Support for climate council takes off LIKE the debate around global warming itself, Professor Tim Flannery doesn't seem to be going away in a hurry. Less than a week ago, the prominent scientist and Australian of the Year was out of a job when the independent Climate Commission he headed was abolished by the Abbott government. But on Tuesday the commission was back, reincarnated as the Australian Climate Council by Prof Flannery and several of his old team who have vowed to carry on their work despite getting the chop. "This isn't a time for giving up, rather it's a time for determination, for standing up for what's right," Prof Flannery told reporters in Sydney. The commission once had $1.6 million in annual government funding at its disposal, but the new council will rely entirely on donations generated through an "Obama-style" online fundraising drive. By mid afternoon, it had attracted more than $165,000, and its Twitter account was suspended from over-activity, prompting a cheeky quip from its organisers. We've overcome being suspended before. Let's do it again," the council's Facebook page stated. Prof Flannery said he'd been "blown away" by the response so far, which kicked off with a donation of just $15. "People from right across the political spectrum and from all walks of life have contacted us, offering their support," he said. They understand why it's important that we continue our work. The council will serve the same purpose as the now-defunct commission, distilling the complex science of climate change from around the world into absorbable information for the Australian public. Former commissioners, including climate scientists Will Steffen and Lesley Hughes and former BP Australasia president Gerry Hueston have agreed to volunteer their time to the revamped body. The Australian Greens congratulated the council on thwarting the Abbott government's attempt to shut it down, but Prof Steffen said they'd be remaining apolitical even if climate science had been drawn into a "very partisan" political atmosphere. Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who justified the closure of the commission as a savings measure, wished them good luck and said they'd proven government funding wasn't needed to keep them afloat. The council's first task will be dissecting a vast scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) into language accessible for the average punter. The detailed scientific report, six years in the making, isn't released until Friday but has already faced damaging leaks and claims of false findings that have angered Australian climate scientists. Prof Flannery said much misinformation and opinion swirled around climate science, making the fact-based work of the council even more crucial. "Make no mistake - we're in the middle of a titanic struggle," he said. Indeed, I think the fight for a clean and safe environmental future is reaching its peak.