Port Stephens councillors have voted at their September 8 meeting to adopt the council's strongest position yet on climate change with the endorsement of a new Climate Change Policy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And while the Climate Change Port Stephens (CAPS) has called for a stronger stance by the council, Cr Giacomo Arnott said that the decision showed councillors were prepared to face reality, and had recognised the need to take action.
It was in February 2020 that Cr Arnott had a motion passed by the council, calling for a climate change policy to be made a priority.
"It's clear that we're in an unprecedented period of man-made climate change," Cr Arnott said.
"Council is currently developing a sustainability action plan and roadmap, which will outline council's emissions reductions targets and strategies.
"On top of that, council's Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan is being reviewed, and will outline our plan to react to the ongoing impacts of climate change going forward.
"I'm excited to see the plans that support this policy. I will be ensuring that council sets strong targets for emissions reductions and continues to take a leadership role in our community when it comes to working to reduce the impacts of climate change."
In a public access address earlier in Tuesday's council meeting, CAPS president Alisha Onslow welcomed the council's new policy while calling for stronger action.
"The policy remains focussed primarily on the council's own operations. Council needs to take on a wider leadership role, and to set measurable targets," Ms Onslow said. "Council could set a target of net zero emissions for the community well within the state government's timetable of 2050, and of transitioning to renewable energies for all council operations by 2025."
Ms Onslow said that a valuable first step would be to join the Climate Council's Cities Power Partnership (CPP), a network that now represents 129 local government areas and more than 300 towns and cities across Australia, covering half the country's population.
"Five Hunter councils have already joined the CPP and by adding its name Port Stephens can benefit from the experiences of other councils throughout the country."
Early in 2019, CAPS called on Port Stephens to declare a climate emergency.
"At the time, 53 Australian councils had made the declaration. Today that number has nearly doubled to 96. Since then we have lived through unprecedented events, many of which were clearly associated with climate change. Last summer's bushfires cost human lives and saw devastating losses of both livestock and native animals and their habitats."
Ms Onslow said the actions that are needed to confront the climate challenge can also create hundreds of local jobs - many of them highly skilled.
"This can be a 'win-win' situation but requires council to step up and lead the community with an alternative vision."
