Macedon Ranges council has a new plan to reduce its carbon footprint and reach net zero emissions by June 2030.
At a meeting on Wednesday, December 14, council adopted its Counting Down to Zero policy, which outlines more than 30 recommended actions for council to reduce, avoid or offset its existing emissions, and to influence others to do the same.
Macedon Ranges mayor Annette Death said climate change was not something council could react to, and it needed to take steps to cut emissions now.
“This is a clear plan for the next decade that steps out a number of realistic, meaningful actions council can take, to build on the progress we’ve already made in this area,” she said.
Council said the target would be measured against the indicative baseline of 3260.6 tonnes CO2-e at June 30, 2022 – a figure already reduced over the past year largely due to a renewable energy contract secured through the Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO).
“VECO, an agreement involving close to 50 councils across Victoria procuring electricity from renewable energy generators, has resulted in a collective saving of around 172,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in its first year – equivalent to taking 66,000 cars off the road each year,” council said.
The Counting Down to Zero plan will be reviewed every two years until 2030 to make sure its up to date, and progress on the targets will be reported every year.
The plan follows council’s Declaration of Climate Emergency in March 2021.
Details: mrsc.vic.gov.au/zero-net.
Elsie Lange
