(AU ABC) The Councils Leading The Charge On Climate Change To Reach Net Zero Emissions By 2030

ABC News - Claire Moodie

Town of Victoria Park mayor Karen Vernon says the council is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2030. (Supplied: Town of Victoria Park)

Key Points Local councils have taken the fight against climate change into their own hands But they want financial help to prevent passing the cost on to ratepayers Australia's peak local government body is lobbying for a $200 million war chest to help lower emissions

As the climate wars drag on at a federal level, local councils across the country are taking the initiative and doing it for themselves. 

Local governments, best known for the three "Rs" of roads, rates and rubbish, are adding a fourth "R" to the list – risk from climate change.

More than 100 councils across the country have declared a climate emergency, while dozens more are investing in renewables and setting ambitious targets for cutting emissions.

"Our community has been telling us this for a long time, they want to take action on climate change," said Karen Vernon, the mayor of Victoria Park, a small local authority bordering Perth's Swan River.

"Everyone has to take action on climate change, and we've got to do it together. 

"It can't just be left to one level of government."

Councils take lead on climate

In a video to ratepayers on the council's Facebook site, the mayor stands on the roof of the council's headquarters, surrounded by 250 solar panels, announcing a new climate emergency plan.

"This is a blueprint for how our council, as an organisation, will get to net zero emissions by 2030," Cr Vernon told the ABC.

The battle is already well underway, not just to cut the council's footprint but to encourage residents to get onboard for the journey.

Victoria Park mayor Karen Vernon says the council has set a target to double the number of trees in the area. (Supplied: Town of Victoria Park)

The community is being urged to help double the town's "tree canopy" to cool down the streets at the height of summer, as well as capture carbon.

The council has pledged to hit its target — as much as possible — by what's called "direct action" rather than relying on carbon offsets.

Even for this small council, the predicted impacts of climate change – more extreme heat, bushfire and floods – are a major concern.

The Town of Victoria Park is one of 103 councils nationwide that have declared a climate emergency. (Supplied: Town of Victoria Park)

"We've got over six kilometres of Swan River frontage so it's really important that we manage that, because rising sea levels is another indicator of climate change," Cr Vernon said.

A few kilometres up the road, at the City of Canning in Perth's southern suburbs, the council has teamed up with the operators of a data-driven app to educate residents on how to measure and reduce their emissions.

Councils are trying to educate residents on how to reduce their household footprint. (ABC News: Claire Moodie)

Household emissions are said to make up around one-fifth of Australia's total. 

The City of Canning is one of 28 councils across Australia which have partnered with the app program, according to its founder Vanessa Rauland.

"The average footprint of a household is around 15 tonnes [of greenhouse gases]," Ms Rauland said.

Vanessa Rauland says councils are using her company’s app to measure the impact of their low carbon projects. (ABC News: Claire Moodie)

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"But there are so many things you can do to reduce your emissions.

"I think it's super encouraging seeing how many councils are really stepping up and taking the lead on climate action."

It is nearly five years since Darebin City council in Melbourne became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency.

Since then, Darebin has become certified as carbon neutral.

This year,  it struck a deal to collaborate with 45 other Victorian councils to source all its power from wind energy.

"Effectively, it's the same as taking 90,000 cars off the road or about 45,000 houses off the fossil fuel grid,"  said Darebin councillor Trent McCarthy, who led the council to declare the climate emergency back in 2016.

Councils need financial help to avoid passing costs on to ratepayers

But not all climate-conscious councils are opting to join the emergency declaration movement.

City of Canning mayor Patrick Hall says councils could do with more government support to become carbon neutral. (ABC News: Claire Moodie)

City of Canning mayor Patrick Hall said the council had been working behind the scenes to reach a target of net zero by 2030.

"We don't feel it's our role to be declaring a climate emergency, we let others work in that space," he said.

The mayor said the local authority was already saving 350 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year through investing in solar at 12 of its council buildings, among other low-carbon projects.

But Cr Hall said the council would need more support to meet the massive upfront costs of some of the measures, including changing nearly 9000 street lights around the suburbs to energy-efficient LED lamps.

"Now if we changed those over to LED, and we hope to do that at some stage, it would save us more than $400,000 a year by year 4," he said.

The federal and state governments offer grants to councils to change their street lighting to LED, slashing power costs and CO2 emissions. (ABC News: Armin Azad)

"It's an enormous saving — not only to the community, but for the environment — but we simply can't fund it by ourselves."

It is believed many councils — especially small, regional local authorities — will need significant financial help to become carbon neutral, without passing the cost on to ratepayers. 

The Australian Local Government Association wants a $200 million federal fund over four years to help more of the country's 537 councils adapt to climate change.

The Town of Victoria Park says tree planting is a big part of its strategy to achieve net zero by 2030. (Supplied: Town of Victoria Park)

Karen Vernon of the Town of Victoria Park said the council had estimated that it would cost around $8 million to become carbon neutral by 2030.

"I wouldn't like people to think that us addressing a climate emergency is something that only comes at a cost of higher rates," she said.

"I believe it doesn't have to…we just need to be innovative and agile about how we do it.

"As time goes by there will be new innovations that we can look to adopt that will hopefully drive even greater efficiencies in how we deliver our climate emergency plan."

The WA Government offers grants to councils to upgrade their street lights to LED. (ABC News: Armin Azad)

As more councils set targets to lower their emissions, there is a push for greater leadership and support from the state and federal governments.

Portia Odell is director of the Cities Power Partnership, a coalition of 147 councils nationwide who are committed to climate action.

"Councils would really like to see the federal government step up, implement strong climate policy and really super-charge local action, unlock funding and drive new investment," Ms Odell said.

Call for WA government to partner with councils on clean energy projects

That investment would be money well spent according to Brad Pettitt, a WA Greens MP who was previously the mayor of Fremantle — a council that became carbon neutral a decade ago.

"We've seen local governments take the leadership on climate change in a way that state and federal governments can't, partly because local government is not mired in party politics," he said. 

"It's actually about local communities getting on and doing things."

Greens MP and former Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt says the state government needs to support local councils to curb their emissions. (ABC News: Claire Moodie)

WA government agencies do offer grants to local councils for a range of climate action measures including tree planting, making street lighting more energy-efficient and reducing waste to landfill.

But Mr Pettitt said both the state and federal governments needed to do far more by partnering with councils on clean energy projects.

"We've seen in Fremantle the investments in clean energy, we've actually seen our electricity costs come down so whilst there is that initial upfront cost, the pay back is really quick, just a number of years," he said.

"It brings down costs for ratepayers, reduces our carbon emissions, it's a win-win."

The West Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) says LGAs representing 93 per cent of the state's population have committed to taking at least one significant action to address climate change.

"There are two key hurdles local governments face," said WALGA president Tracey Roberts.

"[They are] lack of resources to take action — especially for small local governments in the regions — and lack of knowledge, skills and expertise to address the challenges of climate change."

Among many other initiatives, WALGA is lobbying for funding to plant 600,000 trees at a cost of $20 million.

Links

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