Women’s Climate Conversations online

Our very popular Women’s Climate Conversations online series brings together women from diverse backgrounds in online conversations with WCC Founder Dr Janet Salisbury and other WCC members. In these events we discuss aspects of the WCC vision, values and commitments in the light of initiatives and insights from women from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.

Participants have been struck by the inclusivity of these conversations as we bring together women together to share insights on the interconnected factors affecting women and Earth. Feedback from participants suggest what we offer is unique and captures a form of deep listening rarely seen elsewhere.

See also our ‘Other events’ page for other events and activities, including those hosted in collboration with other organisations.

Next event …

Women negotiating the climate

Wednesday 25 September 2024
6-7.30 pm AEST (Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne)
Please check your local time zone

Continuing the Women's Climate Congress series of online conversations, this event featured Dr Sally Box, Australia's Head of the International Climate Negotiations Division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. In conversation with WCC Founder Dr Janet Salisbury, Dr Box will share information about her role as Australia's Chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) conferences, the outlook for COP29 in Azerbaijan later this year and forward plans towards a possible Australian-Pacific COP31 in 2026. They will be joined in the conversation by WCC members Kesaya Baba (Senior Manager, COP31 Strategy and Partnerships, WWF-Australia) and Tamara Inkster-Draper (Programme Managewr, International Climate Politics Hub).

We programed 1.5 hours for this important conversation to allow for some in depth sharing of information around Australia's role and the overall global outlook for phasing out fossil fuels and keeping to 1.5 degrees (and not more than 2 degrees) of global warming in accordance with the Paris Agreement, and including the vital significance of women's leadership and gender equality in achieving this outcome, as well as longer-term systemic changes to build human and planetary wellbeing.

Meet our conversationalists

Dr Sally Box is the Head of the International Climate Negotiations Division in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Sally is also Australia’s Head of Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Prior to this role, Sally served as the Australian Government’s Threatened Species Commissioner, where she led the development and implementation of the Threatened Species Strategy and the environmental response to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.

Sally has over 18 years’ experience working in the Australian Public Service in the fields of climate change and environment policy development, program delivery, regulation, and communications. She has a PhD in Plant Sciences from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide.

And showcasing two of our WCC members:

Kesaya Baba is the Senior Manager for COP31 Strategy for WWF-Australia. She is Fijian/Australian and a passionate climate and human rights advocate with experience in climate diplomacy and international development and a master’s on youth development. Prior to joining WWF, Kesaya held roles including Senior Policy Adviser at the National Emergency Management Agency and COP26 Climate Change Attache at the British Embassy in Bangkok. She is proud feminist and member of the Women’s Climate Congress.

Tamara Inkster-Draper manages the International Climate Politics Hub, a global network of experts working to build diplomatic pressure for greater climate action by leveraging national and international narratives and opportunities. Previously, Tamara has worked for the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and the Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group, supporting the transition to a sustainable, zero-carbon economy through engagement with business, governments, policymakers, and other experts. Prior to CISL, Tamara worked for the Australian Government, focusing on Climate Change Mitigation Policy and Carbon farming.

In her free time, Tamara is passionate about volunteering for grassroots climate organisations. Currently, Tamara serves as the Vice President of the North Queensland Conservation Council Management Committee. Tamara holds a PhD from James Cook University, where her research looked at the impacts of climate change on Tropical Biodiversity. During her research and field work Tamara was privileged to spend time with the people and biodiversity of North Queensland Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, The YUS Conservation Area in Papua New Guinea, and Danum Valley in Borneo.

Tamara is also an alumnus of the Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia national leadership program (2023).

Women’s Climate Conversations archive