Posted by Sally Newell on April 12, 2020
Boroondara residents declare strong support for emergency speed climate action
Months of work by teams led by Lynn, Tam, Julia and Alex have led to the culmination of phase one of the Boroondara Climate Declaration Petition with over 3900 signatures presented to Council. Boroondara should nearly join 1500 jurisdictions world wide in declaring a climate emergency and starting work on an effective climate action plan.
We would be able to secure better protection against escalating climate health impacts, reduce the risk to ratepayer funds, improve our green spaces and support the rollout of solar (and jobs) across the whole municipality.
Check out this update from Alex Currell from the Climate Emergency Declaration Working Group:
In December 2016 Darebin Council started a global movement by declaring that we are in a Climate Emergency. By the end of March 2020, 1,482 governments at all levels around the world had declared an emergency, with 95 declarations in Australia, including 31 Councils in Victoria.
In October 2019 a small group of volunteers who had been involved in the Kooyong Votes Climate campaign began a petition calling on the City of Boroondara to join this movement by declaring a climate emergency and mobilising the required resources to take effective climate action. A grand total of 3,913 signatures have now been collected on the petition. All signatures were collected in person within the municipality, with regular petitioning on Saturday mornings at the Camberwell, Glenferrie and Kew shopping centres.
From early 2020, members of the group began meeting with their individual councillors to put the case for a declaration to them directly. Two councillors have refused to meet, but meetings have now been held with six of the other eight councillors. Two meetings have also been held with Council officers to discuss the Council’s proposed community consultation process for a new Climate Action Plan, and to explain the important role an emergency declaration could play in providing a context for this process.
On 17 March 2020 the petition was submitted to the Council, together with a paper prepared by the group providing an overview of the climate emergency. The petition will be presented to a full Council meeting and the Council has agreed that a deputation can speak in support of the petition at the meeting. However, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the timing for the consideration of the petition by Council needs clarification.
Join Boroondara residents and friends working for climate progress
Lynn, Alex, Tam and Julia are looking towards the end of the year elections, and continuing pressure on local climate policy right now, so we can make progress on protecting residents, and working towards a safer climate. We will keep you posted on how you can help from home – register your interest on our Council Campaign now.