Around the world and across Australia, towns and cities of all sizes are getting on with the job of climate action. They are surging ahead with emissions reduction plans, switching to cleaner energy and building greener, more efficient and resilient communities. From booming urban centres to small rural townships, local governments and groups of determined residents have been energy and climate trailblazers in many ways.
Towns and cities can shape how land is used, investments are made and millions of dollars worth of renewable energy rolled out. They can influence how new homes and businesses are built and how hundreds of thousands of residents will travel each day. They can also lobby for much-needed state and federal policy change. Transforming the way cities use and generate energy alone has the potential to deliver 70 percent of the total emissions reductions needed to stay on track for the two degrees limit set under the Paris Agreement (IEA 2016). As citizens, we can engage with our local council and have a great deal of influence by providing encouragement and helping to get our communities involved.
ACT NOW
Influence your local council:
Research what your local council has already done on climate change.
Set up a meeting with your Mayor to talk about climate change programs.
Nominate your council for the Climate Council’s “City Power Partnership” so they can be a stronger force for change.
This article first appeared in Dumbo Feather on 4 October 2017
