creatorFrom the Eastern Herald | 9 September, 2021
Article by – Are Ganesan
It’s indisputable that climate change is real and is caused by human action, with the 2021 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warning that time is running out before the effects of climate change become irreversible. According to the report fast and decisive action is needed. Following and extensive consultation process, Unley Council has decided to accelerate their carbon neutral resolution.
At it’s last meeting, council decided to bring their carbon neutral target forward from 2030 to 2023. At council’s June meeting endorsement for the Draft Climate Energy Plan was deferred so that it could consider the possibility of purchasing carbon offsets.
The notion was proposed by community group Unley Voices for climate Action (UVCA) and their spokesperson Andrew Boorman. “Purchasing offsets means that an organisation pays for an equivalent amount of CO2 emissions to be drawn out of the atmosphere, for example through tree planting,” Andrew said.
Mayor of Unley Michael Hewitson said that it was critical that council did its part in reducing carbon emissions. In endorsing its Climate and Energy Pan, council has resolved to accelerate when its operations will be carbon neutral,” Michael said. We will be actively working towards reducing our operations greenhouse gas emissions across the 10-year life of the plan whilst from 2023, also purchasing accredited carbon offsets for the emissions we have not yet reduced or converted to renewable sources. “Offsets can include investing in projects like wind farms or revegetation schemes.”
Alongside the purchase of carbon offsets, Unley’s Climate Energy Plan will see the staged adoption of electric vehicles, more solar PV installation, and an electrification strategy to switch from gas to electricity for space and water heating.
Council’s 2023 carbon neutral plan will make it the second South Australian council to reach carbon neutral status. Andrew Boorman, as well as other UVAC members were pleased that their arguments were heeded by council, but warned that the greater community still had a role to play in reducing their impact on the environment. “Council’s operations are only one per cent of the total CO2 emissions from the City of Unley.” “The remaining 99 per cent come from residents and businesses, so the big challenge is for residents to think about how they too can reduce emissions.”
To read the response from Unley Voice for Climate Action please click below.