The fires impacted over 100 local government areas burning 24 million hectares, killing 33 people, destroying more than 3,100 homes, and caused the death and displacement of an estimated 3 billion animals.
While the Royal Commission said State Governments hold most of the responsibility for the protection of life, property and the environment, they also must ensure local governments have the capacity and capability to perform their roles in disaster management.
Read More30 October 2020: This webinar was presented by the Pacific Partnership for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (PP-NUA). The objective is to inform participants about the outcomes of an action based training program that has been piloted by local governments in Kiribati, the Cook Islands and the Marshall Islands, and to explore how the experience from the pilot program might have relevance for other Pacific Island communities.
Read MoreWe extend a warm welcome to the Kiribati Local Government Association (KiLGA), also known as Aia Rabwata Kauntira. The LGA supports local government services and networks in Kiribati and the Pacific.
Read MoreThree inspiring Mayors from Adelaide, Newcastle and Byron spoke at the Daring Cities 2020 Global Forum, the world’s largest online forum for urban leaders tackling the climate emergency. By sharing their local stories, they reveal how three similar but different cities are paving their communities towards a net-zero future. Below are some excerpts from the presentations and links to further watching and reading. Visit the Daring Cities website to view recordings of these and other events.
Read MoreCouncils interested in the benefits of urban green spaces should check out the Greener Spaces, Better Places October newsletter.
Greener Spaces Better Places is a national initiative that brings together academia, business, government, community groups and the green industry to share knowledge and find new ways to work together to make sure that as our cities and towns grow, so too do our green spaces.
Read More“Hi everyone, my name is Simon Richardson. I am the Mayor of Byron Shire. I thank all the organisers for being daring to put on the Daring Cities 2020 gathering. Byron Shire is in the North of Northern NSW. We are the most easterly point of Australia. Byron Shire is small in size and population but we are large in our audacity and our daring. With a population of only 34,000 we welcome 2.4 million visitors per year. The reason they come is for our environment. From our wonderful marine parks, to our pristine rainforests it is the environment that is the drawcard.”
Read MoreOn Friday 9 October, as part of the Daring Cities 2020 Global Forum over 60 young people from around the world engaged in an event #DaringYouth: We Dare You To. One of the outcomes was this #DaringYouth Statement, which shows the collective aspirations participants have of their cities, to inspire urban leaders to take even more daring action on the Climate Emergency.
Read MoreA new committee for the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) in Oceania, established to address climate change from a local level has met for the first time. The committee aims to boost collaboration between cities, local governments and community partners globally to achieve emissions reductions while adapting to a changing climate.
Read MoreThis September 2020, ICLEI celebrated its 30th anniversary. Here are some reflections on ICLEI’s history globally and in the Oceania region, and we look forward to continuing to support local and regional governments for many years to come.
Read MoreToday, ministers of 24 countries (including Australia) will meet at the Fifth Mission Innovation’s annual Ministerial meeting (MI-5). The primary agenda for this year’s Ministerial is to adopt the new approach for Phase 2 of Mission Innovation. There is a hope that the next phase will include a focus on how cities can help drive the clean energy transition.
Read MoreThe ACT Government uses a Renewables Reverse Auction mechanism to determine how the households in Canberra are powered. The latest round of the Government’s renewable electricity ‘reverse auction’ will help Canberra stay 100% renewable into the next decade and deliver the best pricing outcome for residents in the program’s history.
Read MoreHobsons Bay has taken a major step towards its climate change mitigation goals of achieving net-zero emissions for council emissions by 2020 and for its community emissions by 2030. It is installing new solar panels on more than 40 council owned and occupied buildings, acting as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP).
Read MoreOn Tuesday 25 August 2020, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council (MPS) unanimously adopted its ambitious Climate Emergency Plan – Ensuring Our Future: Our Climate Emergency Response, the sixth Climate Emergency Plan developed and adopted by an Australian local government.
Read More“The most significant action globally has been, as always, at local government. On climate action, halting biodiversity loss, building resilience, creating circular economies and addressing inequality, ICLEI is the one global organisation which can connect, support and enhance the capacities of local governments everywhere, to maintain and intensify their efforts,” said Cr Stone.
Read MoreICLEI and Swinburne University have now conducted interviews with the first group of 9 CitiesWithNature Pioneer councils. The interviews are designed to learn about council priorities for nature-based solutions and to develop the best way for the research community and ICLEI to support their work. More interviews will be conducted in the coming months and at least one focus group webinar will be held to discuss the findings with interviewees.
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