“But we won’t give up. We won’t go away. And we know the majority of Australians agree,” he said.

Mr Tooley, also principal of Nuriootpa High, has returned from Canberra after speaking with federal politicians about how strong action on climate change can benefit the Gawler and Barossa regions.

He was part of a delegation of 27 ordinary Australians, including representatives from the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Union Climate Connectors and Al Gore-trained Climate Project, who talked about the opportunities of climate change action with 56 ministers and senators.

Mr Tooley personally delivered the concerns of many in the Gawler and Barossa communities at the Climate Advocacy Day.

“I was nervous walking into Parliament House, but by the end of the day I realised politicians are just people too.

“If the community won’t push them to act, who will?” he said.

“I see it as a personal responsibility to get involved and promote the clean technologies and jobs that will improve our quality of life, and make our economy prosper in the 21st century.

“If we start now - Australia will lead the world in renewable energy technology,” Mr Tooley added.

The Climate Project Australia, the Australian branch of Al Gore’s climate change leadership program, is a non-profit organisation founded in November 2006.

The Climate Project’s mission is to educate the public about the harmful effects of climate change and to work toward solutions at a grassroots level worldwide.