Download LWC4.3 - Pittwater Council

SUBJECT:
NSW Mayors’ Agreement and Draft Pittwater Policy on
Climate Change
Meeting:
Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee
Date: 5 March 2008
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PURPOSE OF REPORT
To inform the Committee of Council’s endorsement to join the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate
Change and to place the draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy on public exhibition.
BACKGROUND
On 18 February 2008, Council adopted the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change and that
the draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy be placed on public exhibition. The full text of the
Agenda Item C9.4 is attached – Attachment A.
ISSUES

The NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change

Pittwater Climate Change Policy

Pittwater Climate Plan of Action
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Adequate budgetary allowances to develop and implement the Climate Plan of Action, that will
support the Climate Change Policy, should be allocated in the course of framing Council’s 20092014 Management Plan. The Australian Government, through the Australian Greenhouse Office,
makes available grant funding to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Once adopted, the Pittwater Climate Change Policy will complement and support Council’s
Sustainability Policy – No 164 in designing and planning for a more sustainable Pittwater LGA.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATION
1.
That Council’s resolution on the NSW Mayors’ Agreement and Draft Policy on Climate
Change of the Council meeting of 18 February 2008 be noted.
2.
That all members of the various Council Portfolio Committees be invited to comment upon
the draft Climate Change Policy and participate in the Climate Action Community Workshop
to help develop a Pittwater Climate Plan of Action.
Report prepared by
Mia Dalby-Ball
MANAGER, NATURAL RESOURCES
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 1
ATTACHMENT A
SUBJECT:
NSW Mayors’ Agreement and Draft Pittwater Policy on
Climate Change
Meeting:
Council
Date:
18 February 2008
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PURPOSE OF REPORT
To seek Council’s endorsement to join the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change and to
place the draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy on public exhibition.
BACKGROUND
The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW have invited NSW Councils to participate
in a Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change as a result of a motion resolved at the 2006 LGA
Annual Conference.
On 19 November 2007, Council adopted a Notice of Motion which resolved to establish a Climate
Change Policy and a Climate Plan of Action in consultation with the Pittwater Community.
ISSUES

The NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change

Pittwater Climate Change Policy

Pittwater Climate Plan of Action

Conclusion
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Adequate budgetary allowances to develop and implement the Climate Plan of Action, that will
support the Climate Change Policy, should be allocated in the course of framing Council’s 20092014 Management Plan. The Australian Government, through the Australian Greenhouse Office,
makes available grant funding to develop climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Once adopted, the Pittwater Climate Change Policy will complement and support Council’s
Sustainability Policy – No 164 in designing and planning for a more sustainable Pittwater LGA.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
That the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change be endorsed by Council and the Mayor
be delegated to sign the agreement on behalf of Council.
That the draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy be placed on public exhibition and comments
received for a period of 60 days.
That Council continue to plan for and undertake measures to mitigate and adapt to the impacts
of climate change through the adoption of appropriate policies, strategies and action plans.
That letters be sent to the Federal Government and Federal Opposition asking for commitment
to developing and investing funding in programs to meet the target Australia agreed to at
Kyoto in 1997 and confirmed again in 2007, through the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
That Council commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Pittwater LGA by 30% by
2020 based on 1995 emission levels.
That the results of the public exhibition of the draft Climate Change Policy and the outcomes of
the Climate Action Community Workshops, be reported to Council once completed.
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 2
1.0
2.0
BACKGROUND
1.1
The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW have invited NSW Councils
to participate in a Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change as a result of a motion
resolved at the 2006 LGA Annual Conference.
1.2
In the USA, 319 Mayors pledged their commitment to reducing greenhouse gases
by signing the Mayors’ Climate Change Agreement. Actions under this agreement
include lobbying the federal and state governments to enact programs to meet or
beat the Kyoto Protocol emission targets. The NSW Mayors’ Agreement has been
modelled on the US Agreement.
1.3
On 19 November 2007, Council adopted a Notice of Motion which resolved to
establish a Climate Change Policy and a Climate Plan of Action in consultation with
the Pittwater Community.
ISSUES
2.1
NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change
The agreement proposed is as follows:
NSW Mayors support the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) (Kyoto Protocol) targets and agree to:

Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their operations, activities
and communities, through actions ranging from land use policies to urban
forest restoration projects to information campaigns.

Urge the State and Federal Government to enact policies and programs to
meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction, suggested for Australia in
the Kyoto Protocol, of 108% of its 1990 baseline.

