Councils set to spend up on climate change
Geelong Independent, Friday May 29 2009
The region’s councils plan to spend millions of dollars battling climate change. City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Borough of Queenscliffe set aside cash in the draft 2009/2010 budgets for various environmental projects linked to climate change. The City proposed spending $1.0 million on water initiatives and $300,000 on a greenhouse ‘local action plan’. The City and Borough also recently signed an Association of Bayside Municipalities Climate Change Charter. The charter sets guidelines for bayside councils to act on supposed climate change impacts such as rising sea levels and drought. Councillor John Duoll, who holds a climate change portfolio on Geelong’s council, said the City had already implemented various environmental initiatives to address climate change. “Last year’s council adopted its greenhouse response, which implements actions to reduce our corporate greenhouse footprint through energy conservation, changes to the types of fuel we use, more efficient equipment and using alternative power.” he said. “This ongoing program will continue and will now also examine the possible impacts of climate change and how we may have to plan and adapt, particularly along our long coastline.”
Surf Coast Shire’s draft budget included a $25 increase in the shire’s “municipal charge”. The shire’s budget said $19 of the increase would be spent on “environmental management and addressing the effects of climate change”. The shire also planned to employ a climate change expert. Borough planning and places manager Karen Hose said council would undertake various climate change-related activities in the next four years, including employment of a “sustainability and community development officer”. The Borough had also adopted a project to identify climate change risks, Ms Hose said. Geelong Environment Council president Joan Lindros welcomed the council’s spend up on climate change. “I think it’s really good they’re incorporating climate change issues into their budgets but it’s most important it’s all transparent and people are aware of what’s going to be spent, how it’s going to be spent and what the final outcomes are” she said. However Ms Lindros wanted council to account for its spending on climate change “transparently” so ratepayers could determine whether they were getting value for money.
New Climate Change portfolio on City of Greater Geelong
Geelong Independent 19/12/08 :
Geelong’s council has assigned two councillors to a new portfolio for climate change.
John Duoll and Andy Richards will share the job after councillors dealt out portfolio responsibilities in their first meeting since November’s council elections.
The duo will also share the transport and infrastructure portfolio as well as environment and sustainability for Cr Duoll and parks and gardens for Cr Richards.
You can read Andy Richards’ detailed response to our sustainability survey below
Sustainability survey of COGG candidates
Below are the results of our sustainability survey sent to all COGG Candidates in the November 2008 elections. People who responded :
• Andy Richards – Candidate for Buckley
• Stephen Juhasz – Candidate for Corio
• Nathan Oakes – Candidate for Windermere
• Ron Nelson – Candidate for Buckley
• Bronwyn Jennings – Candidate for Cowie
At the bottom is a preliminary analysis we conducted based on candidates’ public statements.
Note : GSG is non party-political. At this stage we are not endorsing any candidates but invite you to read the information we have collected.
Copy of original questions
Dear City of Greater Geelong candidate,
Geelong Sustainability Group is a community group formed of Geelong citizens who are concerned about climate change and wish to create a sustainable future for Geelong. Our website is www.geelongsustainabilitygroup.org.au. We are non political, but would like to provide information to our members and to the media as to which COGG candidates are most likely to take strong action on climate change and sustainability in the Geelong region. We have conducted a preliminary analysis based on your candidate statements at the VEC website. If you wish to add any further information could you please reply to any or all of the following survey questions by Wednesday 19 November. If you wish to further show your support for sustainability issues you may like to attend the Walk Against Warming Geelong! which we are organising on Saturday November 15. I have attached a poster.
Dave Campbell, President
Geelong Sustainability Group
Sustainability Survey Questions
1. Climate Change: How would you encourage COGG to reduce its carbon emissions? How would you encourage COGG residents to reduce their carbon emissions? What steps will COGG need to take to prepare for the effects of climate change in the Geelong region?
2. Planning : How can planning processes be modified to obtain more sustainable outcomes in the City of Greater Geelong?
3. Waste : What further measures can COGG adopt to reduce waste in the region?
4. Biodiversity : How can management of biodiversity be improved throughout COGG ?
5. Public transport : Why has public transport usage in Geelong declined when it has skyrocketed in Melbourne? How can COGG assist in achieving better public transport outcomes?