Climate Emergency Plan

Habitat connectivity

Increase habitat plantings in priority areas via Biolink Boost grants, Landcare support, connecting landholders to Bushbank, and potentially the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) Community Carbon Pilot Project.

Integrated Water Management

Work with Water Authorities to develop and implement Integrated Water Management Plans that value water security and healthy waterways, and that address all elements of the water cycle

Future-proof plantings

Accelerate public street tree planting and revegetation initiatives, prioritising selection of species that support biodiversity and are adapted to anticipated changes in climatic conditions.

Carbon Sequestration Projects

4.1 Continue to develop a Local Community Carbon Offsets Program with NCCMA and regional partners, and provide opportunity for local community groups, businesses and residents to implement offset plantings

4.2 Investigate the availability of Council-owned land (roadsides, waterway reserves, public space) to provide sites for offsets

4.3 Investigate opportunities to expand the program to offset community emissions

River, creeks and waterway care

Continue to develop and implement Waterway Management Plans, support the co-ordination of community contributions to their implementation, and regularly review plans in the context of adaptive management.

Community education

Provide opportunities for all sectors of the community to build their awareness and capacity for conserving biodiversity values, protecting waterways and regenerating ecosystems.

Protect remnant vegetation

1.1 Continue to raise awareness amongst landholders about the legal requirements associated with native vegetation clearing.

1.2 Develop and implement an Illegal Native Vegetation Removal Compliance Policy.

Urban Biodiversity

Support residents to create gardens that enhance biodiversity values in urban areas.

Adaptive pest plants and animals planning

Ensure that the next review of the Pest Plant and Animal Strategy 2024 accounts for the impacts of climate change.

Irrigation Enhancements for Council Open Space

Further investigate passive and recycled water opportunities to ensure Council-owned public open space can adapt to anticipated climatic changes

Continue implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy

Healthy Landscapes

Continue to deliver and evolve the Healthy Landscapes Program to adapt to future challenges for rural and farming communities under forecast climate scenarios

Bulk buy household solar

Develop, promote and implement local bulk buy initiatives of solar and energy efficiency upgrades (eg heat pumps, reverse cycle air conditioners, etc).

Business energy support

 Promote and increase awareness of support programs that enable businesses to engage or transition to more sustainable practices (eg, Power Purchase Agreements, State and Federal Small Business energy incentives, Zero Emissions Vehicle Transition programs, CitySwitch, programs like Wine Victoria’s “Growing Victorian wine into the future”, eco-tourism programs and practices).

MRSG - Regenerative Farmers Action Group

 Support the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group's Regenerative Farmers Action Group to promote the human, environmental and economic benefits to the community of regenerative agriculture, and advocate for regenerative farmers in the Macedon Ranges Shire.

Resource Smart Schools

Amplify the Resource Smart Schools program by:

1.1 Promoting and participating in regular networking sessions facilitated by Sustainability Victoria

1.2 Promote school-based projects for sustainability

Embed and Expand Council Sustainable Buildings Policy and Practice

1.1 Lead by example through ensuring that best practice environmental performance standards are met in works to buildings, and embed climate considerations in all new building designs

1.2 Ensure sufficient funds are provided to enable application of sustainable design principles in the design and construction of all works to buildings.

Water Sensitive Urban Design

 Build capacity within Council to ensure water sensitive urban design assets are delivered as a part of future subdivisions to maximise storm water treatment. Ensure sufficient maintenance funding is provided to optimise performance of treatments. Explore options to treat stormwater at larger catchment scales.

Council capacity to collectively address climate change

 Provide training and resources to staff across all Council departments to enable them to better understand and address the impacts of climate change.

Household energy efficiency

1.1 Provide community education to support residents to convert to 'all-electric' homes

1.2 Promote state government programs that enable home energy efficiency upgrades, like the Solar Homes Program and the Residential Efficiency Scorecard.

