This article first appeared in the Coffs Coast Advocate on 17 October 2018
Coffs Harbour City Council has joined forces with other councils across Australia to slash greenhouse gas pollution and tackle worsening climate change, as the latest council to join the Cities Power Partnership.
The Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership programme is Australia’s largest local government climate network, with over 100 councils representing almost 11 million Australians working together to find local climate solutions.
Andrew Beswick, Council’s Director Business Services said that joining the Cities Power Partnership was an important step forward to finding local climate solutions. “We’ve taken the pledge to tackle climate change in our own backyard as part of the Cities Power Partnership,” he said. “Across Australia, shires, towns and cities are cutting greenhouse gas pollution, switching to clean energy and building resilient communities – and we’re proud to be playing our part in this mission.”
Councils taking part in the Cities Power Partnership pledge five actions to tackle climate change locally, from ramping up renewable energy through to planning sustainable transport systems.
Some of the innovative projects Coffs Harbour City Council is already undertaking include installing renewable energy at council facilities, being a partner in a scheme to introduce an autonomous, zero-emissions vehicle trial to the city and the adoption of a Renewable Energy and Emissions Reduction Th ca Plan that includes the goal of ensuring the organisation’s energy use will consist of 100% renewables by 2030.
Climate Councillor and internationally renowned climate expert Professor Tim Flannery welcomed Coffs Harbour City Council to the partnership and commended the council for taking positive action on climate change.
“I would like to congratulate Coffs Harbour City Council on joining the climate change trailblazers in the Cities Power Partnership, who are shaping the way that Australian communities use and generate energy,” he said. “There are some great clean energy and transport projects coming out of Australia’s local councils and I’m looking forward to seeing what Coffs Harbour will bring to the Cities Power Partnership.”
