On 21 November 2018, the Ballarat City Council passed a Notice of Motion from Councillor Belinda Coates noting the IPCC report and acknowledging the climate emergency.
Five local residents came to speak in support of the motion, including Miriam (left on the photo above) and Anna (middle) – a student who is organising a school strike at Trades Hall in Camp Street in Ballarat on 30 November 2018. Belinda Coates (right), member of the Greens, moved the motion.
Councillors pointed out that they already have plans in place for council operations to go carbon neutral by 2025. Others remarked that there was more that could be done with local planning laws, transport plans and the like.
Five voted in favour, two against.
NOTICE OF MOTION:
That Council
1. Notes the recent October 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change.
2. Notes the successful motion to the Municipal Association Victoria (MAV) May 2017 to recognise that we are in a state of ‘climate emergency’ that requires urgent action by all levels of government, including local councils.
3. Acknowledges the ‘climate emergency’ and the need for urgent action by all levels of government, including local councils.
4. Acknowledge the need for priority resourcing of the carbon neutral and 100% renewables action plan and prioritisation of initiatives that move us towards carbon neutrality and 100% renewables.
5. Councillors receive a briefing from officers on how to best act on this ‘climate emergency’ acknowledgment and ensure that this is embedded into the ‘carbon neutrality and 100% renewables action plan’, council plan review and future strategies.
MOVED: Cr Coates, SECONDED: Cr Moloney
FOR: Coates, Moloney, Harris, Hudson, McIntosh
AGAINST: Taylor, Tillett
CARRIED
https://www.facebook.com/BelindaCoatesGreens/posts/2325983650809619
» Ballarat City Council – 21 November 2018:
Ordinary Council Meeting Agenda with attachments (PDF, 300 pages)
https://www.facebook.com/BelindaCoatesGreens/posts/2230563503684968
On 3 October 2018, City of Ballarat Council voted unanimously to become a member of Cities Power Partnership as part of ramping up its local climate action, moving towards renewables and becoming a carbon neutral city.
The Council committed early last year to strive towards a target to aim for carbon neutrality and 100% renewables by 2025.
The municipality has solar hot water systems for around 20 facilities and solar panels on the rooftops of 10 major buildings.
The Cities Power Partnership is a free national program that brings together Australian cities making the switch towards clean energy.
» www.citiespowerpartnership.org.au
» Climate Emergency Declaration – 13 November 2018:
United Kingdom: Bristol City Council declares a climate emergency