A landmark forum hosted by the University of Notre Dame Australia has given Traditional Owners and community leaders a platform to help shape the future of clean energy in the Kimberley.
The inaugural Kimberley Aboriginal Clean Energy Forum brought together voices from across the region last week to advance First Nations-led approaches to clean energy.
Delivered in partnership with the First Nations Clean Energy Network and Kimberley representative body Aarnja, the forum provided an important space for communities to lead conversations on the clean energy transition.
Leading researchers from Notre Dame's Broome-based Nulungu Research Institute have been working to find opportunities for Indigenous people to benefit from the current clean energy transition in Australia and access renewable energy sources.
Their research has revealed the stark reality of energy poverty in the Kimberley, opening the door to important conversations to address the issue.
Run over two days on Notre Dame's Broome Campus, the forum highlighted the lived experience of people in the region and explored solutions that reflect local needs and priorities.
Nulungu Research Institute's Dr Kathryn Thorburn said the forum was an enormous success, with well over 100 delegates from across the Kimberley and Australia attending.
"Presentations were interesting and the audience was engaged, but in my observation the most powerful conversations happened over cups of tea or outside under the trees, where First Nations people, developers, energy experts and others made connections and started talking about solving real-world problems," she said.
"That was very heartening to witness. We have kicked off a conversation and shone a spotlight on the issues of First Nations energy affordability and energy ownership.
"Now we must maintain this momentum, and that will require resources. It will require commitment and political will to work together, to solve problems and overcome barriers. We are just getting started."
The forum featured about 30 keynote speakers from Kimberley First Nations' leaders driving local renewable energy development, alongside Professor Anne Poelina (Martuwarra Council), Professor Peter Yu (First Nations Portfolio, Australian National University), Tyronne Garstone(Kimberley Land Council, CEO) and Krystal Skinner (Horizon Power, CEO).
Key themes included energy affordability, harnessing clean energy to combat extreme heat, gaps in research and the importance of strong partnerships to support clean energy development. Conversations also explored the tools and processes needed to ensure communities are at the centre of decision making and the need for accessible capital to support First Nations clean energy developments.
Attendees explored a proposal to establish a Kimberley Aboriginal Clean Energy Alliance to coordinate a strong and empowered Aboriginal voice shaping the region's energy future.