Urge the State and Federal Government and the Federal Opposition to build on
the Prime Minister’s commitment to developing and investing funding in
programs to meet the target Australia agreed to by formally ratifying the Kyoto
Protocol.
However, it is now recognised that the Kyoto Protocol target of 108% is not
sufficient to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The Local Government and
Shires Associations are further inviting Councils to commit to a local emissions
reduction target of a 30% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020.
This target is based on the Sir Nicholas Stern report The Economics of Climate
Change – The Stern Review (Cambridge, 2007) which states “There is still time to
avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now. The
scientific evidence is now overwhelming: climate change is a serious global threat,
and it demands an urgent global response”.
The Stern Review has assessed a wide range of evidence on the impacts of climate
change and on economic costs, and has used a number of different techniques to
assess costs and risks. From all perspectives, the evidence gathered by the
Review lead to a simple conclusion; “The benefits of strong and early action far
outweigh the economic costs of not acting”.
A copy of the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate change is appended to this
report at Attachment A.
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 3
The NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change provides an appropriate
foundation for Council in partnership with the Pittwater Community to develop, adopt
and implement the Pittwater Climate Change Policy and the Pittwater Climate Plan
of Action.
2.2
2.3
Pittwater Climate Change Policy

A draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy (the Policy) is appended to this report
as Attachment B.

The Policy has been developed as an over-arching document to espouse the
principles by which Council proposes to manage climate change and the extent
of Council’s capacity to do so.

The draft Policy is recommended to be placed on public exhibition for comment
and should also be reviewed during the climate action community workshops
as a part of the process to develop the Pittwater Climate Plan of Action.
Pittwater Climate Plan of Action

The Australian Government views local government bodies as having multiple
important roles to play in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the
adaptation to potential impacts associated with climate change.

Local government has been given the authority to provide generally for the
good governance of their local government areas with roles that include
advocacy, service delivery, planning, community development and regulation.
Perhaps the most important role of local government, however, is that of
education to encourage awareness within their communities and to promote
sustainable development.

Through the Climate Plan of Action, Council must simultaneously consider the
mitigation and adaptation approaches required for the Pittwater LGA as
complementary activities to be implemented with the concurrence of the
Pittwater community.

Council may also have exposures to liability (directly related to climate change)
that could arise from common law negligence due to breaches of Council’s duty
of care. These exposures must also be assessed and managed within a risk
management framework through the Climate Plan of Action.

The Australian Government, through the Australian Greenhouse Office, has
prepared a number of guiding documents (including “Climate Change
Adaptation Action for Local Government” and “Climate Change Impacts and
Risk Management”) to assist local government in the preparation of their
climate action plans. These documents, together with the climate change
projections modelled by the CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology
will be used in the preparation of the Pittwater Climate Plan of Action.

As the impacts of climate change will arise and continue to be experienced
over an extended period of time (decades and even centuries), the Climate
Plan of Action itself must be a continuously evolving and adaptable document,
that utilises the most up to date scientific information and research.

Most importantly, however, climate change and its potential impacts must
become a primary consideration in every aspect of Council’s business and for
all activities undertaken by the Pittwater community.
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 4
2.4
Conclusion
Climate change will have far reaching effects on Australia’s people, economy,
society and environment. Pittwater Council has an opportunity to lead the response
at a local level, encouraging and helping local residents, local businesses and other
organisations to reduce their energy usage and costs, to adapt to the impacts of
climate change and to improve the local environment.
3.0
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Adequate budgetary allowances to develop and implement the Climate Plan of Action, that
will support the Climate Change Policy, should be allocated in the course of framing
Council’s 2009-2014 Management Plan. The Australian Government, through the
Australian Greenhouse Office, makes available grant funding to develop climate change
mitigation and adaptation strategies.
4.0
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Once adopted, the Pittwater Climate Change Policy will complement and support Council’s
Sustainability Policy – No 164 in designing and planning for a more sustainable Pittwater
LGA.
RECOMMENDATION
1.
That the NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change be endorsed by Council and the Mayor
be delegated to sign the agreement on behalf of Council.
2.
That the draft Pittwater Climate Change Policy be placed on public exhibition and comments
received for a period of 60 days.
3.
That Council continue to plan for and undertake measures to mitigate and adapt to the impacts
of climate change through the adoption of appropriate policies, strategies and action plans.
4.
That letters be sent to the Federal Government and Federal Opposition asking for commitment
to developing and investing funding in programs to meet the target Australia agreed to at
Kyoto in 1997 and confirmed again in 2007, through the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
5.
That Council commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Pittwater LGA by 30% by
2020 based on 1995 emission levels.
6.
That the results of the public exhibition of the draft Climate Change Policy and the outcomes of
the Climate Action Community Workshops, be reported to Council once completed.
Report prepared by Paul Hardie, Senior Executive Officer
Chris Hunt
DIRECTOR, URBAN & ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 5
ATTACHMENT A
NSW Mayors’ Agreement on Climate Change
We acknowledge that
 Evidence shows that climate change is occurring.
 Climate change will continue to have far reaching effects on Australia’s people, economy,
society and environment.
We welcome the
 Social, economic and environmental benefits which come from mitigating and adapting to
climate change.
 Opportunity for local government in NSW to lead the response at a local level, encouraging and
helping local residents, local businesses and other organisations to reduce their energy usage
and costs, to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to improve the local environment.
We commit our Council from this date 18 February 2008 to
 Establish a baseline of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions, based on advice in the LGSA
Climate Change Action Pack.
 Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto protocol targets in our own operations, activities and
communities, through a range of activities that lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions.
 Urge the State and Federal Government to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the
greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, suggested for Australia in the Kyoto Protocol, of
108% of its 1990 baseline.
 Publicly declare to our Local Government Area, with appropriate plans, strategies and policies,
Council’s commitment to achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from our
operations and to commit to set reduction targets for the next 5, 10, 20 years and beyond.
 Encourage all sectors in our local community to adapt to the impacts of climate change, to
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to make public their commitment to action.
 Monitor the progress of our plans.
 Resource climate change initiatives.
 Adopt relevant actions from the LGSA’s Climate Change Action Pack which will provide
Council with guidance material to assist in developing climate change policies which are
informed, relevant and achievable.
Our target is a 30% reduction based on 1995 emission levels by 2020
Pittwater Council acknowledges the increasing impact climate change will have on our
community in the mid to long term future and commits to tackling the causes and effects of
changing climate in our Local Government Area.
Signed – Cr David James
Mayor – Pittwater Council
Signed - Cr Genia McCaffery
President LGA
Signed - Cr Bruce Miller
President Shires
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 6
ATTACHMENT B
DRAFT
Adopted:
Council Policy – No
Amended:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Philosophy
The survival and well-being of all people are bound inextricably to the biodiversity, climate and
finite resources of our planet.
Human activities (in particular the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture) have
produced substantial quantities of greenhouse gases which have significantly enhanced the natural
atmospheric greenhouse effect and increased global warming to such an extent that it has altered
(and will continue to alter) global climate systems.
On the basis of scientific investigations and climate modelling undertaken by the CSIRO and the
Australian Bureau of Meteorology, before the latter part of this century the Pittwater LGA is likely
to:




