2019-02-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                       12 FEBRUARY 2019


5                        ZERO EMISSIONS NOOSA (ZEN) ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY UPDATE JULY 2017
                         - DECEMBER 2018
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                           Project Officer Carbon Reduction, Anne Nolan
                                 Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index                            ECM/ Subject/ Carbon Emission Reduction (ZEN)

Attachments                      1.   Electricity consumption data for Council owned large sites



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Noosa Council’s Zero Emissions Organisational Strategy 2016-2026 (“ZEN Strategy”) aims to
achieve an ambitious zero net emissions target by 2026. The following report provides details of
the 2017/18 carbon footprint and outlines the actions that have been undertaken over the past
eighteen months in line with the ZEN Strategy and the Cities Power Partnership pledges.

Council’s carbon footprint has been calculated in accordance with the National Carbon Offset
Standard (NCOS). In 2017/8 Council’s carbon footprint was 48381 tonnes CO2e. This is a 6%
reduction compared to 2016/17 and a 13% reduction compared to the base line year of 2015/16.

Emissions from the decomposition of organic matter in the Noosa Landfill comprise over 55% of
Council’s carbon emissions. As a result of improved landfill gas capture and flaring there has been
an 18% reduction in 2017/18 compared to the previous year.

Emissions from electricity consumption in Council operations showed only a small (1%) reduction
compared to the previous year. Council has implemented energy efficiency savings such as LED
lighting upgrades, air conditioning changes and control systems. Council has also installed over
270 KW of Solar PV on 6 Council properties which has resulted in electricity consumption savings
of between 10% - 84% depending upon the site and the size of the PV system. However, these
savings are not yet reflected in the 2017/18 carbon footprint as they were installed in the last month
of the 2017/18 financial year.

Embedded emissions in goods and services related to capital projects and operations increased
by 64% and 11% respectively compared to the previous year. The methodology used to estimate
embedded emissions in goods and services is very conservative and likely to overestimate these
emissions. Council will continue to review and refine the methodology.

To date, Council has focussed on reducing emissions at the source, however it is likely that Council
will reach an “emissions floor” whereby further emission reductions are not technically or
economically feasible, Council will need to consider options for dealing with residual emissions
such as sequestration and offsetting in the future.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Council’s Project Officer Carbon Reduction to the Planning &
Environment Committee Meeting dated 12 February 2019 providing an annual progress update on
the Zero Emissions Noosa Organisational Strategy.




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