Climate Summit for Local Government

Sept 6-8, 2023 | Melbourne

City of Launceston's climate and sustainability commitments

City of Launceston is part of the Cities Power Partnership, Australia's largest network of councils leading the way to a sustainable future

  • Traditional Owners Therrernotepanner, Leterrermairrener and Panniher clans
  • Member since 2019
  • Population 68,388
Feature_icon_1 / Renewable energy

200%

renewable energy for council by 2040

Feature_icon_2 / Solar Energy

100%

renewable energy for community by 2025

feature_icon_3 / CO2 Emissions

Carbon Neutral

Carbon Neutral

Our journey

What council has achieved in the past in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability

The City of Launceston has a long, proud history of renewable energy production. It was the home of the nation’s first hydroelectric power station at Duck Reach.

In keeping with this precedent, over the past decade the City of Launceston has undertaken a range of projects and strategies to improve our sustainability.

Our energy efficiency measures have included fitting solar panels on Council-owned facilities, LED lighting in public areas – including street lighting, provision of both public and Council electric vehicle charging stations, and smart system installation to better manage heating and lighting in facilities such as the Queen Victoria and Art Museum and Launceston Aquatic Centre.

Flagship efforts however, centre on our waste management program achievements, which include our kerbside FOGO (food organic and garden organic) composting facility (reducing emissions and increasing nutrient recovery through diversion from landfill), landfill methane capture for power generation, Uptipity (our social enterprise-operated tip shop) and recycling improvements.

What council hopes to achieve in the future in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability

The Council made a commitment to work towards organisational carbon neutrality by 2025, with 100 per cent renewable energy sources used by this time, through a climate emergency declaration made in August 2019.

To achieve this, the City of Launceston has adopted a Sustainability Strategy, which forms the framework for action planning in partnership with the community.

The first step in this process is to update an understanding of Council’s baseline emissions and energy use, and following earlier public consultation, will undertake action planning with stakeholders in late 2019.

The goal of this process is to identify those actions that Council can take in both the short and long term for emissions reductions, while benefitting our local community.

It’s worth noting that Launceston is uniquely placed in that, like all Tasmanian councils, we have access to fully renewable energy sources, both hydro-electric and wind generation.

What council hopes to gain from being a member of the Cities Power Partnership

The City of Launceston believes membership in the Cities Power Partnership is an opportunity for shared learning and a collaborative approach to a journey that all Local Government Areas in Australia are facing.

While Launceston is fortunate in its unique advantages in renewable energy access via the state’s exclusive hydro-electric and wind power generation, it is hoped that membership results in further improvements in sustainability and community resilience to climate change impacts.

Pledges

Council has committed to the following Cities Power Partnership pledges:

Renewable energy
Power council operations by renewable energy, and set targets to increase the level of renewable power for council operations over time.
Sustainable Transport
Encourage sustainable transport use such as public transport, walking and cycling through council transport planning and design.
Support cycling through provision of adequate cycle lanes, bike parking and end-of-ride facilities.
Lobby state and federal governments to increase sustainable transport options
Work Together and Influence
Achieve 100% divestment from fossil fuel aligned investments at the earliest possible date.

In the news

Media Release

Bushfire preparedness and climate on the agenda of expert and local government roundtable

02 Jul 2020
Bushfire experts and Tasmanian councils will today join together in a roundtable discussion to plan and prepare against worsening bushfires in the State.

Join now and be part of the groundswell of local governments and communities across Australia tackling climate change.