Eurobodalla's 'most ambitious' climate action plan has been officially adopted by council, but Mayor Hatcher said the hard work only starts now.
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The ten-year plan adopted during the Council meeting of Tuesday, July 26, includes an increased focus on community action and outlines targets for Council's operations.
Council will support individuals and business with practical ways to reduce their environmental footprint, establish a climate change advisory group, and adopt strategies to support electric vehicles to help support the plan into the future.
In all, there are 58 actions included in the plan to mitigate climate change in the Shire. Mayor Mathew Hatcher said the actions spanned the entirety of Shire life - from energy and transport to the economy and the built environment.
"This plan takes an in-depth look at where we are, 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."
Council's aim is to have 100 per cent of its emissions sourced from renewable energy by 2030 with an 80 per cent reduction in emissions from the 2005 baseline. The end-goal is net-zero emissions by 2040. Community targets of a five per cent reduction by 2030 and a net zero by 2050 are in line with State Government targets.
Mayor Hatcher is confident the council is 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, but now's the time to bring forward support for residents and businesses."
Residents of the Shire have been "heavily involved" in developing the plan as the 18 specific actions for the community have all come from community feedback.
"It's an ambitious plan and not something Council can deliver without community help," Mayor Hatcher said. "We are tapping into the expertise and enthusiasm available in our shire to tick off these actions, meet our targets, and create a better world for our kids.
"The work starts now."
The full report is available on the Council's website.
