Media Release

Moreland Council adopts climate emergency

At the City of Moreland Council Meeting on 12^th September, Councillors unanimously adopted a resolution acknowledging that “we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including local Councils.”

Convenor of Climate Action Moreland John Englart said “This is a landmark decision by Moreland Council that takes account of the need for rapid action and leadership on climate change”

“While leadership has been sorely lacking by the Federal Government for the last 5 years, we are pleased that our local government is filling the void on a local level and is following our neighbours in Darebin in adopting a climate emergency framework.” he said

Moreland Council has been a leader in adopting innovative climate and sustainability policies. It was the first Australian city to adopt a Fossil Fuel Divestment process in October 2015ⁱ. It has initiated a groundbreaking renewables to hydrogen pilot scheme to convert it’s Garbage truck fleet to be powered by zero carbon emissions hydrogen fuel cellsⁱⁱ. The Council in it’s own work has been certified as carbon neutral since 2012.

“This is an important acknowledgement by Council of their already strong climate leadership on the local level in many policy areas, including setting ambitious community emission reduction targets, fossil fuel divestment, rollout of solar PV, transport mode shift, and waste to landfill reduction.” said Englart.

In his questionⁱⁱⁱ to Council on the motion at the start of the Council meeting John Englart drew upon the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres speech on Monday that highlighted climate change was a direct existential risk and that leadership from all politicians and levels of government was needed.^iv

The Climate Emergency motion at Moreland Council meeting follows on from the City of Darebin adopting a climate emergency plan at their Council meeting on 21 August 2017 and implementing a climate emergency framework as part of their Council Plan^v. Over two days on 11-12 September the City of Darebin convened and facilitated a successful climate emergency conference at Northcote Town Hall^vi

The motion at Moreland Council calls for Councillors to receive a briefing from officers on how to best act on the ‘climate emergency’ acknowledgement.

Consideration of the Climate Emergency will also be embedded into future strategies and the next council action plan, as well as updating the Zero Carbon Evolution 2040 framework to embed the ‘climate emergency’ acknowledgement.

John Englart
Convenor, Climate Action Moreland

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Full text of the Moreland Council motion presented at Council meeting, 12 September 2018, moved by Cr Dale Martin, Seconded by Cr Oscar Yildiz and passed unanimously after debate:
Motion^vii

That:

1. Council acknowledges we are in a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including local Councils.

2. Councillors receive a briefing from officers on how to best act on the ‘climate emergency’ acknowledgement and ensure this is embedded into future strategies and the next council action plan.

3. Council updates the Zero Carbon Evolution 2040 framework to embed the ‘climate emergency’ acknowledgement.

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