2019-07-09 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          9 JULY 2019


Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 20 October 2016, Item 1, Page 10
That Council note the report by the Executive Manager to the Planning & Environment Committee
Meeting dated 11 October 2016 on the outcomes of the organisation’s baseline greenhouse
emissions assessment and
A.    Adopt the Zero Emissions Noosa™ Organisational Strategy 2016-2026 provided at
      Attachment 1 to the Report with the following changes:
      1.    Page 2, paragraph 3, of the Strategy to read:
            It is in the Council’s and community’s interest to contribute to global mitigation of those
            impacts by reducing Council’s GHG emissions; and
      2.    Page 6, the last sentence of Item 6.1 of the Strategy, to read: It is in the Council’s and
            community’s interest to contribute to global mitigation of those impacts by reducing
            Council’s GHG emissions.
B.    Note that work is proceeding on the development of a detailed Action Plan to implement the
      Strategy.
Finance
There are minimal financial risks associated with the Climate Emergency Declaration as Council
has already signalled the need for urgent action on climate change with its net zero emissions
target by 2026 for Council operations and the Noosa Shire and has identified future budgetary
requirements in the Environment Strategy Implementation Plan. However, further finance is likely
to be required to accelerate the initiatives required to achieve the net zero emission targets,
including supporting efforts in the broader community.
Risks & Opportunities
There are minimal risks in declaring a Climate Emergency for Council as this is already in line with
its ambitious targets to achieve net zero emissions for Council operations and Noosa Shire as
stated in the environment policy.
The risk of not declaring a climate emergency is that successive State and Federal governments
will continue to feel confident in producing policies that do not support Australia in meeting its Paris
Agreements commitments – arguably ensuring the devastating consequences and associated
costs of climate change throughout the world as well as locally, outlined above, have a greater
chance of coming to fruition.
By declaring a climate emergency, Noosa’s commitment to action on climate change is reaffirmed.
This could create further business opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses working on
climate change solutions to set up in the region such as the examples recently promoted by a
number of companies such as Earthtech at the Digital Hub and a range of other local organisations
and institutions all working towards responding to climate impacts on people and the planet.
Consideration could be given to raising this matter as a matter for consideration by the LGAQ
Conference. Consultation is underway with LGAQ and other Councils in that regard.
Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Sunshine Coast Climate Action Now (SCAN)
Zero Emissions Noosa Inc.
Internal Consultation
Executive Team
Waste Management
Planning & Environment staff


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