Gerald Lynch
A new climate action plan is set to drive Hume council’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council operations and to support the Hume community in climate action.
The council at it’s council meeting on September 25, endorsed the council’s draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2028.
The plan is based off the back of research and community feedback dating back to early 2021, with more than 1300 residents participating in surveys.
As per the survey, 80 percent of residents said they were concerned about climate change, with more than 75 percent indicating that it was important to them that Hume council took action and that the current situation could be described as a climate emergency.
As part of the plan, Hume council will try to improve greenhouse gas emissions through managing and treating methane emissions at the Sunbury landfill facility.
The plan also includes changing all street lights to LEDs which would reduce energy use throughout the community, as well as the electrification of council buildings.
Furthermore, the plan will also assist houses to be all-electric to reduce carbon emissions.
As part of the plan, the council will look into the feasibility of a neighbourhood battery available to low income households.
The council plans to help the public by leasing land out for the recharging of electric vehicles, which was strongly endorsed by councillor Chris Hollow. He said that “EVs have the ability to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.
Councillor Jarrod Bell was thrilled with the movement of the action plan.
“I am really excited about this plan… It shows our ambitions to be carbon neutral by 2030 which is a realistic goal,” he said.
