Shire makes progress on climate emergency response

THE Surf Coast Shire council’s Climate Emergency Corporate Response Plan has hit key targets during the July-September quarter.

Major achievements so far include transitioning all shire facilities and street lights to 100 per cent renewable energy from 1 July this year via the Victorian Energy Collaboration.

Councillors received an update on the plan at their October 28 meeting.

Of the 67 actions in the 2021-2023 Action Plan, nine per cent have been completed, 76 per cent are on track to be delivered within a two-year time frame and 15 per cent are subject to funding or delay.

Shire mayor Libby Stapleton said the transition was indicative of the council’s commitment to the plan and working towards achieving the six main goals: being carbon neutral, generating, storing and using renewable electricity, adapting well to a changing climate, aligning with Registered Aboriginal Parties Country Plans, facilitating and empowering community-led responses to the climate emergency, and being climate emergency leader.

“We are one of 46 Victorian councils participating in the Victorian Energy Collaboration, the largest emissions reduction project ever undertaken by the local government sector in Australia,” Cr Stapleton said.

“It’s a major achievement and one that will help reduce council’s greenhouse gas emissions by about 15.5 per cent.

“We are committed to reducing our emissions every year and are on track to offset all of council’s residual greenhouse gas emissions, through accredited programs, commencing this financial year.

“Surf Coast Shire council declared a climate emergency in 2019, acknowledging the need for more urgent and extensive actions to reduce emissions and respond to local climate change impacts.

“The Climate Emergency Corporate Response Plan is the council’s 10-year commitment for climate action, and it’s great to see we’re hitting key targets, and on track for the rest.”

The transition to green power under the new energy contract is expected to save the Surf Coast Shire about 35 per cent on electricity bills, based on existing costs, with estimated savings of more than $200,000 a year and $2.5 million over the life of the contract.

Cr Stapleton said the council’s Climate Mobiliser program, which led to the formation of the community group Zero Emissions Surf Coast, was another key milestone.

“One of our six goals is for our organisation to facilitate and empower community-led responses to the climate emergency.

“Zero Emissions Surf Coast is a great example of this, as well as our 2021 Youth for Climate program development, and we’re also providing ongoing community development support through small grants.”

Cr Paul Barker said the council was spending a large amount of money on the Climate Emergency Corporate Response Plan, and he would have preferred that the plan contain a cost-benefit analysis so ratepayers could better assess the outcomes.