Surf Coast Shire Council’s new Climate Emergency Action Plan outlines ways the community can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pursue renewable energy opportunities.
Council adopted the 2023-2025 plan and noted the delivery and significant achievements of its 2021-2023 Climate Emergency Action Plan during its September 26 meeting.
Councillor Kate Gazzard said council would support climate emergency action through engagement, seed funding, capacity building, and community leadership program promotion and delivery.
“Council is committed to demonstrating climate leadership as an organisation,” she said.
“It is so important that our community, and businesses and organisations within our community, are taking meaningful steps as well. We all need to be working together to make a difference.”
Cr Gazzard said helping inspire and support the community was essential to the climate action plan.
“While there is still so much to do, many significant things have been achieved under the goals within the 2021-2023 plan,” she said.
“Delivery of goals in the 2021-2023 Climate Emergency Action Plan demonstrates the importance of having these shorter-term plans providing focus and targets within our overarching 2021-2031 Climate Emergency Response Plan.”
The 2023-2025 plan detailed council goals to be carbon neutral, adapt to the changing climate, work with registered Aboriginal parties and First Nations, facilitate and empower community responses, be a climate emergency leader, and generate, store and use renewable energy.
Council’s 2021-2023 achievements included a reduction in Council non-landfill greenhouse gas emissions by 41 per cent since 2020-2021 and a transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity, which included saving $173,000 in utility costs.
It also outlined the establishment of a Climate Emergency Grants stream to support community-led action, developing a Climate Adaptation Planning Framework, securing an external $1.5 million to progress climate action, and achieving Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard certification.
