The Climate Council recognises the vital role of communities and councils in shaping the cities to become modern centres for delivering climate solutions in its report titled “Local Leadership: Tracking Local Government Progress on Climate Change.”
The report also mentions that several local governments are pushing the initiative to do more climate efforts even though there is inaction at the state and federal climate policy level.
One of the main report findings includes a precaution that Australian cities and towns are prone to experience aggravating climate effects such as severe heatwaves and rising sea levels. A report published on the Australian Solar Council website further stated, “Sydney, Melbourne, Bundaberg, and Darwin, for example, are likely to experience very large increases in the frequency of coastal flooding events if we do not rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
The Cities Power Partnership program aims to communicate with communities across Australia and furnish incentives for councils to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy, along with improving transport sustainability.
CEO John Bradley expressed, “The decarbonisation of the Australian economy requires all sectors to play their part.”
He further explained, “Cleaner vehicles such as compressed natural gas, electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles can make a significant contribution to reducing emissions in the transport sector. Vehicle emissions standards are the gap in Australia.”
The other key findings of the report state that towns and cities contribute much to pollution, but at the same time, these cities can also be centres for climate change solutions. Australian case studies also establish methods on how local governments can enhance energy efficiency of council buildings, identify and accomplish high renewable targets, and work together with other businesses or organisations in their locations to acquire renewable energy.
