Community responds to climate change plan

CHANGES to planning and building regulations for new developments that prevent gas connections and require renewables are among the climate change response ideas that have been put forward by the Greater Geelong community.

Other suggestions for inclusion in the City of Greater Geelong’s Draft Climate Change Response Plan, include rate relief for people on lower incomes who install solar panels, promoting take-up of renewable energy alternatives.

The city received a total of 39 submissions providing opinions and ideas, which have been summarised by independent company Kismet Forward, and released in a report which will be considered by the council before the plan is finalised and adopted.

Development of a Climate Change Response Plan was identified as a priority for the council in the Sustainability Framework and Environment Strategy 2020-2030, and the draft plan was endorsed for community consultation in July.

The draft plan builds on the Environment Strategy’s strategic goals and identifies how the city will support community and business efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to the likely impacts of the changing climate.

The plan also provides a roadmap for reducing the city’s operational carbon emissions and managing its climate change risks.

According to the report, 33 responses to the draft plan were from individual community members, five were from community-based groups, and one from a commercial enterprise.

“Collectively, 431 comments provided feedback on the Draft Plan,” the report reads.

“Of the 39 submissions, 17 commended the city on preparing the Draft Plan, particularly council’s acknowledgment of the climate change issue and its leadership role in supporting the community’s attainment of the mitigation target to achieve net zero community emissions by 2035.

“The Draft Plan was regarded as a well-considered, scientifically based, sound response to the issue, and submitters acknowledged the hard work involved in preparing such a document.

“Three submissions provided only negative sentiments on the draft plan, whilst a further 19 either offered both positive and negative sentiments or didn’t indicate their sentiment one way or the other.

“Across the submissions, the greatest interest lay in Principle one: Support an empowered and active community, and specifically the need for clear accountability, sufficient funding and community leadership.”

The full report can be read on the city’s website.