With alarming melting of the polar icecaps underway, back-to-back bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, and Australia seeing a longer and more intense bushfire season, we have no time to waste when it comes to action on climate change. 

Yet Australia's emissions are rising and funding for climate change initiatives has been slashed on the Federal Coalition government's watch. The policy failure leaves communities exposed to intensifying heatwaves, bushfires, droughts, and extreme weather. 

It's time for Premier Daniel Andrews to push back on the Turnbull government and show leadership on climate change.  

In 2017, the state Labor government established the $4.3 million Victorian Climate Change Innovation Partnerships (VCCIP) Grant Scheme to help community groups, local councils, businesses, and non-government organisations rollout innovative climate solutions.

But there's a problem... Demand for the climate grant scheme dramatically outstripped what was available.

While the government received over 240 applications the $4.3 million scheme could only support 24 projects. 

When we're facing a climate change emergency it's not good enough that positive solutions are missing out on start-up funding. 

This is why Friends of the Earth are calling on the Andrews government to ramp things up by committing to establish a Victorian Climate Change Action Fund of at least $100 million in the May 2019 state budget.

Will you email Premier Daniel Andrews today to make the case for investing in climate solutions?