Climate Change
We are hearing the terms "climate change", "global warming", "bushfires" and "flash floods" a lot more now. It's overwhelming at times, and it would be more convenient to change the topic when they come up. But that's why we need to discuss it, so we know what to expect and what we can practically do within our power and spheres of influence to mitigate the situation.
So, let's talk climate change.
Climate science and our understanding of its implications are ever improving. In August 2021, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the internationally-recognised authoritative body on climate change, published an Assessment Report (2021) on the physical implications of climate change. The facts of our current state are:
- Each decade since 1850 (post-industrial) has been successively warmer than the last
- Every additional increment of global warming has had clearly discernible impacts on the rate and intensity of our climate changing
- More climate change impacts are on the way if we continue business as usual
- Right now, the most important thing is reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as much and as fast as possible
The Good News
1. The course is not set
We have the power to change it.
Putting in place strong and sustained actions now will mean that the benefits of our actions can be realised within our lifetimes, and even more so within that of the future generation.
The Campbelltown City Council declared a Climate Emergency in late 2019 and has been working hard to develop a Climate Solutions Strategy and action plan to measure, manage and reduce emissions as well as help our Community to become more resilient in the face of a changing climate. These are currently under development, so watch this space!
2. We are not starting from scratch
Council has a long-standing history of responding to climate change. While they may not have traditionally been labelled as "climate solutions", incorporating sustainability and environmental considerations into Council's day-to-day operations have been the norm long before climate emergency was declared.
Check out Our Climate Journey so far.
3. We are better equipped now than ever before
More and more, we are seeing climate-related research, technologies, talent, and industries emerging. In fact, it is likely that the solutions we need for a zero-carbon future already exist.
Council intends to tap into this wealth of resources in our response to climate change.
4. We have great partners on this climate journey with us
Having great partners to share and develop ideas, advocate for change, and hold each other accountable is an important part of tackling climate change. Council has joined several climate action partnerships over the years:
- Resilient East
- Climate Emergency Australia Network
- Cities Power Partnerships
- Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Commitment
5. The Campbelltown Community is onboard
Over the years, Council has received a significant amount of feedback that climate change is a key concern for our Community. Even amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Community have repeatedly reinforced that they would like more to be done, and more than that, they want to know how they can get involved.
If you ever wonder that you are alone on this climate journey, you're not. Together, we can change climate change.
