Council adopts strategy to combat climate change

THIS week Wollongong City Council has adopted the Sustainable Wollongong 2030: A Climate Healthy City Strategy and the Climate Change Mitigation Plan 2020 to guide delivery actions and provide high-level strategic direction for the future.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the Council knows that climate change and the long-term sustainability of the city are important issues for community members.

“Our community has told us that they want to see Wollongong take a leadership role when it comes to climate change,” Cr Bradbery said.

“We know that renewable energy sources, sustainable transport options, planting more trees and reducing waste to landfill are some of the key areas of improvement that our community are passionate about.”

Cr Bradbery said the Council is committed to creating a sustainable and climate resilient city that is capable and able to meet the challenges of climate change. Council carried out extensive community engagement with residents and key stakeholders to inform both documents.

In 2017, the Council became a signatory to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy — an international alliance of cities and local governments with a shared vision of promoting and supporting voluntary action to combat climate change.

Two years later, the Council adopted targets of net zero emissions by 2050 for the City of Wollongong and net zero emissions by 2030 for operations. Earlier this year, Council also committed to five pledges under the Australian initiative, Cities Power Partnership.

Now the Council is taking the next steps towards a sustainable Wollongong with the adoption of two strategic documents; Sustainable Wollongong 2030: A Climate Healthy City Strategy and the Climate Change Mitigation Plan 2020.

The Sustainable Wollongong 2030: A Climate Healthy City Strategy provides a high-level strategic direction for Council’s future activities and programs. This strategy builds upon the work of the superseded Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2014-2022.

The Strategy outlines six priority areas for action including:

• A City whose council shows leadership
• A city that works together
• A low emissions city
• A city in harmony with our environment
• A low waste city
• A climate and water resilient city

The Sustainable Wollongong 2030: A Climate Healthy City Strategy will be reviewed on a four-year cycle with a major review to be undertaken in 2030.

The Climate Change Mitigation Plan 2020 will guide Council’s delivery actions for the next two years in working towards the emissions targets. This initial plan aims to provide a strong foundation for future activities and plans.

During exhibition earlier this year, Council received 155 community submissions. Since the Council incorporated this feedback into the final version of the Plan, with seven new actions addressing issues such as:

• Engaging businesses
• Advocating for green industries to relocate to the region
• Enhancement of energy efficiency programs
• Education for Council facilities and managers

“Wollongong is a beautiful City, but our past actions haven’t always been positive for our natural environment. Our vision is to transform Wollongong into a thriving, low waste, low emissions city that lives in harmony with its environment,” Cr Bradbery said.

“Creating a healthy and sustainable future is a job for everyone. There’s still a lot of work to go before we achieve our vision of a sustainable Wollongong, but with our community’s continued support, we will move forward to creating a climate resilient city.”

Can you help by making a small donation?

Would you like to make a small donation towards the publishing of The Bulli & Clifton Times and/or the Looking Back websites? If you would like to support my work, you can leave a small donation here with your credit card. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs.

Or donate through PayPal

TIP JAR

YOU can also make a small donation towards the running of The Bulli & Clifton Times and/or the Looking Back websites through Paypal. If you would like to support my work, you can leave a small tip here of $2, or several small tips, just increase the amount as you like. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs.

A$2.00