Climate cafe

A Climate Café is a facilitated gathering place where supportive connections are made through sharing our feelings about the climate crisis.

At our Café there is no guest speaker, no advice given, no call for action. Instead, you’ll find a space where you can voice concerns and hopes that may not be welcomed or made room for elsewhere in daily life. You’re invited to share with interested others how you’re really feeling at this challenging time. There may be laughter, there may be tears. There may be fear, there may be anger. Whatever you’re feeling is okay and valued. And it’s fine just to listen. Sharing, listening and being quiet together are all part of a Climate Café.

Psychology for a Safe Climate (PSC) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, to foster emotional engagement with climate change. PSC was founded in response to the lack of individual and community commitment to address the climate emergency. Our purpose is to support people in facing the reality of the climate emergency. We aim to build people’s capacity to respond constructively to climate change by promoting and strengthening mental health and wellbeing. We engage with those working on climate change, the caring professions, and the broader community. 

Your facilitators

Jamie Dunk Jamie Dunk is a researcher in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Sydney, specialising in mental health, planetary health and psychology. He co-directs the Ecological Emotions Research Lab and convenes a climate distress community of practice. He regularly facilitates climate cafes with Psychology for a Safe Climate, and helps to train new facilitators and climate aware practitioners.

Karina Kreminski is a community facilitator and a Minister with the Uniting Church in Australia. She is co-director of Neighbourhood Matters (www.neighbourhoodmatters. com.au), a venture that seeks to partner with community organisations to nurture resilient and flourishing neighbourhoods. Karina mentors leaders, speaks at events and writes about community and meaning-making. She is on the board of the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre.