Our journey
Blue Mountains Council endorsed the Carbon Abatement Action Plan (CAAP) in 2017. The plan identifies projects within the business that demonstrate reduced carbon emissions, as well as reduced operational costs. The four-year target plan for a reduction in Council’s carbon emissions was achieved in the first year of the CAAP. As a result, the 2022 target of 20% absolute emissions reduction has been replaced with a stretch target of 30%. It is funded by the Carbon Revolving Reserve (CRR) which provides an ongoing source of investment.
Early in 2019 Blue Mountains Council declared a climate emergency. The projects identified in the CAAP will significantly help achieve Council’s carbon reduction targets and clearly demonstrates its commitment to reducing emissions. Current projects endorsed by the CAAP are:
- Replacement of a further 2,781 streetlights with LEDs
- Upgrade to high-efficiency lighting across all of Council’s assets
- Installation of 289kW of rooftop solar on council buildings
- Replacement of boiler with highly efficient condensing boiler at Council’s headquarters in Katoomba
Additional internal projects identified by the CAAP are:
- Investigate and develop centralised data monitoring
- Staff training
- Organisational behaviour change initiatives
- Expansion of energy audit program
- Investigate off-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
- Coordinate minimum energy standards for all new Council buildings
- Review barriers and opportunities around electric vehicles within fleet