(Left to right) Eurobodalla Council’s director of planning Lindsay Usher, manager of environmental services Deb Lenson and Mayor Mathew Hatcher have welcomed the council’s new Climate Action Plan. Photo: ESC.
Eurobodalla Shire Council has outlined its most ambitious plan yet to help tackle the global problem of climate change.
Councillors recently unanimously adopted the Climate Action Plan 2022-32, which has 58 actions to mitigate climate change and help the shire adapt to its impacts.
“It’s a pretty big, ambitious 10-year plan,” Mayor Mathew Hatcher said.
“It’s going to be all about reducing our footprint and making for a more sustainable Eurobodalla.”
He said the 58 actions span the entirety of Eurobodalla life from energy and transport to the economy and the built environment.
“This plan takes an in-depth look at where we are now, where we want to go and how we get there,” he said.
“There’s further footprint reductions for council – on the back of nearly two decades of emissions and energy cost savings – with a strong focus on emerging opportunities within budget and resource constraints.”
Under the plan, the council wants to reduce its emissions by 80 per cent from the 2005 baseline by 2030. Its goal is net-zero emissions for its operations by 2040.
Mayor Hatcher said he was confident the council was on track.
“The organisation has been diligent, reducing emissions over many years and already has a Power Purchase Agreement aiming to source 80 per cent of its electricity from renewables,” he said.
“There’s more for us to do too, but now’s the time to bring forward support for residents and businesses.”
He said individuals and groups were heavily involved in developing the Climate Action Plan and the 18 actions therein specifically for the community originated from the community.
The plan aims to support individuals and businesses with practical ways to reduce their environmental footprint.
It includes establishing a climate change advisory group and strategies to support electric vehicles and biodiversity.
Mayor Hatcher said councillors had also discussed whether or not to declare a climate emergency in the shire.
“I think the sentiment in the room is that if we’re going to do that, we do that right, we shine that through the same lens that we would do with everything and consult with our community,” he said.
“So I think it’s something you’ll see coming up on the horizon…”
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