Decision details

By Councillor Scott

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council:

(i)          join nearly 600 jurisdictions worldwide, including 22 Australian councils, and recognise that we are in a state of climate emergency that requires immediate action by all levels of government. Human induced climate change represents a substantial threat to civilisation and the environment, the worst of which can be avoided if we act collectively and take emergency action. Given the failure of Federal and State Governments to do so, the onus is on local government to lead the way on the climate emergency;

(ii)         acknowledge that climate change poses a threat to the future of the City of Sydney;

(iii)        note the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ‘Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius’;

(iv)       note the Federal Government’s latest emissions data showing we are increasing, not reducing, our carbon emissions;

(v)         further the City’s calls upon the State and Federal Governments to join us in declaring a climate emergency; and

(vi)       encourage neighbouring Local Government Areas to join us by declaring a climate emergency and advocate to State and Federal Governments in their own right; and

(B)        the Lord Mayor be requested to write to New South Wales Minister for Energy and Environment, The Hon. Matthew Kean MP, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Heritage, the Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC, the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Susan Ley MP and the Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water, Terri Butler MP, expressing this view.

Motion withdrawn.

S129266

Procedural Motion

At this stage of the meeting, it was moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Thalis –

That Items 13.3 and 13.4 be adopted as part of an in globo motion

Carried unanimously.