Council's recently adopted Zero Carbon Moreland - Climate Emergency Action Plan sets out how it will be supporting residents, businesses and schools to act together in response to the climate emergency.
The five-year action plan maps a pathway towards three key outcomes for 2040: efficient and 100% renewably powered energy; active or zero-emissions transport and a circular economy with zero waste.
Mayor of Moreland, Cr Lambros Tapinos highlighted the urgent need for Council and the Moreland community to think global, act local.
"Council is leading by example in our own operations. Through a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy, we expect Council's greenhouse gas emissions will soon be around 70% less than 2011 levels," Cr Tapinos said.
"We know that climate change is a global challenge. Communities like Moreland can lead the way by taking local action together for a safe climate."
Over the next five years Council will support residents, businesses and organisations to rapidly reduce their climate pollution through initiatives like kerbside collection of food and garden organics waste.
Other initiatives include the construction of five kilometres of new shared paths to make cycling and walking more accessible, supporting local recycling and reuse-focused initiatives (like toy libraries and repair cafes) and installing more electric vehicle charging stations for public use.
Council's Cooling Communities initiative will continue to ensure low-income households can access support to upgrade their homes to stay protected from extreme weather.
The action plan includes targets to double the amount of solar power capacity installed across the municipality and reduce average residential energy use by around 16% by 2025.
Moreland Council will continue acting to reduce its own emissions, by transitioning its car fleet to zero-emissions vehicles and shifting away from fossil gas use in its facilities.
The catastrophic bushfires across Australia are a stark reminder that climate change impacts are intensifying.
Council, together with our community, continues to call on all levels of government to address the climate crisis and to support the transition to zero-carbon at emergency speed.
The Moreland community can find out how to act on the climate emergency now at: morelandzerocarbon.org.au/actions
Zero Carbon Moreland illustration by Brenna Quinlan, an illustrator and educator who strives to make the world a better place through her art and her actions
