Boroondara’s Climate Action Plan

An ambitious but underfunded Climate Action Plan

Julie Mulhauser

In 2021 Boroondara Council declared a climate emergency and adopted an ambitious Climate Action Plan. As part of this plan, it set several aspirational targets for the community to be carbon neutral by 2035.

These included a target of 60% net emissions reduction by 2030 from 2020; 100% actual emissions reduction by 2040; and the installation of 50,000 kW (kilowatt) solar PV by tripling the number of buildings with solar energy systems.

A lack of adequate resourcing will hinder achieving these targets

The Council budget has an annual allocation of $1 million to implement the Climate Action Plan. To put this in perspective, it is much the same as that allocated to the purchase of library books. Total budgeted expenditure for Boroondara Council in 2024/25 is forecast to be $356 million including $268 million operating costs, $88 million capital costs, and with a surplus of $13 million.

How will the $1 million for the Climate Action Plan be spent?

The Climate Action Plan Implementation Plan 2023-25 Update Report published on 13 November 2023, listed actions funded to that date to reduce community emissions.

These included 31 systems installed under the Solar Savers initiative; 40 energy audits by the Australian Energy Foundation; home energy meters and thermal cameras available through library loan; an annual Sustainability Leadership course; the installation of four fast EV chargers at two locations (Burwood Village and the Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre); 6103 participants in Sustainability workshop/education opportunities over 2 years; an unspecified  $10,000 grant; and an unpublished Climate Action Plan community engagement strategy.

During the last 12 months Boroondara Council has improved its community engagement. However, given the scale, urgency, complexity and cost of reducing community emissions, there needs to be a significant step up by Boroondara Council in its commitment to consult on and implement its Climate Action Plan.

What needs to happen

A permanent demonstration centre is essential to support Council community education on reducing household emissions.

The lack of up to date data on community emissions needs to be addressed. More than 2 years after the CAP was adopted, there is still no information on Indicators on the Climate Action Plan hub. Without this information it is impossible to know the effectiveness of Council actions.

Transport emissions account for 20% of community emissions. Yet, cycling infrastructure investment in Boroondara is grossly underfunded. The lack of safe cycling infrastructure is a significant barrier to the community shifting from private vehicles to active transport.

The scope of the 2022 Bicycle Strategy has been reduced from that first proposed. The 2024/5 budget allocated $284,574 to implement the Bicycle Strategy and $226,300 for lighting on the Anniversary Trail. Only $100,000 is allocated for initiatives in the subsequent financial year with zero money allocated for the following 2 years. To put these amounts in perspective, the 2024/25 draft Budget allocated $14.11 million to roads.

The uptake of EV’s is increasing. Many households are unable to charge at home due to difficulty installing chargers especially in apartments and multi dwelling units, where there is no off street parking or residents are renting. Accessible public EV charging overcomes the barriers to EV ownership and ‘soaks’ up excess daytime solar generation.

Outdated, unpublished or absent strategies, plans and policies hamper effective community emissions reduction. Strategies important to reduce emissions that are still missing include the Integrated Transport Strategy, the Climate Action Plan community engagement/education plan, the Public Transport Strategy, and the EV Charging Strategy.

Boroondara Council needs to walk (and cycle) the ‘talk’ on support for community emissions reduction. The scale and urgency of the actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is unprecedented. Climate solutions are also cost of living and health solutions.

Households, particularly low income households, need support from Council to reduce their emissions. This includes accessible, independent, expert advice, subsidies for solar for low income households, and infrastructure to support low emissions transport options such as walking, cycling and public transport.

For more on this matter, you are invited to read the submission by Lighter Footprints on 2024/5 Boroondara Council Draft Budget at https://lighterfootprints.org/resource/boroondara-council-draft-budget/

Julie Mulhauser is a retired medical specialist and advocate for home energy efficiency and electrification.

Boroondara’s Climate Action Plan. Implementation plan for the two years to 30 June 2025

The news that October 2023 was hottest October since records began, with average global temperature thought to be 1.7C above late-1800s levels is both frightening and a massive reminder of the need for immediate action to reduce global carbon emissions. It is against this background that Michael Nolan, Co-convenor of Lighter Footprints addressed a recent meeting of the City of Boroondara to urge more urgent implementation of the Council’s Climate Action Plan.

To read the full pdf below, make sure you click on the arrows at the bottom of the document.