Council climate change alliance to transform Melbourne's northern suburbs

A local government alliance across Melbourne’s northern suburbs has launched a strategic blueprint - the first of its kind in Australia - for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020.

The Northern Alliance of Greenhouse Action (NAGA) launched its Towards Zero Net Emissions (TZNE) strategy to explore and initiate regional climate change actions that lead the nation for industry, business, residential areas, transport and energy generation.

TZNE projects which could transform the carbon footprint of Melbourne’s north include:

• development of on-site green electricity generation for industrial sites and community assets, from leisure centres to nursing homes
• central service hubs for electricity, waste and water for key industrial areas
• major focus on residential energy efficiency, including for renters and low-income households, and
• community transport programs and the establishment of an electric vehicle network.

The strategy will act as a roadmap towards zero net greenhouse gas emissions across northern metropolitan Melbourne and is expected to provide a template for regional climate change action, within Victoria and across Australia.

Already 27 projects have been identified for implementation through to 2011.

NAGA chairman Paul Murfitt said TZNE - funded by the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord - said: “Collaboration is crucial for addressing climate change,” Murfitt said. “NAGA allows the 10 partners to harness their individual strengths and to scale up their responses to greenhouse gas reductions, so we can really look at taking grassroots action to a new level,” he said.

The Alliance includes the cities of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Manningham, Melbourne, Moreland, Whittlesea, Yarra, Nillumbik Shire Council and the Moreland Energy Foundation.

For more information, visit the summary of Towards Zero Net Emissions at www.naga.com.au.