Maribyrnong City Council has identified 96 high level goals to address the climate emergency that it formally acknowledged in 2019 when it joined a global movement of over 20,000 climate emergency jurisdictions in 25 countries.

The Climate Emergency Action Plan, presented to Council on 12 April 2022, focuses on actions Council can take around emissions reduction, advocacy and working with the community to transition to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Actions identified through community feedback and with input from First Nations and the Climate Emergency Community Advisory Group and council staff include:

• Increasing vegetation and safe bicycle and walking infrastructure across the municipality
• Delivering food and garden waste recycling services to the community
• Incorporating low/zero carbon materials in council infrastructure and in council buildings to enable low/zero carbon occupancy and use
• Developing a transition plan for council fleet vehicles to electric vehicles, and electric vehicle charging stations
• Elevating Environmentally Sustainable Development in the Planning Scheme
• Including climate emergency responses in relevant Council plans, strategies and policies
• Investigating opportunities for a Virtual Energy Network and interest in community-led renewable energy initiatives
• Identifying drawdown partnership opportunities, and
• Continued advocacy on varied climate emergency issues

Mayor, Cr Anthony Tran, said during preparation of this document it has become clear “that in order to be successful, our climate response must be a co-ordinated and collaborative effort involving all of our community.”

To this end, he said Council will also be delivering wide-ranging community climate education programs for residents, businesses and industry on a range of climate topics.

“We know our community can’t engage with us, or provide informed comment to help our decision-making on complex issues like the climate emergency, if we don’t share the risks and challenges and in a way that resonates with them,” he said. “That’s why we will be focused first and foremost on how rising temperatures are affecting us directly in our own backyard.”

Council has established a “Sustainability Learning Portal” on its digital engagement platform, Your City Your Voice, to support this, which includes information on the climate emergency and examples of how it specifically impacts the residents of Maribyrnong.

The portal includes tools, resources and educational material that can empower the community to bring about change for a healthier safer City.

More information will be loaded on the learning portal over time, and in response to community queries, along with invitations to workshops and other events and activities to support the climate learning journey.

Actions identified in the Climate Emergency Action Plan will be implemented over the next four years.