Women’s voices changing the public conversation on climate change, July 2021

Our First Tuesday online conversation for July featured Dr Rebecca Huntley (author, How to talk about climate change in a way that makes a difference) and Dr Jonica Newby (author, Beyond climate grief: a journey of love, snow, fire and an enchanted beer can) in conversation with Congress founding members, Dr Janet Salisbury and Lyn Stephens.

Rebecca and Jonica’s recent books approach talking about climate change from two different ’directions’ with Rebecca’s focus on connecting emotionally to communicate with others, and Jonica’s on managing our own emotional load.

Rebecca Huntley

Jonica Newby

Two buckets: Watch a video of Jonica Newby reading a passage from her book Beyond climate grief
Two Buckets: Listen to an audio recording

About our guest conversationalists
Dr Jonica Newby is a science reporter, author, TV presenter and director best known for her two decades on ABC TV’s popular weekly science program, Catalyst. She has twice won the Eureka Award, Australia’s most prestigious science journalism prize, and is a recipient of a World TV Award. Known for presenting stories with a rare honesty and intimacy, Jonica’s current book, Beyond climate grief: a journey of love, snow, fire and an enchanted beer can, charts her struggles navigating the emotional turmoil of climate change.

Dr Rebecca Huntley is one of Australians foremost researchers on social trends. She holds degrees in law and film studies and a PhD in Gender Studies and was an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Social Sciences at The University of New South Wales.
For nearly 9 years Rebecca was the Director of The Mind & Mood Report, Australia's longest running social trends report. She has lead research at Essential Media and Vox Populi, part of the CIRCA research group, before starting her own research and consultancy business. She works closely with The Sunrise Movement on the Climate Compass Project as well as with many other climate and environment NGOs.
She is the author of numerous books, notably How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way that Makes a Difference (Murdoch books, 2020). She is also a sought after speaker at writers’ festivals, has presented many radio shows, and has written extensively for essay collections, magazines, newspapers and online publications. She has also held a number of board positions, including for The Bell Shakespeare Company, The Whitlam Institute, The Dusseldorp Forum and the NSW Branch of the ALP. The mother of three girls, Rebecca is the Chair of the Advisory Board of Australian Parents for Climate Action.