Council declares Climate Emergency, adopts Climate Action Plan
Published on 06 May 2022
Nillumbik Shire Council has adopted a new climate action plan, which includes an official Declaration of a Climate Emergency.
The Climate Action Plan 2022-2032 will guide Council’s response to the challenges posed by climate change over the next decade and outlines a twofold approach, involving mitigation and adaptation.
It builds on Council’s previous plans (2010, 2015) and emphasises collaboration with the community to achieve its key climate action aims.
The Plan has three key overarching goals:
- Reduce Council’s direct contribution to climate change.
- Prepare for, respond and adapt to the risks and impacts of a changing climate on our community, environment, infrastructure and services.
- Support our community to reduce their contributions to climate change and to adapt and be resilient to climate change risks and impacts.
The Plan also sets targets of achieving net-zero emissions in Council operations by 2030 and net-zero community emissions by 2035.
It includes eight focus areas for climate action to help to achieve these goals and targets. These include climate action leadership, the climate resilience of our community, the climate resilience of the natural environment, climate responsive Council services and facilities, zero emissions energy use, sustainable transport, integrated water management, and achieving a zero waste and circular economy.
Nillumbik Mayor Frances Eyre said the Plan was the result of a significant joint effort.
“Our Climate Action Plan 2022-2032 is the culmination of a collective effort, which involved extensive consultation and collaboration with our community. It is the tangible result of Council and our community’s shared commitment to taking meaningful and urgent climate action. This is a great community outcome, something about which I am extremely pleased,” she said.
“We now move on to the critical work of implementing the Plan, and we have a solid base from which to build. Council and the broader Nillumbik community already have a strong record when it comes to matters of sustainability, climate action and building resilience in the face of the challenges presented by climate change.”
Deputy Mayor Ben Ramcharan said the Plan showed the seriousness with which Council and the community viewed this issue.
“The Plan demonstrates our shared commitment to doing all we can to address the challenges presented by climate change,” he said.
“What will be equally important is our collaboration with state and federal governments, and on this we will advocate strongly for the necessary support from those levels of government in order to achieve the goals set out in the Plan.”
The Plan will accompanied by a clear implementation schedule – to be released within the coming months - and a commitment to evaluate and report on its progress at regular intervals.
Click here for the Nillumbik Shire Council Climate Action Plan 2022-2032.