2019-07-09 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      9 JULY 2019


5.   Why declare a climate emergency
With the failure of State and Federal governments to respond effectively to global warming,
councils can play a leading role in responding to global warming by setting safe climate goals and
targets, implementing local programs, lobbying State and Federal governments, and encouraging
other councils to do the same.
Across the world, 627 National and Subnational Governments have declared that we are in a
“climate emergency”, including the Canadian Government, Republic of Ireland, Bristol City Council
(UK), Milan City Council (Italy), and Auckland City Council (NZ). To date 24 governments across
Australia have declared a “climate emergency”, including the Australian Capital Territory, Hobart
City Council, Newcastle City Council, Byron Shire Council and the City of Sydney.
Although Australia is a relatively small emitter compared with countries like China, India and the
USA, overall we are in fact one of the highest emitters per capita, and further we have the
opportunity and moral obligation as a comparatively wealthy nation to take a leadership role. Noosa
Council is well positioned as the first Queensland Council to take such action.
An emergency declaration goes beyond business as usual and reform as usual. Its aim is to
recognise:
    the urgency needed to combat the climate crisis;
    that the next generation will face the consequences if we do not take action now to deal
     with climate change;
    the critical role local councils play and can influence in achieving a nation-wide climate
     emergency response; and
    the need to act in “emergency mode” to reduce anthropogenic carbon emissions at a
     significantly greater speed than currently occurring and drawdown excess greenhouse gases
     to restore a safe climate.
For Noosa Council, declaring a Climate Emergency:
    Signals to the Noosa community and other local governments that this Council takes the
     climate emergency seriously and is aligning itself with other forward-thinking governments in
     Australia and around the world;
    Reinforces the recognition and impacts of the climate emergency identified in Council’s
     Environment Strategy;
    Reflects Council’s preparedness to provide leadership for the Noosa community in
     addressing the unprecedented risk of climate change;
    Recognises that Noosa is particularly exposed to natural hazards associated with climate
     change;
    Recognises that the majority of Australians want significant action on climate change;
    Acknowledges that, even as a small contributor, Noosa has a global responsibility to
     contribute to the achievement of the Paris Agreement targets; and
    Strengthens our current targets of net zero emissions for Noosa Council and Noosa Shire by
     2026 as stated in the Environment Strategy as a response to the climate emergency.




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