Dunedin City Council

Mayor: Aaron Hawkins

The Dunedin City Council has been working on climate change since 2006, with early work focusing on climate change adaptation and an emphasis on mitigation in more recent years. 

Fossil Fuel Divestment

In 2014, the Dunedin City Council became one of the first councils in the world to divest its investment portfolio from fossil fuels – a step that has been since been taken by major cities like New York, Berlin and Oslo.

Zero Carbon 2030

In late 2019, the Dunedin City Council resolved to bring forward the city’s emission reduction targets by 20 years, aiming to achieve net neutrality (excluding biogenic methane) by 2030, putting emissions reduction at the top of the city’s agenda.

The Dunedin City Council is now working hard to align both its organisational frameworks and its investment priorities with this ambitious new target. Zero Carbon 2030 will be a clear focus for the city’s 2021-2031 Long Term Plan, building on existing investments in cycleways, pedestrian-friendly precincts, energy efficiency, environmental education and waste minimisation, and a new planning framework for the city that prioritises compact urban form.

Climate Resilience

Dunedin is also working to build its climate resilience. In particular, it has kicked off a significant engagement programme with the South Dunedin community. A densely populated, low-lying area of the city which has been identified as being at significant risk from the impacts of climate change. Through the engagement process, the Dunedin City Council will seek to meet with every community group in the area to build a shared understanding of the challenge at hand, and to start to understand the principals the community would like to see at the heart of its response.

GCOM Badges Awarded

Christchurch City Council

Mayor: Lianne Dalziel

In 2017, the Christchurch City Council set the target of being carbon neutral (net zero greenhouse gas emissions) as an organisation by 2030.

The council is working to harness the opportunities and overcome the challenges of climate change, exploring the many ways it can reduce its environmental footprint and grow resilience.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 9,130 cities from 120 countries, representing over 775 million people and 10.55% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

GCoM Badges Awarded

Melton City Council

Mayor: Cr Goran Kesic

Climate change continues to be a priority for the City of Melton, in addition to being a signatory to the Global Covenant of Mayors, they are a Founding Partner of Victoria's TAKE2 Pledge program. The Council has a vision that by 2036 the city will be a clean, green, sustainable city meeting the needs of the current and future population while protecting its unique environmental assets, supporting an engaged and aware community.

Rethinking concrete buildings

Cement production is the largest industrial producer of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to 8% of global emissions. This is largely due to the chemical reactions of transforming limestone (CaCO3) into lime (CaO), releasing carbon dioxide.

Melton city council therefore chose to find an alternative in the construction of the Melton Library and Learning Hub. In a world first, it used e-crete™ (a brand which has no cement in the concrete mix) in the construction of the facade, reducing cement used in the project by 40%.

GCoM Badges Awarded

City of Glen Eira

Mayor: Jim Magee

The City of Glen Eira has a suite of initiatives empowering the community to become greener and more sustainable, including community and neighbourhood gardening programs. The Council is upgrading street lighting and installing solar panels with a combined capacity of nearly 450 kilowatts across twenty one sites. The Global Covenant of Mayors is one critical initiative that allows the Council to put climate action onto the world stage and be part of a larger community committed to change.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 10,000 cities from 120 countries, representing over 970 million people and 12.4% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

GCoM Badges Awarded

Wollongong City Council

Mayor: Gordon Bradbery

Wollongong City Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy references Council’s Sustainability Commitments and builds on the actions identified in Wollongong 2022: Community Strategic Plan. By consolidating environmental priorities and goals the City aims to create a shared understanding and better integration of environment sustainability into decision-making and operations.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 10,000 cities from 120 countries, representing over 970 million people and 12.4% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

GCoM Badges Awarded

City of Manningham

Mayor: Cr Michelle Kleinert

The City of Manningham is committed to preserving the natural environment and assisting residents live more sustainably through programs such as Environment Seminars, Nature Walks and an EnviroYouth Alliance. A priority for the Council is maintaining the Green Wedge and providing Land Management Grants to support land stewardship, pest control and ecological improvements, and naturally have become a member of the Global Covenant of Mayors.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 9,130 cities from 120 countries, representing over 775 million people and 10.55% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

GCoM Badges Awarded

City of Maribyrnong

Mayor: Cr Anthony Tran

Maribyrnong City Council released its first Carbon Neutral Action Plan in 2008 and has been carbon neutral since 2015. In 2019, Council acknowledged a state of climate emergency that requires urgent action by all levels of government. Since then Council has adopted its Climate Emergency Strategy 2020-2025 and is developing its Climate Emergency Action Plan.

Ongoing actions Council is undertaking directly to address the climate emergency include using 100% renewable electricity from wind for its buildings and street lights, installing solar panels and electric vehicle chargers, introducing a residential garden and food waste recycling service, increasing ESD requirements, and delivering workshops and community programs.

Council is also investigating potential solar/sustainable energy project options for Council and the community with environmental benefits and revenue raising capacity. Council’s commitment to addressing the climate emergency is demonstrated through its Strategies, actions and ongoing participation in the Global Covenant of Mayors.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 10,000 cities from 120 countries, representing over 970 million people and 12.4% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

GCoM Badges Awarded

Tweed Shire Council

Mayor: Chris Cherry

The Tweed Shire Council’s Sustainability Program is delivered through the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Unit and includes a focus on Climate Change, Energy and Council's Sustainable Operations.

It complements other program areas across Council that seek to improve environmental outcomes such as Biodiversity, Coastline Management, Designing a Home, Waterways Management and Sustainable Agriculture.

Read more about the Council’s sustainability activities here.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international alliance of cities with a shared long-term vision of promoting voluntary action to combat climate change and transition to low-emission and resilient societies. The Global Covenant now includes over 10,000 cities from 120 countries, representing over 970 million people and 12.4% of the total global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change.

Badges awarded