Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s long road to net zero carbon emissions speeding up as 2030 looms

The clock is ticking on the Shire of Augusta Margaret River’s ambitious plan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030. With just under five years left to run, and substantial recent progress made, the local government recently committed to the latest stage of its plan. However, the main avenues for major emissions reductions have seemingly already been tapped and further options to reduce the Shire’s remaining annual emissions appear limited without relying on costly carbon offsets. Shire president Julia Meldrum remained optimistic that zero emissions remained possible. “Achieving net zero emissions by 2030 is an ambitious goal, but it reflects our dedication to creating a sustainable future for our community,” she told the Times. “Our shire is deeply committed to sustainability and climate action. “While we have made significant progress through initiatives like green power purchasing and fleet electrification, we recognise that reaching our 2030 target will require continued effort and innovation.” Despite work as far back as 2009, corporate emissions only started trending downwards at pace since 2022. Emissions dropped in 2020 only to rise again the next year but since 2022 the positive impetus has accelerated from an estimated 2500 tonnes of emissions back in 2007 compared to about 950 tonnes last measured in 2023. Councillors in March adopted the shire’s climate adaption plan focused on its own in-house actions. While that council decision was made without 2024 data to confirm ongoing reductions — crucial to determining the likely overall success of the program — a shire spokesperson told the Times corporate reductions were looking to exceed the targets set for the shire in years past. The 2023 emissions were already below the target set for 2024 which was 1126 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, measuring below 1000 tCO₂-e. This year’s target was 939 tCO₂-e, however, the shire said definitive tracking of the emissions data was delayed by its new information technology changeover. * The shire’s first ambitions on climate change action emerged more than 15 years ago with development of its Local Energy Action Plan that was subject to multiple revisions as environmental planners broke new ground investigating how local government could agitate in the emissions-reduction space without waiting for leadership from State and Federal governments. The plan initially sought to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in community emissions and 30 per cent local government emissions by 2020. To support those goals, actions included a big focus on solar installations on shire buildings as well as support for the Augusta-Margaret River Clean Community Energy group helping do the groundwork for a possible wind farm in the region. However, LEAP proved too big of a leap. In 2011, the shire stopped buying green power considered as too costly to justify emissions reductions. Then in 2014, population growth triggered concerns after officers found community energy consumption was actually increasing rather than falling. Behind-the-scenes work drove LEAP into even greater public consultation that would ultimately lead to a climate action summit held during the 2019 Margaret River Pro. The outcomes of that summit sowed the seeds of a rethink which in 2021 dropped those unlikely, unwieldy community targets for good. However, at the same time, the shire committed itself to its even more ambitious 2030 net zero target under then-chief executive Stephanie Addison-Brown and president Pam Townshend. * The latest adaptation plan’s March adoption coincided with a strong push back from a cohort of farmers and residents in the south of the shire who criticised the Shire’s climate change focus as costly and pointless in the scope of global emissions. They were also concerned about the possible effects of a Synergy-brokered wind farm being considered at Scott River, for which past Shire support laid the groundwork. In their deputations, some of the complainants singled out the 11 action points adopted during the 2019 summit. They voiced anger at language studded throughout the Shire’s 2021 Climate Action Plan Part 1 which had included formal declaration of a “climate emergency,” as reported by the Times. Former Sustainability Advisory Committee member and chair Julian Kruger was deeply involved in the LEAP, including the climate action summit which helped produce that plan. The environmental scientist who since co-founded green philanthropic group Line in the Sand told the Times community engagement between 2013 and 2020 was vital for where the Shire had now arrived in tangible action. “During the stakeholder engagement phase which included correspondence, community meetings and ultimately the summit, there was a real focus on ensuring that all sectors of the community were involved and given the opportunity to provide their thoughts,” he said. “As much as possible, we tried to make the decision-making process for the mitigation actions broad-based, objective and quantitative.” The Shire’s executive is required to file an annual report outlining progress to the goal, with financial decisions to be embedded in the long-term financial plan. * In the part of the new adaptation plan prepared by consultants, the greatest risks to the region from climate change were increased bushfires and further declines in rainfall, followed by more hot days and intense weather and storm events as well as greater coastal erosion. Unlike the City of Busselton where rising sea levels are a direct threat to housing, it was mostly in Augusta where perceived risks were a possible problem. Shire data showed the majority of its reductions were achieved by purchasing green power, negotiated through a WA Local Government Association bulk buying deal making it cheaper than conventional power – though the Shire refused to provide exact costs due to confidentiality. Other contributors to emissions in streetlights and the local government’s vehicle fleet had not moved the dial much, though the Shire has progressively bought more electric vehicles during the past 18 months. Shire chief executive Andrea Selvey inherited the local government’s climate focus and told the Times that in addition to its own actions, the Shire would continue to work with other local governments to drive emissions reductions. She also cited the green power program for Shire buildings, upgrades to LED street lighting, and more electric vehicles as well as carbon offsets as the main steps. “We’ll also explore urban greening by planting more trees and vegetation in our towns to absorb carbon and enhance community wellbeing, and support residents to reduce their own emissions through initiatives like Caring for Our Place.” The Shire has worked comprehensively in recent years to wind back emissions, reviewing its own operations towards sustainability. However, green power and fleet electrification were the big-ticket items. Apart from a possible reliance on paid carbon offsets, the adaptation plan pointed to investment in solar batteries to enhance power storage as well as more stormwater works to help the local government be ever-more waterwise, coupled with support for tighter State Government controls on water allocation and identification of more water sources. An urban forest strategy for 2027-2030 would help cool public spaces and reduce the need for energy consumption, while possible road resurfacing would be considered to reduce heat emissions. Saving more habitat trees from development came in for a mention, while more canopies and shade covers, including at public carparks, lobbying for State Government-funded public transport as well as more leveraging of existing State and Federal funding streams were all cited. * The Shire president says collaboration with other agencies and levels of government as well as incoming technological changes offered the greatest avenue to achieve net zero. “Emerging technologies and supportive policies will play a crucial role in our journey towards net zero,” Ms Meldrum said. Options under review were further expensive upgrades to local energy uses including streetlights across the region. “While this could be costly if pursued independently now, it is likely to be much cheaper in the medium term as relevant stakeholders – service providers and State/Federal government – also advance energy-reduction measures,” she said. “This approach ensures we move on solutions when the time is right, rather than incurring higher costs by acting prematurely.” The president also said the Shire had a duty of care to ratepayers to ensure carbon-emission reductions were financially sensible. “Every step we take towards reducing emissions is carefully evaluated to ensure it is financially sound and provides a robust business case,” she told the Times. “We are committed to making decisions that are both environmentally and economically responsible.” Whether that means net zero will be achieved by 2030 therefore remained to be seen.

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s long road to net zero carbon emissions speeding up as 2030 looms

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