By Jena Carr
The Surf Coast Shire community are encouraged to provide feedback on how council manages its effect on climate change.
Council decided to put the combined and updated 2021-2031 Climate Emergency Response Plan and 2023-25 Climate Emergency Action Plan out for public exhibition during its June 27 council meeting.
Councillor Libby Stapleton said the plan’s purpose was to “drive coordinated climate action”, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the region’s changing climate.
“While council has made significant progress in addressing the climate emergency, there is still much more to do,” she said.
There needs to be an enhanced focus on our climate adaptation response to build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The overall climate emergency response plan will include two key strategic pieces of work; an emissions reduction target and a road map and climate adaptation framework.
Cr Stapleton said council adopted the plan in June 2021 after a climate emergency was declared in 2019 and detailed council’s 10-year climate action commitment.
“The Climate Emergency Response Plan focuses on three key response areas,” she said.
“Mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation by reducing our vulnerability to avoidable climate impacts and mobilisation by empowering council staff and our community to act.
“Environmental leadership is one of those activities that council undertakes that see us operating beyond the traditional services of roads, rates, and rubbish.”
The updated Climate Emergency Response and Action Plan will be open for public feedback for three weeks and be considered for adoption at a future council meeting.
