Council & Business
7 July, 2022
Action plan flags key areas to combat climate change
The Central Goldfields Shire Council has adopted its Climate Action Plan, flagging key priority areas the organisation and community need to work in to combat the effects of climate change. The Central Goldfields Climate Action Plan 2022-2030 was...
The Central Goldfields Shire Council has adopted its Climate Action Plan, flagging key priority areas the organisation and community need to work in to combat the effects of climate change.
The Central Goldfields Climate Action Plan 2022-2030 was adopted at last month’s ordinary council meeting in a bid to fulfil community expectations and council’s legislative responsibility under the Climate Change Act and Local Government Act 2020.
The plan provides strategic direction up until 2030 through six priority areas and 19 goals, including net zero emissions by 2030 for council operations.
The priority areas include education, collaboration and mobilisation, built environment and transport, health and wellbeing, waste and the circular economy, renewable energy and energy efficiency and land and water.
The plan’s goals include that young people and those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are heard and supported, that council and the community are committed to waste avoidance and that the community is prepared for and able to recover from flood, bushfire, storm and heatwaves.
The plan also reflects community aspirations in terms of elevating council’s leadership role in taking climate action locally.
Speaking during the meeting, councillor Wayne Sproull said the adoption of the plan marked a significant step forward for the organisation and community.
“To say that we can solve climate change issues singlehandedly would be ignorant and foolish, but to say that we can’t have an effect on climate change would be much the same,” he said.
“Every bit helps, regardless of size — there is no claim the shire will solve climate change, however we acknowledge the effect it has on our shire and what we can do to help actively mitigate the effects.
“Central Goldfields Climate Action Plan is a significant step in ensuring the shire plays its part in the global fight against climate change.”
The plan has been developed in conjunction with the community over a 12-month period, commencing in June 2021 and has undergone significant consultation, including ongoing engagement with a key stewarding group comprising of councillors, council staff and representatives from the Maryborough Climate Action Group, Goldfields Sustainability Group and Maryborough Education Centre.
The draft plan also underwent a public exhibition period throughout April, with public consultations and all day drop-in sessions also held during that period and 19 submissions received.
Cr Sproull acknowledged the community’s input in developing the plan.
“Depending on the individual, we all have different responses and reactions to the term climate change,” he said.
“This plan has come together with the input of many people and representatives of organisations and I thank them because it’s their input and conversation that’s made this plan what it is.”
The Central Goldfields Shire Council is already purchasing all its electricity wholly from renewable sources, has installed 70 kilowatts of solar panels on council facilities, introduced hybrid vehicles to council’s fleet and installed electric vehicle charging points at the Maryborough Community Hub.
Cr Sproull said the plan would be owned by the community and would be a living, dynamic plan.
“This is a community plan, it identifies the risks to our community if we do nothing but it also identifies the opportunities available to us,” he said.
“These opportunities have the potential to create jobs, provide better lifestyles and reduce costs for our community – who doesn’t want that?
“There are many actions and initiatives identified in the plan and our job now is to continually work through them, keep referencing the plan and measure our performance against it.
“This is not just a stated policy, this is a dynamic plan with goals attached and the hard work and rewards begin now and the continued support and action of the community is key to delivering these future achievements.”
Climate Action Collaboration committee member Tony Macer welcomed the adoption of the plan, which he said has focused on the community at every step.
“This is great news for residents who attended the climate action rally in 2020,” he said.
“The community has had a significant say in shaping this excellent plan and, importantly, regular ongoing community input has been built to make the climate plan a living document.”
Every two years, an implementation plan will be developed with actions aligned to each of the plan’s goals.
The initial two years will see the Central Goldfields Climate Action Partnership established, consolidation of council’s leading role and community outreach.