City of Newcastle Strengthens Climate Action Plan

City of Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes

City of Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes

 

The City of Newcastle is working closely with community and local businesses to create a new 2025 Climate Action Plan to fast-track its vision for a low-carbon future. The draft Plan is on exhibition until 5pm Monday 31 August 2020. 

The Plan will set new targets and shape Newcastle’s goals and priorities for the next five years, as a roadmap for clean energy, resource efficiency, emissions reduction across the Council’s supply chain, and sustainable transport.

“The City of Newcastle is a proudly forward thinking and progressive Council that has long led the way, by working in partnerships to develop and implement strategies and initiatives to tackle climate change head on,” said Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes. 

Under Newcastle’s previous 2020 Carbon and Water Management Action Plan, Council has:

  • Reduced electricity usage by 14.45 per cent

  • Upgraded 31 per cent of streetlights to LEDs

  • Secured 100 per cent of electricity from renewable sources

  • Reduced potable water usage by 8.59 per cent

  • Slashed the City's carbon footprint by 77.36 per cent, excluding emissions from Summerhill Waste Management Centre

  • Reduced liquid fuel use by 6.97 per cent

“City of Newcastle has ensured local government steps in to fill the policy gaps left when other tiers of government and the private sector have failed to assist in reducing global emissions,” the Lord Mayor said.

The City of Newcastle is a founding member of ICLEI and the Business Renewables Centre. It is also a member of the Cities Power Partnership and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and recently became a Pioneer City for ICLEI’s CitiesWithNature program to boost the integration of nature-based solutions in cities. 

The City of Newcastle has a strong history of environmental and sustainability action. It hosted the Pathways to Sustainability Conference in 1997 and participated in the Cities for Climate Protection program, which has supported the implementation of local government climate programs in Australia and New Zealand. 

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes has also been elected to ICLEI Oceania’s Regional Executive Committee for 2021-2024. In her role she will use her experience and leadership to provide guidance on programs for local governments in Oceania and around the world through ICLEI’s global network. 

Read a snapshot of Newcastle's Climate Action Plan engagement here.

 
ICLEI MemberICLEI OceaniaCity of Newcastle, Nuatali Nelmes, Lord Mayor, Climate action plan, climate, local government, low-carbon, ICLEI, Cities With Nature