Australia's National Local Government Newspaper Online

The Toronto Declaration

Australian Councils show action on greenhouse

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) wishes to acknowledge the leadership shown by the City of Melbourne and Australian Local Governments in local action on greenhouse gas reduction. Local Councils are demonstrating this by signing the Toronto Declaration, which reaffirms Local Government commitment to greenhouse action.

In June 2001, ICLEI hosted a meeting in Toronto of local authorities worldwide involved in the advanced stages of the Cities of Climate Protection™ campaign. One outcome of this meeting was a commitment by representative local authorities to promote and encourage further the Toronto Declaration.

Councillor David Risstrom, Deputy Chair of Environment Community and Cultural Development Committee from The City of Melbourne who attended the Toronto meeting, also presented this Declaration to participants at the recent ‘Local Leaders, Local Solutions’ 2nd National CCP™ Conference held at the City of Charles Sturt in South Australia, where it received a supportive response from participants.

Since then the following local authorities Australia wide have signed the Declaration as a commitment to the ongoing action underway in both their corporate operations and within their municipalities. The Declaration will be submitted to the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP7). The next step is the development of an Action Plan to support the Declaration and ensure it leads to coordinated and further substantial action.

What is Cities for Climate Protection™?

There is a simple philosophy behind Cities for Climate Protection™ (CCP™) – when communities and Local Government work together, the seemingly insurmountable task of cutting greenhouse emissions is achievable. It is a sensible approach given the greenhouse effect is seen as daunting, with emission rates rising, as are the number of headlines linking weather catastrophes to the greenhouse effect. However, what Local Governments in the CCP™ Campaign are demonstrating is that ‘what’s good for the climate is good for our city and community’.

CCP™ Councils have discovered that addressing climate change makes good economic, environmental and political sense. In joining CCP™, Councils have been able to show leadership on environmental issues while also addressing a range of economic and liveability issues that commonly appear on Local Government agendas. From reducing waste, choosing green power and energy efficiency through to improving air quality and reducing traffic congestion – most greenhouse actions have had substantial flow on benefits for cities and neighbourhoods.

ICLEI acknowledges the leadership taken by the City of Melbourne and Australian Councils who have formally endorsed the Toronto Declaration (this list is accurate as of 31 October 2001):

Toronto Declaration excerpt

“WE THE PARTICIPANTS from local authorities who have taken leadership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world ...

RECOGNISING that climate change is the most critical threat to the sustainability of our planet and that the health of millions of people is at risk from rising heat, increased disease, more frequent and extreme weather events and rising sea levels ...

HEREBY pledge to continue our collective efforts to reduce existing emissions and lower future emissions growth. Achieving emission reductions of at least 50 per cent worldwide will be necessary to solve the problem. This will require significant and immediate attention by a true worldwide partnership of national governments, local governments, citizens, and businesses. We urge national governments to create strategic plans to support local government in their climate change protection work and to act on their commitments made through their ratification of the Framework Convention on Climate Change

If your Council is interested in taking a role in the Toronto Declaration, the development of the Action Plan or you would like to know more about the Cities for Climate Protection ™ Campaign, contact ICLEI for further information on (03) 9639 8699 or visit our website at www.iclei.org/anz

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