Victoria’s Surf Coast Shire Council has drawn a line in the sand on its corporate greenhouse gas emissions, setting 30 June 2030 as the target for zero emissions from all operations excluding Anglesea landfill.
Council resolved at its Tuesday meeting to update its existing Climate Emergency Corporate Response Plan to lock in the goal date and a roadmap to guide the emissions reduction process.
“These actions will build on significant steps we have already taken on corporate emissions, including installation of extensive rooftop solar systems with battery storage at Council facilities, purchase of 100 per cent renewable electricity for all Council facilities and street lights, and achieving carbon neutrality by offsetting all our emissions,” Mayor, Libby Stapleton said.
“Council is proud and excited to be setting this target and in doing so strengthening our commitment to targeted actions as part of our Climate Emergency response.
“We are moving away from use of gas at facilities by doing things like replacing gas hot water with electric systems powered by renewables, and we have started transitioning our fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles.”
The Mayor said all of Council’s light vehicles are scheduled to be electric by 2028, with a 2030 target for the remainder of vehicles, including trucks and excavators.
“Our roadmap commits us to reducing corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 1500 tonnes a year by 2030. Climate Emergency demands decisive action and we are proud to commit to ‘Zero 2030’.”
The Mayor said rapidly evolving technology and market forces “promised to present exciting emissions reduction possibilities” during the next eight years.
She said Council was unable to eliminate emissions from its only landfill site at Anglesea, but was committed to taking all feasible measures to reduce emissions from the site, including flaring methane and diverting organic material for recycling.
