2020-07-07 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA     7 JULY 2020


                                                  ATTACHMENT 1




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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                            7 JULY 2020

                                                                                       ATTACHMENT 1
 Climate Emergency Australia — the first 12 months

Date:      27 May 2020
 Author:   Karen Gardham, NAGA
 Purpose:  An update on the development of Climate Emergency Australia for all Australian local governments
 Version:  This is an updated version of the document Climate Emergency Australia Update May 2020

 1) Background
 Following Darebin City Council declaring a climate emergency in 2016, more than 90 municipalities across
 Australia, representing over eight million people, as well as 1,400 local governments across the world have
 declared or acknowledged a climate emergency.

 As declarations have gathered pace, councils have been in contact with Darebin City Council and their regional
 climate change networks, seeking advice and support on understanding what it means to declare a climate
 emergency. As the number of requests has grown, there is increasing recognition that there is a need for a
 coordinated national approach to support local governments that have declared a climate emergency. The idea
 of working together was first floated at the National General Assembly of Local Government nearly 12 months
 ago. A workshop was hosted by Darebin City Council on 15 February 2020 as part of the National Climate
 Emergency Summit to discuss how Australian councils could make this happen.

 Nearly 70 councils from across the country were represented by over 150 attendees. Two proposals were
 agreed at this workshop:

     1) That we form Climate Emergency Australia (CEA), a national network of governments and sector
        partners, to provide the climate leadership Australia needs. CEA will enable:
        e   anagreed framework for climate emergency policy, action and accountability;
        e   collaboration with, and advocacy to, other governments and sectors; and
        e   further momentum and movement building in response to the climate emergency.

     2) That we endorse a Network Development Group (NDG).

 2) Developing the Climate Emergency Australia structure
 A Network Development Group (NDG) was established to develop the structure for CEA through which councils
 can work together. The NDG had representation from six States and Territories following a self-nomination
 process. The coordination of the NDG and the development of CEA was administered by the secretariat of the
 Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) at the request of Darebin City Council. NAGA is a network of
 nine councils in Melbourne’s north working together on climate change projects, advocacy and knowledge
 sharing.
 The scope of work of CEA has been established in consultation with over 70 councils across Australia via the
 National Climate Emergency Summit workshop; a survey of declared and interested councils; the Network
 Development Group feedback; and discussions with state, territory and national organisations working with
 councils on climate change, such as the Cities Power Partnership, and regional greenhouse alliances and climate
 change networks.

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