Here is a letter (or eletter sent by the local(St Kilda), involved and concerned Helen and Jack Halliday to the Women's Environmental Network on the success of two Councils in meeting their (modest) energy efficiency targets contrasted with our very own non-transparent, down right opaque City of Port Philip, which continues in it's own tradition of treating it's rate payers and inhabitants as mushrooms.
Read on Dear WEN Colleagues, I'm attaching an announcement from Moreland Council that they've become the third Australian Council to become carbon neutral. This certification applies to the Council's own emissions, ie, from street lighting, Council buildings and infrastructure, Council fleet, waste etc, (called corporate emissions) . At the same time the City of Yarra has similarly been certified as carbon neutral. These two councils are two of only three in Australia which have achieved this milestone. There are a number of important lessons in this for Port Phillip. Moreland Council has achieved its target of zero Council (corporate) emissions by 2012 .To achieve this goal it created the Moreland Energy Foundation with initial funding in 2000. Since then both Council and Foundation have worked purposefully towards a program of achieving corporate carbon neutrality. A stepped program of annual reductions was developed some 7 or 8 years ago, accompanied by rigorous annual evaluation of measures taken. The Foundation has also worked with surrounding Councils to cooperatively develop programs for carbon reduction. The City of Yarra has achieved its target of zero Council (corporate) emissions by 2012. To assist in achieving its goal it created its own Energy Foundation 2 years ago, with initial annual funding of $350,000. Its model is slightly different, with Council staff working on reducing Council's own emissions while the Foundation is focusssed primarily on communityemissions, (ie, residential, commercial and industrial) with a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2020, excluding the transport sector. A new program for community engagement has just been initiated by the Foundation. The CoPP has set a 2020 target date for Council emissions to become carbon neutral. It is difficult to obtain information on Council's progress in reducing emissions for a number of reasons.
Again, a number of important lessons here for the CoPP:
The three Council reports cited are: Towards Zero: http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/default/ATT_1_-_TZ_Progress_Report_Yr4_Final_130312.pdf Council Inventory and Methodology, Draft Greenhouse Plan, Appendix B:http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/default/GAP_Appendices_B_v1.pdf Council Plan 2009-2013 (Year 3), April to June 2012 Quarterly Report:http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/Report_3_-_Attachment_1.pdf
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