become warmer, on average, with more hot days over 35oC (and with a consequently
higher risk of bushfires);
experience a decline in average annual rainfall with a corresponding reduction in rainfall
runoff and stream flows;
suffer the effects of more frequent, extreme storms and intense rainfall events as well as
more severe drought cycles; and
incur more severe coastal erosion and coastal inundation as a result of more powerful
storm surges combined with a rising sea level.
Substantial mitigation measures and adaptation responses at global, national and local scales are
urgently required if the rate of global warming is to be reduced and the most severe impacts of
climate change are to be avoided.
Objectives




To complement and support Council’s Sustainability Policy – No 164 in designing and planning
for a more sustainable Pittwater LGA.
To help improve the awareness and understanding of global warming issues so that the
community has opportunities to participate in the management process and to determine the
responses to climate change that suit it best.
To develop the necessary strategies and action plans that will implement the greenhouse gas
abatement measures and climate change adaptation responses that the Pittwater community
selects.
To build the capacity of the Pittwater community to adapt to climate change impacts and
challenges that are likely to be faced in the mid to long term future.
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 7
Policy Statement
Pittwater Council accepts the growing body of convincing scientific research making it increasingly
clear that our climate is currently being modified by human activities, at a rate unprecedented
throughout human history.
Council recognises that collectively, the negative impacts of climate change potentially represent
the most significant challenge to the future of humanity during the 21st Century and beyond.
Council considers that the abatement of greenhouse gas emissions and the management of
climate change impacts are a mutual and shared obligation of all nations and all levels of
government.
Council acknowledges the important role of local government in helping to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and manage climate change impacts at the local level, particularly through its statutory
responsibilities and regulatory powers relating to land use planning, environmental planning,
environmental protection and natural resource management. As the level of governance closest to
the people, Council also has a vital role to play in educating, mobilising and responding to the
public to promote community climate action at the local level.
Council encourages further scientific research and a better understanding of climate change and
energy issues in order to support and steer policy, to refine adaptation and mitigation strategies
and to foster the necessary behavioural changes within our society.
Council is committed to building on the greenhouse gas reduction initiatives already undertaken
through programs such as Cities for Climate Protection and in partnership with the Pittwater
community, developing appropriate adaptation actions for the climate change impacts that will
most affect the Pittwater LGA.
Council understands the importance of a “Triple Bottom Line” management approach to
sustainability and is mindful that greenhouse gas abatement and climate change adaptation can
only be successfully sustained in association with continued economic growth, social development
and biodiversity protection.
Climate change and its potential impacts must feature as a primary consideration in every aspect
of Council’s business whilst appropriate actions in response to the causes and effects of global
warming must be integrated as a core part of every strategic and operational management activity
undertaken by Council.
Report to Land, Water & Coastal Portfolio Committee for meeting to be held on 5 March 2008
Page 8