Climate action grants and support

 1.1 Pilot a Climate Action Grant program that provides financial assistance to community groups engaging in grassroots climate action

1.2 Continue providing in-kind support to community climate projects and the implementation of Community Climate Action Plans

Equitable household transition

 Develop and pilot a dedicated support program for low-income households to access solar power, for example, a modified version of Solar Savers for council-owned social housing units. Aim to expand the program to all low income households

Water Literacy Education

 Promote the importance of sustainable water management and usage in partnership with water authorities.

Urban Cooling

Develop an Urban Cooling Strategy that establishes targets for canopy cover and public plantings and which identifies actions to ensure appropriate protections are in place for significant trees across the shire.

Community food security

Support initiatives that increase local food security and local food production (eg. Community Gardens, Food Forests, food system co-operatives, national, state and regional initiatives such as 'Grow It Local')

Connecting with local farmers

Provide opportunities for communities to meet and connect with local growers and food providers (additional to Farmers Markets).

Climate ready housing

Explore options to introduce an Environmental Sustainable Design (ESD) policy for new developments into the planning scheme. Embed ESD and sustainable subdivision principles into requirements into precinct structure plans, development plans and subdivisions.

Support Electric Vehicle uptake

Provide shire-specific information and activities to promote the benefits of electric vehicles, and facilitate the development of an electric vehicle bulk buy program.

MRSG - Transport Action Group

 Amplify the work of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group's Transport Action Group (TAG), who advocate for and promote walking, cycling/e-cycling, public transport, car-pooling and sharing, and electric vehicles in the Macedon Ranges Shire.

MRSG – Renewable Energy Action Group

 Amplify the work of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group's Renewable Energy Action Group, who actively work towards the shire becoming carbon neutral by 2030, by leading, supporting and investing in local energy efficiency, generation and offset projects in partnership with community, government and industry.

Council's buildings transition

Continue to phase out the use of gas at council operated sites. Replace all gas appliances with electric alternatives as they become redundant, or in 2028-2029, whichever comes first.

Electric Vehicle infrastructure

Develop a policy to guide and increase the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the shire.

Pathway to renewable energy for community groups

1.1 Conduct a pilot project with the Halls Committees of Management to establish a process to “bring-in” electricity bills to Council's Power Purchase Agreement for renewable electricity (VECO) in 2023-2024

1.2 Transition all Council owned buildings where community groups pay energy bills to be included in VECO by 2028-2029, through amendments to leasing, licensing, and user agreement processes.

Increase renewable energy generation

1.1 Increase rooftop solar energy generation and storage at council facilities

1.2 Explore the possibility of establishing a small-scale solar farm on a closed landfill site within the shire

1.3 Seek funding to progress council's solar generation capability.

Uptake and engagement in active transport

1.1 Increase active transport infrastructure and security for pedestrians and cyclists, provide supporting infrastructure like bicycle repair stations and e-bike chargers, and investigate the development of "Travel Smart” maps (extending from the existing series of "walking routes" maps)

1.2 Trial pop-up bicycle paths to popular destinations and services in townships to gather local data for informing infrastructure works.

Integrated Sustainable Transport Strategy

Develop a comprehensive integrated and holistic transport strategy for the shire that increases opportunities for residents to engage with active transport, public transport, and transition to low carbon vehicles.

Local, community-owned renewable energy projects

Continue to investigate opportunities for community energy projects such as community or neighbourhood batteries, and community-owned renewable energy enterprises

Continue implementation of Counting Down to Zero to help ensure Council operations and services transition to a fossil fuel free future.

MRSG - Veg Action Group

Extend the scope and build on partnerships of the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group's Veg Action Group, through establishing a coordinated "healthy local food campaign" that promotes benefits, provides incentives, and builds capacity in the community to grow and source locally produced food.

Amplify benefits of participation

Increase levels of volunteerism and engagement with local community environment groups through promoting the associated health and wellbeing benefits (e.g. improved local connections and sense of purpose).

