Climate Summit for Local Government

Sept 6-8, 2023 | Melbourne

Hepburn Shire Council's climate and sustainability commitments

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

  • Traditional Owners Dja Dja Wurrung People
  • Member since 2018
  • Population 16,281
Feature_icon_1 / Renewable energy

100%

renewable energy for council by 2022

Feature_icon_2 / Solar Energy

100%

renewable energy for community since 2022

feature_icon_3 / CO2 Emissions

Net Zero

council emissions since 2022

feature_icon_4 / People

Net Zero

community emissions by 2030

Our journey

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

Hepburn Shire Council has completed several programs to reduce net emissions to date. These include street lighting upgrades, installation of rooftop solar PV, implementing building energy efficiency upgrades and allocating community energy efficiency grants. Council has adopted its own “Towards Zero Emissions Roadmap”, which is a plan for reaching net emissions neutrality due to Council operations by 2021. Council is a strong supporter of community-led programs and has worked hard to develop relationships with community groups in the Shire.

What does Council hope to achieve in the future in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability?

Hepburn Shire Council will continue undertaking emission reduction actions with the intention of achieving net carbon neutrality due to operations by 2021, as outlined in the Towards Zero Emissions Roadmap. Council supported, community-led programs such as Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy (HSBB) and Z-Net are currently taking place within the Shire, which will assist in the transition towards zero net emissions. Council aims to continue supporting emission reductions through best practice programs and technologies.

What does Council hope to gain from being a member of the Cities Power Partnership?

Joining Cities Power Partnership will assist in strengthening relationships and increasing collaboration with other Councils and regions. This will allow Hepburn Shire Council to participate in a forum where the knowledge, experience and resources of all members can be leveraged to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Pledges

Council has committed to the following Cities Power Partnership pledges:

Renewable energy
Use council resources to support the uptake of renewable energy
Install renewable energy (solar PV and battery storage) on council buildings.
Identify opportunites to turn organic waste into electricity.
Work Together and Influence
Support the local community to develop capacity and skills to tackle climate change.

In the news

Video

Hepburn Shire is getting it done – with Gusto

04 Apr 2019
Hepburn Shire in Central Victoria is an Australian community that’s showing us that the clean energy transformation isn’t just possible - it’s already underway.
Media Release

Local governments lead climate change charge

10 Oct 2018
This article originally appeared in The Advocate on 9 October 2018. Hepburn Shire Council has reaffirmed its commitment to climate change action. The Climate Council…
News

CPP welcomes 31 new councils into the program

02 Oct 2018
The CPP is proud to welcome 31 new councils into the program, taking the network to over 100 councils representing almost 11 million Australians.

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