What role should Council play in Climate Change

We now officially look like dills on the International stage when it comes to Climate Change. First there was the #submarinelies then the photo of #ScottyNoFriends when he couldn't find any world leader to engage in a handshake. Next was the major gaff when Morrison mistakenly said in the speech "global momentum to tackle China", when he instead meant to say "climate change".

The hashtag "Australian Prime Minister Misrepresents Tackling Climate Change As Tackling China" has so far been seen more than 130 million times on Weibo. In Glasgow Scott Morrison refused to increase Australia’s interim target which was against the prime goal of the COP26 talks and the intentions of the Paris Agreement. Australia has scored a massive fail on the world stage. And our so called leader is doing very little to consult with Australians on what they want. Until the next election he can do as he pleases. At a local level there was a move to have the Council declare a Climate Emergency in August 2019. The intention was to put in place open consultation with the community and discuss preparedness and ways that the wider community could contribute to reducing environmental impacts. It was voted down. As a consequence we were ill prepared for the 2020 bushfires. Our evacuation centres were sub-optimal to say the least. The clearing around vital infrastructure was not considered or actioned and the communications by Council to the community fell short. In fact we were caught off guard and all because of the insistence of Councillors that there was no Climate Change and that weather was "variable and changing" as it always has been and always will be. Eurobodalla councillors resolved on August 13th 2019 that local government requires focussed and strategic actions to address the changing climate, but voted not to declare a climate emergency.

Cr Pat McGinlay brought a Notice of Motion to declare a climate emergency to Council’s 13 August meeting. The motion also suggested all future or revised strategies include an assessment of the potential climate change impacts.

A third point required that council staff provide councillors with a range of options for community engagement in relation to climate change. Cr McGinlay’s motion did not receive sufficient support, however, two replacement amendments were adopted.

The first motion recognised focussed and strategic actions were required by local government to address variable and changing climate, immediately and in the longer term.

The second motion acknowledged the proactive and strategic approach taken by Council to address climate change, specifically in regards to Council’s reduction of greenhouse emissions on it own assets (solar on buildings etc). Council also noted the community engagement undertaken in preparing its Emissions Reduction Plan 2017-21. The intended point that council staff provide councillors with a range of options for community engagement in relation to climate change that could include open public meetings, workshops, round table discussions and Council advocacy for community projects was whitewashed..

Instead Councillors were told they will "receive a briefing about waste to energy opportunities, a renewable energy purchase agreement, expansion of the LED street-lighting program, electric vehicles and chargers, additional methane flaring opportunities, and further community engagement and education around reducing environmental impacts." And this was four months before the Bushfires began. What can we expect of the new Council?

VIDEO: The Government™ has made an ad about Net Zero by 2050 and it’s surprisingly honest and informative.