Youth Action Support

Create a network of young people who "are fired up to do something". Invite, include and activate young people in the Shire to get involved in and advocate for more climate action

Extreme Weather Support

 Provide customised materials and communications to assist at-risk residents to be prepared to act on days of extreme weather conditions and events. Ensure that materials and communications provide tangible household and social actions (e.g. 'phone trees’, door knock checks, local 'cool spaces').

Sustainable sports

1.1 Promote and support actions for sustainability amongst sports clubs in the shire (eg, plastic-free canteens, textile and equipment reuse and recycling, entrance to the renewable energy market, water literacy).

1.2 Consider undertaking an audit to identify what action is already underway, and how clubs can best be supported.

Mental health support

 Provide dedicated information about, and pathways to, mental health support for residents considered to be acutely affected by climate impacts (e.g. farmers, youth, First Nations people, young parents and new families, CFA) and connect to local expert organisations

Kerbside soft plastic collection

Review results of Romsey Soft Plastics Trial and investigate feasibility of increasing the number of households able to participate in kerbside soft plastic collection.

Business waste support

Support businesses to investigate circular economy opportunities and promote innovative waste minimisation strategies and programs (e.g. connecting waste/resources to the local market/consumer)

Education, engagement and action

Develop the Waste Minimisation and Resource Recovery Education and Engagement Plan, and partner with community groups to deliver timely and relevant engagement events and programs.

Repair Cafes and Tool Libraries

Promote the 'sharing economy' and investigate possibility of a co-ordinated network of Repair Cafés and Tool Libraries throughout the shire

Incentives for kerbside waste minimisation

Investigate the possibility for altering waste charges, including bin size and 'pay by weight' options.

Continue implementation of the Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy 2021-2026

Assuring energy for Emergency Management sites

 1.1 Continue to retrofit Emergency Relief Centres and Neighbourhood Safer Places to ensure they can withstand power outages, prioritising off-grid solar power and community batteries.

1.2 Ensure the Municipal Emergency Operation Coordination Centres (Gisborne and Kyneton shire offices) and the Woodend Depot can withstand power outages, prioritising off-grid solar power and community batteries.

Building capacity for community led recovery

Provide opportunities that build capacity and enable community-led planning and community-led recovery through co-designed workshops and programs.

Places to Respond and Recover

Provide resources to assist community organisations to prepare their facilities for providing disaster response services and to become local 'hubs' for community recovery programs.

Household Preparedness education

1.1 Identify additional resources to deliver information sessions, discussions and home preparedness workshops in partnership with VicSES and local CFAs to improve resilience in the community and Council.

1.2 Further promote the Home Preparedness Tools developed by VicSES and CFA.

Build Council capacity

 Further embed and enhance training for volunteer staff allocated to Emergency Recovery Centres by developing eLearning modules that shares research and methodology for community resilience, community-led recovery and building social capital in times of disaster

Recovery and Resilience Coordination

 Secure additional resources within Council, to enable "preparedness" to be addressed alongside Council’s emergency management roles and responsibilities, provide continuity in communications with the community and relationships with emergency relief and community support organisations, and enable actions listed for this theme to be enacted.

Governance

Transition from the ‘Cool-ER Changes’ Engagement project steering group to a Climate Emergency Working Group, with key organisational representatives, comprising of Council staff, state agencies and community members, to monitor and guide the implementation of this plan.

Organisational training and capacity building

Develop climate change training modules to ensure all departments are equipped to evaluate programs and projects against the principles and priorities of the Climate Emergency Response Plan.

Reporting

Provide updates on implementation progress through the Annual Environment Report or other public annual reporting framework.

Communications

Establish an online interface to keep community members and partners up-to-date with the progress of actions of the Climate Emergency Plan.

Climate KPI’s
Develop Key Performance Indicators for the organisation relating to the implementation of this plan.

Community Connections and Support

Alongside the implementation of this plan, Council will continue to support residents to enact plans developed through Cool Changes and to assess and celebrate the effectiveness of local action. Council will also support and maintain communications to share learnings and experiences amongst the community, for example, through local forums.