Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Ellsmore –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         in 2008 the City of Sydney launched Sustainable Sydney 2030 - The Vision;

(ii)        the Vision set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the entire local government area by 70 per cent below 2006 levels by 2030;

(iii)       the Vision planned for trigeneration to supply 70 per cent of Sydney’s electricity needs by 2030;

(iv)       by using trigeneration, the City’s reduction targets rely upon the use of gas which produces greenhouse gases;

(v)        accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere lead to a heating of the earth's surface, creating shifting seasons, rising sea-levels, disappearing Arctic sea-ice and more intense heat waves;

(vi)       the Vision’s plans means that key city services such as Town Hall and Community pools still rely on gas for power;

(vii)      in 2021 the City released the Environmental strategy 2021-2025;

(viii)    the new strategy’s key measures include phasing out natural gas from our operations and using alternative water sources to keep our parks green;

(ix)       a City of Sydney survey found that almost 100 per cent of residents wanted climate action;

(x)        the Albanese Government's Rewiring the Nation plan will enable $4.7 billion from the Commonwealth to join with $3.1 billion from the NSW Transmission Acceleration Facility, to help NSW realise its Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and increase reliability across the east coast grid;

(xi)       after the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)’s advocacy, the Federal Labor Government announced last week the creation of a new $100 million Community Upgrades Fund;

(xii)      the fund will support local government to invest in local clean energy solutions such as upgrading public sporting, community and cultural facilities to deliver clean energy solutions; and

(xiii)    the fund will save our community's money and increase our resilience to climate change; and

(B)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to bring to Council a proposal by the end of 2023 to electrify Sydney. This plan will explore:

(i)         how the City can incentivise residents to transition their power from gas to electricity;

(ii)        how the City will transition its own services including pools and Town Hall to electrical power; and

(iii)       how the City can ensure and aid CBD commercial properties to transition to electrical power.

Amendment. Moved by Councillor Worling, seconded by Councillor Kok –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         in 2008 the City of Sydney launched Sustainable Sydney 2030 - The Vision;

(ii)        the Vision set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the entire local government area by 70 per cent below 2006 levels by 2030;

(iii)       the Vision planned for trigeneration to supply 70 per cent of Sydney’s electricity needs by 2030 because at that time, gas was a lower emissions source of energy than electricity;

(iv)       by using trigeneration, the City’s reduction targets rely upon the use of gas which produces greenhouse gases;

(v)        accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere lead to a heating of the earth's surface, creating shifting seasons, rising sea-levels, disappearing Arctic sea-ice and more intense heat waves;

(vi)       the rapid increase in availability, and decrease in price, of renewable electricity has meant that it is now the most effective strategy, and we have adapted our plan accordingly

(vii)      in 2021 the City released the Environmental Strategy 2021-2025;

(viii)    the new strategy’s key measures include phasing out natural gas from our operations and using alternative water sources to keep our parks green;

(ix)       it is estimated that natural gas use by the City will reduce by 40 per cent within the next two years as we transfer to electricity, with further reductions occurring progressively after that;

(x)        the City’s proposed Net Zero Performance Standards for new developments:

(a)        set ‘financially viable’ energy intensity levels, which are more easily achieved with electricity;

(b)        establish an electrification pathway for the refurbishment of existing developments; and

(c)        require the purchase of renewable energy;

(xi)       the City’s Better Building Partnership has released a best-practice electrification toolkit for asset and facilities managers to accelerate electrification across national commercial office portfolios; 

(xii)      through Smart Green Apartments and Green Building Grants the City identifies building electrification opportunities as part of the Energy Action Plans for Owners Corporations;

(xiii)    the City’s GreenPower campaign supports residents and business to transition to clean energy;

(xiv)    as part of Resilient Sydney, the City has made available data, tools and capacity building to Sydney metropolitan councils to build the business case for community wide electrification;

(xv)     a City of Sydney survey found that almost 100 per cent of residents wanted climate action;

(xvi)    the Albanese Government's Rewiring the Nation plan will enable $4.7 billion from the Commonwealth to join with $3.1 billion from the NSW Transmission Acceleration Facility, to help NSW realise its Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and increase reliability across the east coast grid;

(xvii)   after the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA)’s advocacy, the Federal Labor Government announced last week the creation of a new $100 million Community Energy Upgrades Fund;

(xviii)  the fund will support local government to invest in local clean energy solutions such as upgrading public sporting, community and cultural facilities to deliver clean energy solutions; and

(xix)    the fund will save our communities money and increase our resilience to climate change; and

(B)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to provide Council with a progress report via the CEO Update on:

(i)         how the City is incentivising residents to transition their power from gas to electricity;

(ii)        how the City is transitioning its own services including pools and Town Hall to electrical power; and

(iii)       how the City is supporting CBD commercial properties to transition to electrical power.

The amendment was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)               The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Gannon, Jarrett, Kok and Worling

Noes (2)               Councillors Scott and Weldon.

Amendment carried.

The amended motion was carried unanimously.

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