The Huon Valley Council is seeking community feedback on Part A of its Climate Change Strategy, which outlines the actions it will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the wider community to do the same.

Community members can review and comment on the Climate Change Strategy – Part A Mitigation Plan by visiting Have Your Say. Submissions close at 5pm 7 August 2020.

“While a certain amount of global warming is locked in as a result of current and past greenhouse gas emissions, there is an opportunity for us to reduce the level of warming by taking mitigation actions,” said Huon Valley Council Acting Mayor Sally Doyle.

“Part A of the Strategy focuses on these actions Council can take to make a real impact on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and to improve our corporate responsibility.

“The proposed goals were informed through the Council’s 2018/19 Greenhouse Gas Inventory that was completed in early 2020, falling into the key areas of efficiency, renewable energy, transport, refrigerant, ethical investment, organic waste, carbon sinks, and data.”

Taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could mean the difference between 7^oC and 3^oC of warming by the end of this century. Temperature increases at this level will lead to more extreme temperatures and weather events, higher-intensity bushfires and floods, sea-level rise and coastal inundation.

“Part A of the Strategy focuses on these actions Council can take to make a real impact on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and improve our corporate responsibility.”

“In the Huon Valley we are particularly vulnerable to the extreme weather impacts of climate change,” said Acting Mayor Doyle. “Protecting our communities and environment into the future means doing what we can to reduce our emissions.

“The Strategy will guide our climate action path as an organisation to make sure the expectations of Council, its employees and our community are met.”

Part B of the Strategy (Adaptation Plan) will be completed in conjunction the Regional Climate Change Strategy and Council Action Plans project, which is overseen by the Regional Climate Change Initiative and will be delivered in partnership with the University of Tasmania.

Updates on the progress of the Huon Valley Council Climate Change Strategy will be provided on Have Your Say.

For more information about Council’s climate response efforts, see Climate Change.