Climate Action Now Wingecarribee (CANWin) will host a community forum on climate change with the focus of the forum on the nature and scope of the threat that the Southern Highlands community faces from climate damage.

Speakers will include Ian Dunlop, a senior member of the Breakthrough Advisory Board. Mr Dunlop is former oil and gas executive with Shell and was the former chair for the Australian Coal Association and Australian Greenhouse Office Experts Group on Emissions Trading.

Also speaking at the event is Dr John Hewson. Dr Hewson is a former leader of the Liberal Party, economist and company director. He recently called on the Federal Parliament to declare a climate emergency.

Emma Heyde will join Ian Dunlop and Dr Hewson as a guest speaker and MC for the event. Emma is a Greens Councillor on Hornsby Shire Council and a leading voice for climate action and plastic reduction in northern Sydney.

She is a signatory on the Climate Council's Statement by mayors in areas vulnerable to and affected by climate-intensified fire activity.

Young environmental activists Maddie Clegg and Steph Jedrasiak, as well as Barry Arthur who is the Environment and Sustainability Manager for the Wingecarribee Shire Council.

Local environmental activist Clive West said that it would be Maddie and Steph's generation "that will have to deal with [climate change]" and that the unprecedented weather conditions were a "wake up call that we need to act."

"Behind all this is the declaration [of climate emergency] and the declaration goes beyond what the council can do at a local level. It's really part of an international movement," said Clive.

"We need to act now."

Climate Action Now Wingecarribee (CanWin) member Sarah Cains said the community forum is a way to lobby the Wingecarribee Shire Council to declare a climate emergency declaration.

"That's what we are pushing for," she said.

"To say [to council] we have thousands of signatures on the petition asking them to declare a climate emergency."

Clive hopes that the community forum will help galvanise the community to put pressure on the council.

"We see this meeting as a catalyst [for change] which is why we are putting so much energy in to it," he said.

"We are hoping that were will be some form of grass roots resolution as a way forward after the meeting."

The community forum will take place on November 24 at Bowral Memorial Hall at 2 pm to 4 pm. Residents are invited to attend. There will also be a Q and A session afterwards.

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