Ten years ago, Darebin City Council made what is widely regarded as the first council climate emergency declaration in the world. Bellingen Shire Council on the New South Wales mid-north coast followed in March 2019. Its General Manager, Mr Mark Griffioen, spoke to Chris Eddy for the Local Government News Roundup about what has happened since.

Climate considered at the start of every project

Mr Griffioen said the declaration changed where climate sat among the council’s priorities. It is now one of the first questions asked when a project reaches the table.

The shire has two major river systems, and about 55 per cent of its land is state forest or national park. Bushfire and flooding are constant risks, so the thinking is practical. A new sewer pump station is checked for whether its switchboard sits outside the probable maximum flood level. A debris boom was added to a tidal swimming facility that kept being damaged by floodwater.

Hitting the target five years early

Bellingen reached its emissions reduction target five years ahead of schedule. Mr Griffioen said staff identified the opportunity when the power purchase agreement came up for renewal, and the elected body then committed the extra $140,000 a year to move to 100 per cent renewable electricity.

That is a little over a one per cent rate increase, and Mr Griffioen was candid that it meant something else was not funded. He described the issue as balancing priorities rather than scepticism.

The harder emissions are still to come

Renewable electricity was the easy part. The remaining emissions come from fuel and from the council’s landfill, which is too small for flaring to be practical. Transitioning a fleet in a regional area is difficult.

The council is also weighing mitigation against adaptation. Mr Griffioen noted that some councils have reversed earlier declarations, and he cautioned that overusing the term “climate emergency” risks diluting its urgency.

Charging infrastructure and advocacy

As an eco-tourism destination on the Pacific Highway corridor, the shire has only two fast chargers. The council is advocating to other levels of government, and is offering reduced-rent car parks to attract commercial charging operators.

Climate action and the budget

Asked what he would tell a council yet to start, Mr Griffioen said climate action and financial benefit are not mutually exclusive. As he put it, “You can do both.”

He pointed to two examples. An LED street lighting upgrade with Essential Energy is saving $30,000 a year. The council’s decision to hold no fossil fuel investments has delivered a better return than it would have received otherwise.

He also recommended the Governing in a Climate Emergency microcredential from Climate Emergency Australia to councillors, saying it gives decision-makers the data to back their choices.

Climate Emergency Australia will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first climate emergency declaration on 2nd December and you are invited to join the online celebrations. Click here for more details.

Listen to the full interview in episode #622 of the Local Government News Roundup, out now.