5. Emissions target

While Council’s own emissions are only approximately 2% of all Golden Plains Shire’s emissions, Council plays a role in leading and inspiring change.

There is a strong imperative for Council to continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the changing climate given the expected impact on Council’s strategic goals, operations, assets and service delivery, as well as the health and wellbeing of the community. While Council has worked to reduce emissions to a degree, it is time to accelerate this, and ramp up the ways we support the community and prepare for changes to the Shire and community. In the Climate Emergency Plan community survey, 73% of respondents indicated they support Golden Plains Shire Council going carbon neutral before 2030.

Through the Plan, Council commits to pursue net zero emissions for Council operations by 2025.

“It is in the self-interest of humanity to avoid pushing Earth’s life-sustaining ecosystems across tipping points. The Landcare movement is one of a number of organisations working to protect these ecosystems. With the support of the Golden Plains Shire’s Climate Emergency Plan we hope to see sound policy and action to prevent these tipping points from ever being reached.”

- Batesford Fyansford Stonehaven Landcare Group

46%

This target has been set based on the scale and speed of change required and the opportunities available to achieve deep cuts to emissions. The following section discusses how Council will reach these targets, based on the carbon management hierarchy shown in the figure below:

Offset

Offset residual

Sequester

Undertake activities to store emissions

Substitute

Change sources to reduce emissions

Reduce

Change activities to reduce emissions

Avoid

Avoid activities that cause emissions

Least favoured option Most favoured option