Climate Summit for Local Government

Sept 6-8, 2023 | Melbourne

 

The inaugural CPP member awards were held as part of the Cities Power Partnership Summit in Kiama NSW on October 18, 2018 . The awards recognised outstanding initiatives undertaken by councils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or increase community capacity and focussed on how councils are demonstrating climate mitigation action across the listed 37 action pledge items under the Cities Power Partnership.

Download list of action pledges

 

WINNERS & Shortlisted FINALISTS 

Congratulations to the following deserving CPP members:

Renewable Energy Achievement Award winner

  • Solar my School  – 3 Council Program Randwick, Waverley & Woollahra Councils (NSW)

From left: Kirsty Gowlands GM Project Delivery ARENA, Peter Maganov Sustainability Manager Randwick City Council, Clr Lindsay Shurrey & Clr Carlos Da Rocha – Randwick City Council, Sam Kelley Sustainability Projects & Reporting Officer Randwick City Council & Anthony Weinberg, 3 Council Regional Environment Program

Shortlisted Finalists

  • Sunshine Coast Solar Farm – Sunshine Coast Council (QLD)
  • Solar Powered Water & Sewage Treatment & Water Recycling plants – Parkes Shire Council (NSW)
  • Summerhill solar farm on former landfill site – The City of Newcastle (NSW)

 

Energy Efficiency Achievement Award Winner

  • Newcastle Museum Energy upgrade – The City of Newcastle  (NSW)

Victoria Adams, Director Corporate & Project Finance, CEFC presents award to Adam Clarke, Program Co-ordinator Corporate & Community Planning, City of Newcastle

Shortlisted finalists

  • Lighting the Way, Southern Highlands Street Lighting Upgrade – Wingecarribee Shire Council (NSW)
  • Emissions Reduction Plan -Eurobodalla Shire Council (NSW)
  • Willoughby Leisure & Aquatic centre water filtration media upgrade – Willoughby City Council (NSW)

 

 

Sustainable Transport Achievement Award Winner

  • Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles Action Plan 2018-21 & implementation- ACT Government (ACT).

Fr left: ACT Government Policy Officer Dr David Alexander, Minister Rattenbury, Senior Policy Officer Climate Change Anna McGuire & Media Advisor Lisa Wills 

Shortlisted finalists

  • Brisbane Active Transport Strategy 2012-2026 & implementation – Brisbane City Council (QLD)
  • Smart Moves Newcastle Initiative  – The City of Newcastle (NSW)

 

 

Community Engagement Achievement Award Winner

  • Council owned & community funded floating solar farm – Lismore City Council (NSW) 

Award accepted by Deputy Mayor Clr Elly Bird

Shortlisted finalists

  • Our Energy Future program – Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils c/o Canterbury Bankstown Council (NSW)
  •  Sustainable Dandenong website – City of Greater Dandenong (VIC)

 

Knowledge Sharing Award Winner

  • South East NSW Councils buddy group (NSW) – Shoalhaven Council, Kiama Municipal Council, Eurobodalla Council, Bega Valley Shire Council, Wingecarribee Shire Council

From left: Professor Karen Hussey, Climate Council, Paul Czuslowski Manager Environment & Health, Kiama Municipal Council, Mark Shorter Sustainability Coordinator, Eurobodalla Shire Council, Therese Smart, Environment & Health Systems Co-ordinator, Wingecarribee Shire Council, Daniel Murphy, Manager Economic Development, Bega Valley Shire Council & Darren O’Connell, Energy Management Co-ordinator, Shoalhaven City Council

 

 

CPP Ambassador

  • Clr Ken Keith, Mayor, Parkes Shire Council (NSW)

Mayor R. Rex Parris, Lancaster California presents the CPP Ambassador Award to Mayor Ken Keith, Parkes Shire Council

Shortlisted finalists

  • Clr Julia Leu, Mayor, Douglas Shire (QLD)
  • Adam Clarke, Program Co-ordinator – Corporate & Community Planning, The City of Newcastle (NSW)

 

 

 


 

ABOUT THE JUDGES

FAQs


 

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

  • Renewable Energy Achievement
  • Energy Efficiency Achievement
  • Sustainable Transport Achievement
  • Community Engagement Achievement

What can we nominate for the achievement awards?

  • Current or recently completed (within the last 12 months) council projects, programs and policies to reduce the carbon emissions of Council operations
  • Council programs that assist or empower community and/or business to reduce carbon emissions.

Achievement Award Entry selection criteria

The following three components will have equal weighting in the judging process.

1) Leadership & Innovation (500 words)

Outline how your Council project shows leadership and innovation.

You may demonstrate or include:

  • how your team led the project management from planning to delivery
  • how you applied a new technology, product or process
  • how the project led to ongoing operational change for Council
  • how the project has contributed to meeting Council sustainability goals

2) Outreach & communication (500 words)

How have you engaged internal and external stakeholders to achieve the environmental, operational and financial results?

