response campaigning, media and lobbying at key moments to ensure the current government and all candidates are held accountable to protect communities from fracking.
Grant update
Some of the key achievements Seed Mob achieved through 2020 with the support of Groundswell included:
Elevating voices of Traditional Owners in NT to speak out on fracking, reaching 150,000 people nationally and engaging 15,000 supporters with meaningful action.
Enrolling 250 people to vote in NT election, across 21 remote community polls.
Growing network of Origin Energy customers taking action against fracking to 7,500 people.
National Director, Amelia Telford