What Council is doing

Council is a member of the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Program, coordinated by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and supported in Australia by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA). The CCP Program assists local government in undertaking greenhouse gas reduction and abatement programs.

Council joined the CCP program in 1998 and has since achieved the 5 milestones of the CCP Program and is now participating in the CCP Plus Program.

In December 2008, Council received three recognition awards from ICLEI and DEWHA, commending Council’s achievements in being one of the first Council’s in NSW to complete Milestone 5 of the Sustainable Transport Project and the Sustainable Purchasing Project, and the completion of the Planning and Review stage of the CCP Plus Program (the highest level to achieve). Council’s achievements and continued actions highlight Council’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

2008 CCP Australia Measures Evaluation Report

According to the 2008 CCP Australia Measures Evaluation Report, in the 2007/08 financial year 184 Councils across Australia reported over 3000 greenhouse gas abatement actions. Collectively these actions prevented 4.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from entering the atmosphere, the equivalent to taking over a million cars off the road for one year.

In the 2007/08 reporting year the total greenhouse gas abatement for Mosman Council and the Mosman community was 14,582 tonnes CO2e. Measures that contributed to this abatement are listed below:

  • Use of energy efficient equipment in Council buildings
  • Purchase of greenpower for the Council buildings and events
  • Community energy efficiency / climate change projects
  • Residential Development Control Plan
  • Implementation of the paper and green waste collection services
  • Community composting and worm farming
  • Tree planting
  • Actions implemented from the Sustainable Transport Plan, Sustainable Purchasing Plan and the Environmental Management Plan

Community Target

As a component of this program Council has set a corporate and community greenhouse gas reduction target of 20% by 2010 (based on 1995 levels).

Council and the Community have successfully implemented greenhouse gas reduction and abatement actions, and in doing so have slowed the rate of greenhouse gases emitted between 2001 and 2006, however, community greenhouse gases have still increased by approximately 27.6% between 1995 and 2006. Based on the 20% reduction target, the Mosman community will need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 94,504 tonnes CO2e by 2010.

Get some tips on how you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

Past initiatives