City of Greater Geraldton councillors vote to adopt plan to achieve net zero position by 2030

A year on from declaring a climate emergency, City of Greater Geraldton councillors have voted to adopt the City’s Achieving Net Zero Corporate Climate Change Mitigation Plan.

The council declared a climate emergency last December and voted to update its 2010 Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan, focusing on how the City’s operations could move towards a net zero carbon position by 2030.

The motion brought the City into line with 40 other local governments in WA, representing 65 per cent of the State’s population, that had declared a climate emergency.

The plan was created by environmental consultants GHD and will help the City develop a 10-year capital works program, help guide budget decisions, and ensure progress on agreed action items is regularly reported. Actions were prioritised by reducing energy consumption, then transitioning to renewables and finally by abating residual emissions through the purchase of “responsibly sourced” offsets.

Mayor Shane Van Styn, on behalf of Cr Natasha Colliver who moved the item while attending the meeting remotely, said the plan was essential in the City managing the practical and financial implications of achieving net zero carbon emissions.

“This plan is the start of the journey towards net zero ... it clearly outlines where we are doing things right, where the opportunities lie, and where the gaps are in between that need to be addressed,” he said.

“I’m also very pleased the plan gets reviewed every two years, which will enable us to keep pace with this ever-evolving space ... we need to be able to adapt as technology evolves.

“The plan enables us to step up as leaders in our community ... it would be absolutely remiss of us not to be planning for our climate mitigation and, for that matter, climate adaptation.”