Josh Kirkman, CEO of Surfers for Climate is our guest today.

Surfers for Climate is an Australian charity dedicated to turning the tide on climate change.

Since it was founded in October 2019, it has inspired the collective power of surfers through initiatives like the successful Fight for the Bight campaign in South Australia and more recently the Draw a line in the Sand campaign that successfully contributed the NSW Parliament unanimously passing amendments to legislation that will ban all offshore oil and gas in NSW waters for good.

Surfers for Climate continues to grow, with thousands of people from the surfing community across Australia coming together to take off on the party wave of climate action and become part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Josh became CEO of the organisation in 2021. He has a history in climate communications in the Nordic Cleantech Investment space as well as a sporting history in competitive bodyboarding, earning multiple Australian Championship titles as well as being a highly-ranked competitor on the global stage.

He is passionate about affecting change in the diverse and growing surf community, focussed on leading this community towards greater political agency for people and planet.

You’re going to love this episode, from learning about Josh’s personal journey to understanding the many different and inclusive ways that Surfers for Climate are educating and supporting the surfing community to take meaningful climate action. And also representing the community to advocate for changes like the recent NSW legislation banning all offshore oil and gas drilling.

As Josh says – the reality is surfers could decide every election.

Interview Highlights:

Josh's environmental awakening and career journey
Overcoming imposter syndrome
Surfers for Climate vision, mission and legislative impact
Diverse representation in surfing
Surfers for Climate Programs: Wave Changer and Trade Up
The PEP 11 fight
The intersection of politics and conservation
Josh's five year dream

Connect with Josh and Surfers for Climate:

Josh on Linkedin

Surfers for Climate website