Heat on council to tackle climate emergency

Climate campaigners have renewed calls for Greater Shepparton City Council to declare a climate emergency, with an appeal to people to support a regular monthly meeting in the Maude St Mall tomorrow.

Join in: Beneath the Wisteria group members Rob McLean
and John Pettigrew urge people to attend tomorrow’s meeting
 in Shepparton’s Maude St Mall.

Beneath the Wisteria meeting organiser Robert McLean said tomorrow’s meeting would discuss ways in which the group could advance its call to Shepparton councillors to address what it says is an ‘‘unfolding climate crisis’’.‘‘We need as many people as possible learning about this and being prepared to take action on this critical problem,’’ Mr McLean said.

Earlier this month, climate response campaigners John Pettigrew, Terry Court and Mr McLean called on the council to show leadership and declare a climate emergency.

In response to a News article about the call, City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe said the council was already delivering solar installations, discussing ways to reduce energy usage, and working with the Goulburn Broken Greenhouse Alliance on how to reduce carbon emissions.

Mr McLean said he had not received any response from councillors to his call to declare a climate emergency.

‘‘The problem is too big and too complex for them,’’ he said.

In a long list of ideas about what the council could do to address climate change, Mr McLean suggested: give all council staff official approval to talk openly about the climate crisis; engage residents and council staff in intensive information programs; introduce planning changes to encourage more urban housing; reverse the city’s rating structure to make rates lower in urban centres and increasing in cost as property moves further out from the centre; stringent energy criteria on all new buildings; more emphasis on intratown public transport; create more green spaces to provide cool retreats on days of extreme heat, and; create viable alternatives to traditional power systems during successive days of plus-50°C heat.

‘‘We should be planning for and working towards creating a city ready to survive and thrive in conditions quite unlike anything we have ever seen or understand,’’ Mr McLean said.

● Tomorrow’s hour-long Beneath The Wisteria meeting starts at 11 am at the north end of Shepparton’s Maude St Mall.

Story by John Lewis from The Shepparton News - “Heat on council to tackle climate emergency."