Community taskforce challenged to help reduce carbon emissions
We are excited to announce that our Community Carbon Emissions Reduction Taskforce kicked off this week.
252 people registered their interest and from these registrations, we randomly selected 45 people to represent a cross section of our community based on neighbourhoods, wards, age, gender, diversity, language usually spoken at home and place of birth.
These 45 community members have been tasked with an important question:
Council has a key target in MV2040 to achieve zero net emissions for our community by 2040. How should Council reduce community carbon emissions?
Over the next three weekends the Taskforce will meet, discuss and workshop this question together. After much deliberation the group will make recommendations to Council and provide a written report of their findings for presentation at Council Strategic Briefing.
The Taskforce met for the first time on Wednesday 19 April. Mayor, Cr Tyson thanked our members for volunteering, for stepping up to the challenge and gifting their time and wisdom to benefit the Moonee Valley community. “We are excited to have you here and future actions by Council on climate change will be stronger for having your voices heard”.
Working with community to reduce carbon emissions is fundamental to achieving Council’s MV2040 target of zero net emissions for our community by 2040.
Keep an eye on this page as we provide weekly updates from the Taskforce deliberation meetings.
Day 1: Saturday, 22 April
The Community Carbon Emissions Reduction Taskforce gathered on Saturday to work together to answer the question: Council has a key target in MV2040 to achieve zero net emissions for our community by 2040. How should Council reduce community carbon emissions?
The morning was spent building connections between Taskforce members, setting them up well for robust discussions. The group considered critical thinking skills and unconscious bias, understanding that they would need these skills in order to carefully review the information before them.
Presentations were made to the Taskforce about the roles and scope of local government governed by the Local Government Act 2020. The group also considered the changing demographics of Moonee Valley. Insights and further questions were gathered that will be used next week to continue the deliberations.
"I am a young person in Moonee Valley and I am very passionate about the environment, climate change and the welfare of our community, particularly as I live and work in Moonee Valley. I would love the opportunity to represent people of my age and beliefs within our council to help improve our neighbourhood for the better of all."
"I think it's a great initiative to involve the community in these decisions and I would like to be involved because I believe I can bring ideas and expertise to the discussion."
"To contribute to community plans and decisions that will impact future generations and the liveability of our neighbourhoods."
Day 2: Saturday 29 April
The morning was spent in ‘speed dialogue’ with six specialists that work to contribute to reducing carbon emissions. Speakers were Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities, Rick Clark from Statutory and Strategic Planning at Moonee Valley, members of the Moonee Valley Sustainability community group, Lloyd Heathfield from Yarra Energy Foundation solar PV and residential electrification programs, Cataline Villaro from Yarra Energy Foundation’s Better Energy Better Business program and Bryce Gaton from EVChoice.
Taskforce members again shared their insights to inform recommendations. More than 25 draft recommendations were formed throughout the afternoon which will be refined on the final day of deliberations next Saturday.
"Am very interested in sustainability for the long term future of the planet and keen to make a contribution."
"As a local community member, rate payer, that of a younger demographic as well as working professionally within the Carbon sector I have a keen interest to engage and work with the council and other members of the community in how to best tackle carbon reduction projects. The shortlisted projects outlined in the consultant report, Community Emissions Reduction Analysis for Moonee Valley (March 2022) provide a wide range of options, as such, as a member of the community I would like to be a part of the decision making process in moving forward as a community."
"I'm a 68-year-old retired female, who has lived under the Moonee valley council for 38 years. I can see a great opportunity to give back to the community, by joining the engagement group in Moonee valley."
Day 3: Saturday 6 May
The morning of the final taskforce meeting was spent finalising and prioritising the groups recommendations.
After lunch the taskforce turned the final recommendations into a report answering the question: Council has a key target in MV2040 to achieve zero net emissions for our community by 2040. How should Council reduce community carbon emissions?
All the recommendations in the final report were supported by a supermajority of over 80% of the taskforce members.
In the afternoon taskforce members presented the report to Mayor Pierce Tyson and Councillor Rose Iser. The Mayor and Councillor Iser thanked the taskforce for their hard work and re-iterated our promise to carefully consider the recommendations of the Taskforce.
Group members said that the best part of the taskforce was 'Meeting other residents from Moonee Valley' and 'Learning about new methods, technologies and initiatives to combat climate change'.
