Climate Action - What Can Councils Do? A showcase of local government innovation in mitigating climate change Profile of Options February 2020 Acknowledgments LGthinking acknowledges all the councils mentioned in this guide as proactive community leaders and would like to thank them for taking action on this important issue. Cover photograph The solar panels and community garden shown on the front cover are located at the North Sydney Council Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability. CLIMATE ACTION – WHAT CAN COUNCILS DO? Page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 5 ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT ......................................................................................................... 5 CLIMATE ACTION – AN OVERVIEW ........................................................................................... 6 PROFILING THE OPTIONS ....................................................................................... 8 1. REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS ............................................................................................ 8 Energy-efficient infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 8 Blue Mountains Council – Carbon abatement action plan .......................................................... 8 City of Sydney – Energy efficiency master plan ........................................................................... 9 Cumberland Council – Reducing water and energy use .............................................................. 9 Tweed Shire Council - Environmental design guidelines for new council buildings and infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 9 Waverley Council – Green infrastructure plan ........................................................................... 10 Monitor, innovate and invest .......................................................................................................... 10 Bellingen Shire Council – Revolving Energy Fund ...................................................................... 10 Coffs Harbour City Council - Renewable Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan ....................... 10 Dubbo Regional Council - Energy management ......................................................................... 11 Street lights ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Inner West Council – Moving to energy efficient street lights .................................................. 11 Western Sydney – Light years ahead ......................................................................................... 12 2. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ................................................................................................ 13 Northern Beaches Council – Move: Northern Beaches transport strategy .............................. 13 Reduce fleet emissions .................................................................................................................... 14 Tweed Shire Council – Reducing vehicle fleet emissions ........................................................... 14 Active and public transport ............................................................................................................. 14 Liverpool City Council – Bike plan 2018-2023 ............................................................................ 14 Encourage hybrid vehicles ............................................................................................................... 15 Randwick City Council – Hybrid parking spaces ......................................................................... 15 Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra Councils – Electric Vehicle Charging Stations .................. 15 3. PROMOTING RENEWABLES ............................................................................................... 16 Purchase renewable energy ............................................................................................................ 16 Campbelltown City Council – Purchasing energy from Moree Solar Farm .............................. 16 Newcastle City Council – Wind energy contract ........................................................................ 17 Generate energy .............................................................................................................................. 17 Hornsby Council – Renewable facility website map .................................................................. 17 Inner West Council – Powering facilities with solar ................................................................... 17 Parkes Council – Installation of solar panels .............................................................................. 19 Randwick Council – Renewable energy master plan ................................................................. 19 Tweed Shire Council – Pool improvements ................................................................................ 19 CLIMATE ACTION – WHAT CAN COUNCILS DO? Page 3 Trial new technologies ..................................................................................................................... 20 Byron Shire Council – Bioenergy facility assessment ................................................................. 20 City of Sydney – Rooftop trigeneration system ......................................................................... 20 Support new infrastructure ............................................................................................................. 20 Inverell Shire Council – Sapphire wind farm .............................................................................. 20 Lismore City Council – Community solar farm ........................................................................... 20 Newcastle City Council – Summerhill solar farm ....................................................................... 21 Assist the community ...................................................................................................................... 21 City of Ryde – Home Waste and Sustainability Advisory Service ............................................... 21 Parkes Shire Council – Solar communities program .................................................................. 22 4. COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ................................................................................................ 23 Set policy and allocate resources .................................................................................................... 23 Blue Mountains Council – Carbon revolving reserve ................................................................. 23 Central Coast Council – Climate change policy .......................................................................... 24 Advocate for change ........................................................................................................................ 24 City of Ryde – Statement from Australian Mayors ..................................................................... 24 City of Wollongong – Zero emissions by 2030 target ................................................................ 25 Nambucca Valley Council – Renewable energy action plan 2019 ............................................. 25 Community education and events ................................................................................................... 26 City of Parramatta – Power kits at the library ............................................................................ 26 City of Sydney – Building tune-up program ............................................................................... 26 Lane Cove Council – Solar mapping tool .................................................................................... 27 North Sydney Council – Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability .................................................. 27 Snowy-Monaro Regional Council – Community climate change conference ........................... 28 Snowy Valleys Council - Climate change Forum ......................................................................... 28 SSROC – Australian Energy Foundation ...................................................................................... 29 Join external support networks ....................................................................................................... 29 City of Sydney – Partnership programs ...................................................................................... 29 Shellharbour City Council – Cities power partnership ............................................................... 30 Wollongong council – Global covenant of mayors .................................................................... 31 Woollahra Municipal Council – Cities power partnership ......................................................... 31 LINK LIBRARIES ..................................................................................................... 33 COUNCIL INITIATIVES ........................................................................................................... 33 CLIMATE CHANGE WEBSITES ...............................................................................................