As COP31 opens in Antalya on Monday, 9 November, Australians are not only watching the negotiations from afar. Across the country, a citizen-led movement called Citizen COP Australia is running 96 free community events in every state and territory — and its flagship, the Giant Climate Fresk, opens in Sydney on the same day the summit begins.
What is Citizen COP Australia?
Citizen COP Australia 2026 is a citizen-led, non-partisan movement launched on 28 September 2026 by People For Nature, an Australian charity working on climate and biodiversity education, citizen conservation and citizen science. It runs through October and November 2026, alongside COP17 on biodiversity and COP31 on climate in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November.
More than 75 organisations are involved, with 96 events planned across every Australian state and territory — one of the largest coordinated citizen-led climate and nature mobilisations in the country, according to People For Nature. The events include community forums, workshops, citizen science activities and local action projects, with the full agenda published on Humanitix.
“At a time when Australians are already experiencing the impacts of climate and biodiversity loss, we cannot afford for decisions to remain disconnected from reality on the ground,” said Audrey Barucchi, CEO and Co-Founder of People For Nature. “Citizen COP is about creating structured, inclusive spaces where citizens can engage with evidence, discuss trade-offs, and help shape what comes next.”
The Giant Climate Fresk: learning the science by playing it
The centrepiece is the Giant Climate Fresk, billed as Australia’s Biggest Climate Education Event — the largest Climate Fresk ever held in the country. Simultaneous workshops run in cities and towns from Brisbane to Perth and Sydney to Melbourne.
Climate Fresk is an internationally acclaimed, science-based workshop that turns climate science into a collaborative card game. Using cards based on the latest IPCC reports, participants work in teams to map out the causes and consequences of climate change, and then discuss solutions together.
The flagship Sydney session takes place on Monday, 9 November, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at Canva Space in Surry Hills. Further sessions follow in Brisbane on 9 November, at the University of Queensland on 10 November, on the Gold Coast on 12 November, at the University of Newcastle on 17 November and at Macquarie University on 18 November. The Newcastle session is also listed by the New South Wales Government.
Principles that are “structural, not symbolic”
Citizen COP is built on a set of guiding principles designed to keep the movement independent and accessible: no flying within Australia for organisers and delivery teams, no paid speakers or honorariums, free and accessible participation, vegetarian catering only at in-person gatherings, minimal-waste events, a participatory funding model, and zero influence from fossil fuel companies or organisations linked to ongoing climate and nature harm.
“These principles are not symbolic, they are structural,” Barucchi said. “If we are asking society to change, the way we organise ourselves must reflect that change.”
From AlterCOP to Citizen COP
The movement builds on last year’s experience. In 2025, the Australian chapter of AlterCOP, also brought to life by People For Nature, reached more than 1,400 participants across 42 events, 8 locations and 49 organisations. Citizen COP Australia 2026 scales that model up to a nationwide programme.
People For Nature describes its mission as creating a society where nature is central to every decision. Its work combines education, action and citizen science to empower communities to protect biodiversity and build climate resilience.
Why it matters as COP31 opens
Citizen COP is designed to expand the COP’s “Green Zone” — the public, open space of the conference — into communities across Australia, turning global climate, biodiversity and circular economy discussions into citizen-led conversations that everyone is invited to join. As world leaders gather in Antalya, the message from Australia’s communities is that climate decisions must stay connected to the people living with their consequences. COP31 opens in Antalya on Monday: what is at stake at the UN climate summit.
Key facts
- 96 events run by more than 75 organisations in every Australian state and territory.
- The movement runs October–November 2026, alongside COP17 (19–30 October) and COP31 (9–20 November, Antalya).
- The Giant Climate Fresk runs 9–18 November; the Sydney flagship opens on 9 November, COP31’s first day.
- Launched on 28 September 2026 by People For Nature; all events are free.
- 2025 precedent: AlterCOP Australia reached 1,400+ participants across 42 events and 49 organisations.
