Port Stephens Council's (PSC) recently adopted Climate Change Policy is a welcomed shift in the right direction with a commitment to act on Climate Change.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was pleasing to see how PSC listened to the communities concerns which were reflected in the changes made to the policy following the submission process, all of which were in support of the policy.
Having now become a member of the Climate Council's Cities Power Partnership (CPP), PSC has taken a valuable first step in implementing stronger and more ambitious climate change policies because they can now benefit from the experiences of other councils throughout the country.
The Climate Council, which has found that 70 per cent of the emissions reductions required to keep global warming well below 2 degrees can be achieved by making changes at the local level, hosts leading experts in climate impacts and renewable energy whose technical knowledge is key to helping local councils implement emissions reduction measures.
Climate Action Port Stephens (CAPS) has also signed up with Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) for Port Stephens to be a part of their Zero Carbon Communities initiative which sees everyday people working together with local government, business and industry for their communities to have net Zero Emissions in the next 10 years.
BZE is an internationally recognised climate change think tank who produce independent and innovative research solutions demonstrating that a zero emissions Australia is achievable and affordable now, providing reports that include detailed pathways for a 10-year transition in each major sector of Australia's economy.
BZE also works with CPP, providing many opportunities to network and support mutual endeavours.
Through the connections being made with national organisations by PSC, CAPS, like-minded environmental and community groups, and individual members in the community, Port Stephens is well situated to begin the transition to a zero-carbon community and in making a real contribution in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
I hope PSC will embrace a community- wide leadership role and have ambitious goals and targets for emissions reductions.
As our community plans for recovery from the pandemic, we have a golden opportunity to address both the economic recovery and climate change.
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 for council and the community. Science should guide decisions in the same way it has steered our pandemic response.
And the science is clear - our future prosperity hangs on a healthy environment.
Alisha Onslow is president of Climate Action Port Stephens
