Hume City Council endorses its new five-year Climate Action Plan

September 29, 2023

Environment / Venues /

Hume City Council has launched its new Climate Action Plan 2023–2028 that includes a carbon neutral target for Council operations by 2030.

The plan builds upon earlier work from Council to reduce emissions in Council operations and to help tackle climate change across the municipality.

The Climate Action Plan 2023–2028 was built upon community consultation that asked residents about their views on climate change and sought ideas and input from key stakeholders including Hume’s Sustainability Taskforce and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Corporation.

More than 1300 Hume residents participated in the Climate Change Community Views survey in 2021 which ultimately informed the community vision process.

Takeaways from the community included:

80% of respondents indicated they are concerned about climate change.
65.8% indicated they have a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ understanding of climate change.
Close to four out of five respondents (79.3%) indicated they felt it was important that Hume City Council takes action on climate change.

The Climate Action Plan 2023–2028 aims to enhance and expand Council’s response to the ongoing effects of climate change. Some of the key commitments listed within the action plan include:

More solar installations and energy efficiency upgrades
Moving from gas to electricity in Council buildings and encouraging residents to do so
Moving Council vehicles to EVs and supporting EV recharging across the municipality
Energy performance contracts for large Council facilities
Methane treatment for Sunbury Landfill
Universal roll out of food and garden waste bins
Street lighting upgrades
Continuing to deliver the Household Energy Program including Council rebates for concession car holders who install solar through the Hume Household Solar Roll-out
Investigating a business case for a Low/No carbon program for Hume business and industry
Working with other local governments to tackle climate change
Advocating on behalf of the Hume community for enhanced climate action.

Mayor Joseph Haweil notes “Our Climate Action Plan 2023–2028 is a significant step forward in our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council operations and to support the Hume community in climate action.

“Initiatives such as our Hume Household Solar program and Sustainability Taskforce are proof of our community’s desire to tackle climate change – but our new plan will work to fast-track our transition to a cleaner Hume.”

“Detailed investigations to inform the plan indicate that investing in emissions reductions in not just the most responsible environmental pathway it is also the most financially responsible.”

Read the full Climate Action Plan 2023–2028

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