Stakeholders may include staff, other councils, residents, contractors, community groups, businesses, climate alliances, Regional Organisation of Councils, State Chapters of Local Government Associations.

How have you communicated your project / program results & to what audiences?

  • communication plans, stakeholder training and education
  • use of social-media channels – provide links and number of followers
  • examples of mainstream media attention received
  • Participation in mentoring activities
  • Availability of project information on Council website, (fact sheet, photos, case study, video)
  • Has this project won any other awards or recognitions?

You may wish to include a letter of support of recommendation from project stakeholders. 

3) Outcomes and benefits (500 words)

These may include:

  • carbon emissions savings, (C02 equivalent),
  • financial savings – $ operational savings, project payback or Return on Investment, value of state government energy savings scheme certificates
  • Resource consumption savings -electricity / gas / fuel,
  • Renewable energy generation – value of SGCs, LGCs, increase, increased awareness or participation)
  • Social benefits through increased awareness or participation of stakeholders

If available please provide facts and figures and any results or certifications achieved. (energy bills, energy report)

 

KNOWLEDGE SHARING AWARDS 

Best Buddies Award (Council/s)

The Cities Power Partnership links member councils to buddy with  other councils with shared project interests. This program is designed to help strengthen networking and knowledge sharing within regions and across state and territory lines.

Buddies can be valuable for a range of different reasons; they may have completed a similar project to the one that your council wants to implement, they may have overcome challenges that your council is currently experiencing and may have advice on how they overcame these challenges and they may want to work together on joint grants or regional projects.

For more information on the buddying program, download the CPP Buddy Explainer Pack 

This award recognises the level of engagement, activity, knowledge sharing and output of Council teams participating in the CPP Buddies program. Buddy activities can include scheduled face to face meeting, online or phone meetings, reciprocal mayoral and staff visits, detailed resource & knowledge sharing.

Best Buddies Award Selection criteria

1) Profiling  – (500 words

  • How have you promoted the buddying to local media & stakeholder?
  • Did your communications team put out a press release or celebrate the partnership via social media channels? Please supply a copy with a media hits listin

2) Engagement activity (500 words)

Outline your engagement strategy and communication activities within the buddying network

  • Resource sharing – have you shared case studies, project plans, scoping studies, project reports or other?
  • Power Analytics project data sharing – this data generated by the CPP online ROI assessment tool provides your buddies with insights on your existing or potential project emissions, cost & energy savings?
  • Meeting your buddies online or in person – have you set up regular calls or explored opportunities for reciprocal visits for staff or elected members, including project site visits?

Testimonials re the benefits of the buddy relationship, meeting minutes or buddy meet-up photos or videos are welcome supplementary attachments.


 

CPP AMBASSADOR AWARD (Individual)

This award recognises individual achievement in advocacy performance of a Council employees or elected representative in contributing to the public climate debate and promoting the Cities Power Partnership program.

A number of CPP council media spokespersons have responded to climate disruption (eg extreme weather events) climate solutions & new initiatives in the media or have participated in Climate Council research report media launches.

CPP Ambassador Award Selection Criteria

  1. Media coverage (500 words)
  • Outline the volume & range of climate action related external media coverage within the past 12 months. These can include radio, tv or press interviews.
  • Outline the level of engagement in internal and external council communication channels:  mayoral columns, letters to the editor, opeds, blog posts, social media or participation in video production. You may include specific data, clippings or links
  • Note: each CPP member council profile page  includes a listing of media coverage picked up by our media monitoring services. Go to https://citiespowerpartnership.org.au/power-partners/

   2. Advocacy (500 words)

How you have increased the profile of your Council as a local leader on climate action through the following

  • Participation in industry associations, climate alliances, think tanks,
  • Presentations to peers or community via public forums, conferences & events

 

About the Judges

 

  • Professor Karen Hussey, Climate Councillor and Director, Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland
  • Shane Rattenbury MLA, Minister for Climate Change & Sustainability, ACT Government
  • Verity Morgan-Schmidt, CEO, Farmers for Climate Action
  • Clr Damien Ryan, Mayor Alice Springs, & Vice President, Australian Local Government Association
  • Claire Painter, CASE EQ Infrastructure Manager, Mercedes Benz Australia

 


 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q: Can we nominate for an award if we have not submitted any pledge items? 

 

A: Yes

 

Q: Can we nominate for an award if we have not submitted a pledge item in that award category?

 

A: Yes

 

Q: Can we submit a joint application with another council?

 

A: Yes, this will be particularly relevant for the best buddies award. For other entries, the co-entrant must also be a CPP member

 

Q: What type of projects can we nominate for the achievement awards?

 

A: Current or recently completed (within the last 12 months) council projects, programs and policies to reduce the carbon emissions of Council operations OR Council programs that assist or empower community and/or business to reduce carbon emissions.

 


 

Contact

 

For assistance please email [email protected] or call 03 96148613