City of Joondalup

Mayor: Albert Jacob

The City of Joondalup is committed to conserving, enhancing and rehabilitating natural areas for the environment and future generations. Their Environment Plan 2014-2019 guides the Council's response to local environmental pressures across waste, water and biodiversity management, climate change, and community involvement. As a coastal city which will be impacted by local effects of climate change, the City of Joondalup has shown great leadership on climate and is a valued signatory to 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.

Badges Awarded

Merri-bek City Council

Mayor: Adam Pulford

What Merri-bek City Council has achieved:

Merri-bek has been taking leadership action to reduce our corporate emissions for more than 23 years. In 2012 we were the third council in Australia to be certified carbon neutral for our corporate operations. In the same year, we installed the first Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charging station in Victoria (second in Australia) to support the shift to zero emissions transport.

More recently, in an Australian first, Merri-bek partnered with several other councils, businesses and institutions to drive investment in new renewable energy through the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project. This project, led by Melbourne City Council, has resulted in a ten-year power purchasing agreement to secure renewable wind power from Tango Energy sourced from Crowlands Windfarm near Ararat (in regional Victoria). Through this partnership, Merri-bek is meeting 100% of our corporate electricity demand with renewables.

Now Council’s EV charging station network (one of the largest owned and operated by a Council in Australia) includes 16 public locations, including five fast charge stations. Council now has 30 pure electric vehicles (EVs) in its own fleet. This is the largest Council EV fleet in Victoria.

Since 2011, energy efficiency upgrades and installation of solar photovoltaics (PV) on Council buildings have delivered big savings on energy bills. The 1.3MW of installed rooftop PV capacity saves 1,030 tonnes of CO2 emissions (compared to grid-average electricity) and saves Council around $192,500 each year off energy bills, which is money that can be re-invested in community projects. Our new Glenroy Community Hub is a passive house public building and achieves Living Building Challenge Petal certification – two of the most difficult-to-achieve international sustainable design standards.

What Council hopes to achieve in the future:

Merri-bek Council is working with our community towards a zero carbon municipality by 2035. Merri-bek continues to invest in accelerating community and council energy transition towards ‘efficient and 100% renewable.’ With some 63MW of solar installed across homes and businesses across the municipality, Merri-bek will be increasingly powered by renewable energy, generated and stored across a range of sites. A project is underway to deliver a community battery in Brunswick. We work with private and public sector partners to promote Merri-bek as a testing ground for innovative energy initiatives. Council supports relevant research and delivery of products, services and financing options to enable residents to make the transition to an efficient all-electric home.

Please visit the Zero Carbon Merri-bek website

https://www.merri-bek.vic.gov.au/

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 of Mayors (GCoM) now includes over 10,000 cities from 120 countries, representing over 980 million people of the global population, and is the largest global network of councils leading action on climate change. GCoM is coordinated by ICLEI in the Oceania region.

Badges Awarded

GCoM Badges Awarded

Port Vila Municipality Council

Mayor: Erick Puyo-festa

Port Vila is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu.
Situated on the south coast of the island of Efate, in Shefa Province, with a population of over 44,000.

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

Mornington Peninsula Shire

Mayor: Cr Anthony Marsh

Protecting the environment and tackling climate change are key goals for Mornington Peninsula Shire. The Shire is focused on practical ways that all businesses, schools, households and the Shire itself can keep emissions and operating costs down. They are supporting renewable energy by purchasing 100% Accredited Green Power and are on track towards zero net carbon emissions across all its operations by 2021.

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 Port Phillip

Mayor: Marcus Pearl

Sustainability is a core part of the City of Port Phillip community, and the Council has a range of strategies and plans that outline a sustainable future for the city. Their Act and Adapt: Sustainable Environment Strategy 2018-28 outlines the Council’s commitment to environmental sustainability and establishes a pathway that will assist to transition to a greener, cooler and more liveable city. Read more about the City of Port Phillip’s strategies 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.

GCoM Badges Awarded

Byron Shire Council

Mayor: Michael Lyon

In recognition of the importance local government plays in addressing climate change, Byron Shire Council has been actively implementing emissions reduction strategies and reporting on emissions since 2004 and is ambitiously aiming for 100% net zero emissions by 2025. The Council sees itself as a leader in sustainability and is proud to be a signatory of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

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

Wellington City Council

Mayor: Andy Foster

Wellington City has already positioned itself as a leader on climate change with the lowest per capita emissions in Australasia. The Council has pioneered innovative programmes like the Smart Energy and Low Carbon Challenges, as well as being one of the only cities in the Southern Hemisphere to host a Climathon in partnership with Europe's Climate-KIC.

In June 2019, Wellington City declared a climate and ecological emergency. This declaration was supported by the adoption of the Te Atakura First to Zero Plan - a blueprint for becoming a zero carbon capital by 2050 to show Wellington is serious about taking action. As a proud signatory of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, Wellington City Council is committed to the largest global alliance for city-led action on climate change as it transitions to a zero carbon, more resilient capital for Aotearoa New Zealand.

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 Perth

Lord Mayor: Basil Zempilas

The City of Perth is committed to a sustainable future, taking bold steps against climate change through a breadth of sustainability policies and strategies, from better bike infrastructure, to their urban forest plan, to their energy resilient city vision. Council adopted a new Environment Strategy in 2016 to help guide the implementation of their vision and are part of the Global Covenant of Mayors initiative, as well as a valued member of ICLEI Oceania and World Energy Cities Partnership.

Urban Forest Plan

Cities are generally hotter than their surrounding areas by as much as 1-3 degrees Celsius, as such an urban forest, the collection of green spaces, trees and other vegetation within the city limits, can offer valuable benefits in a warming climate through its ability to cool its immediate environment. Up to 95 percent of incoming solar radiation can be blocked by a tree’s canopy. Buildings can be kept up to 8 degrees cooler with the help of shading from trees.

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Recognising the importance of its Urban Forest, the City of Perth adopted its first Urban Forest Plan in September 2016.  The plan sets out goals and objectives for the future planning, management and expansion of the urban forest, ensuring the urban forest remains healthy, sustainable and resilient.

GCoM Badges Awarded