Councils unite on energy

Blue Mountains City Council is pleased to have joined nine Western Sydney councils to launch a new strategy to slash emissions and boost energy savings for a more sustainable, affordable energy future.

Coordinated by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), the Western Sydney Energy Program (WSEP) aims to reduce Western Sydney’s emissions by 200,000 tonnes of CO2e reductions each year.

This is in line with Blue Mountains City Council’s own Carbon Abatement Action Plan that was adopted in 2017, to identify and implement projects that demonstrate reduced carbon emissions as well as reduced operational costs. 

Ward 1 Councillor and WSROC junior vice president Don McGregor said Blue Mountains City Council was taking definitive action on Climate Change with its own strategies and by joining WSROC’s new energy program.

“In September 2019 Blue Mountains City Council adopted the target of becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2025, as measured through the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) certification process,” Cr McGregor said.

“To meet this target, we must measure our organisation's carbon emissions, reduce emissions as far as feasible, and then purchase carbon offsets that equal our remaining emissions so our net carbon emissions to the atmosphere are zero. 

“Our Carbon Abatement Action Plan and the Western Sydney Energy Program means we will continue to reach our targets in this vital area.”  The Western Sydney Energy Program focuses on four key areas: renewable energy, transport infrastructure, supporting communities and implementing best practice in energy planning and design for buildings and precincts.

Initial projects being developed under the Program include the development of a renewable energy PPA, a business support program and building design guidelines for councils. Additional projects will be scoped as the WSEP continues to roll out.

Council’s Carbon Abatement Action Plan projects for 2019-20 include:

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said: “It seems clear the single most important thing we can do to stop climate change is reduce emissions, and as the third council in NSW to declare a climate emergency, it's an issue we take very seriously.”

Councils that participate in the program are: Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Cumberland City Council, Fairfield City Council, Hawkesbury City Council, The Hills Shire Council, Lithgow City Council, Liverpool City Council and the City of Parramatta.

The Western Sydney Energy Program will build on other successful WSROC projects, including Light Years Ahead, Turn Down the Heat and the Regional Waste Strategy. 

Get more information on the Western Sydney Energy Program https://wsroc.com.au/projects/project-western-sydney-energy-program 

Get more information on Blue Mountains City Council’s action on Climate Change https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/action-on-climate-change