Inaugural AlterCOP 30 Australia climate summit mobilises more than 1,400 people across 42 events nationwide

Brisbane, 26 November 2025 - AlterCOP 30 Australia has concluded after four powerful days of community-led climate action, bringing together more than 1,400 registered participants across 42 events nationwide.

Running in parallel to the UN COP30 summit in Brazil, AlterCOP 30 Australia offered a platform for inclusive, locally grounded conversations on climate change, biodiversity, sustainable cities, health, and community resilience, fostering hope, connection and tangible pathways to action. 

AlterCOP 30 Australia key highlights include:

• 42 events in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne & beyond
• 1,400+ registered participants 
• 100+ speakers nationally (85 in Brisbane alone for the main event)
• A core team of 15 volunteers driving the program and organisation
• 33 on-site volunteers in Brisbane, and 37+ more supporting events across the country 
• Giant Climate Fresk reaching 200+ participants across 8 locations 
• 49 organisations backing the movement, contributing to a vibrant ecosystem of climate action.

Audrey Barucchi, CEO and Co-Founder of Australian charitable social enterprise, People For Nature, commented "AlterCOP 30 Australia has shown what's possible when communities are empowered to lead. 

"This wasn't just a climate conference, it was a nationwide movement demonstrating that climate action is happening now, led by everyday people who care deeply about the future of our planet.

"The energy we witnessed in Brisbane and across our satellite events was extraordinary. From packed workshops to meaningful conversations and new collaborations, AlterCOP has strengthened Australia's grassroots climate ecosystem and proven that people-powered solutions are essential to driving real change.

"We know from reports were close to 500 Australian delegates at COP30 in Brazil (1), carrying a considerable logistical and carbon-footprint burden. On the flipside, AlterCOP, brought together 1,400 people locally with near to no budget and a minimal environmental footprint. As a remote alternative to COP30 and a local extension of the Green Zone, AlterCOP enabled everyday Australians to engage with climate dialogue and innovation without having to travel across the world."

The AlterCOP movement continues to grow

AlterCOP was co-founded in 2024 by The Matcha Initiative and The Transmutation Principle in Singapore, as an accessible alternative to the United Nations COP, making climate action discussions available to communities, professionals, and youth. This year, the summit expanded to 12 new countries, including Australia, highlighting the enthusiasm around the region for inclusive, locally grounded climate dialogue. 

Anne Langourieux and Thibaut Meurgue-Guyard, co-founders of AlterCOP, commented: "It's amazing and exciting to see AlterCOP grow. It proves that a global, community-led movement for climate action is not just possible, it's thriving. We're committed to our mission of making climate dialogue accessible to regional communities without air travel while raising awareness of the official COP summit. We look forward to growing the movement to be even bigger next year."

Audrey Barucchi concluded, "People For Nature is proud to have helped activate a community-powered space that builds engagement, showcases real solutions, and connects Australians to the global climate conversation.

"Australia may have lost the opportunity to host COP31, but this hasn't diminished our ambition. Instead, we're planning to grow AlterCOP next year. Our vision is to include more cities, more local communities, and deeper citizen-led climate engagement across Australia."

What makes AlterCOP different

AlterCOP stands on a set of non-negotiable values:

• Inclusive: ensuring First Nations perspectives and Youth voices were present on every panel.
• Citizen-powered: designed, led, and delivered entirely by volunteers.
• Sustainable by design: no flights, no waste, and only vegetarian catering 
• Free and independent: open to all, without corporate influence or paywalls.
• A local extension of the Green Zone: including live interviews and videos with delegates who are on the ground at COPs to share insights on the proceedings.
• Positive and solutions-focused: grounded in science, driven by active hope, and inspired by community action. 

For all media enquiries, please email Aye Verckens (aye@peoplefornature.org.au). 

About AlterCOP 

AlterCOP is an independent, volunteer-led conference designed as an accessible alternative to the United Nations COP, making climate action discussions available to communities, professionals, and youth across Asia. Since its inception, AlterCOP has grown into a unique knowledge-sharing platform where regional voices, grassroots solutions, and cross-sector collaboration converge to accelerate sustainability action and raise awareness on COPs. More info: altercop.com and altercop.com/australia 

About People For Nature

People For Nature is a Queensland-based charitable social enterprise empowering citizen-led action for nature across Australia. Co-founded by three French-Australian women, the registered charity helps individuals reconnect with the natural world and take meaningful action to protect it. 

People for Nature turns complex science into engaging, accessible learning experiences that inspire people to care and act. Through a simple train-the-trainer model, it equips ambassadors nationwide to share knowledge on climate, biodiversity, and the circular economy — driving local citizen-led conservation and science initiatives while creating meaningful opportunities for those transitioning into purpose-driven work. More info: https://www.peoplefornature.org.au/ 

1. https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-which-countries-have-sent-the-most-delegates-to-cop30/