The City of Canada Bay becomes the first Council in Sydney’s Inner West to set a net-zero emissions target for its local government area.
The new target — net-zero emissions from the City of Canada Bay community by 2050 — was endorsed unanimously at the City of Canada Bay’s March 17 Council meeting, as part of Council’s new Environmental Strategy and Emissions Reduction Action Plan.
“We are in a state of climate emergency, there’s no other way to say it,” said City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas.
“We have a responsibility to protect our community and home from the impacts of climate change. Our new Environmental Strategy will not only ensure we are taking concrete steps to safeguard our environment but hold us accountable through measurable targets.”
Philippe Pinson, owner and head chef of Drummoyne restaurant Vatel has reduced his average daily consumption from 52 KWH/day to just 6 KWH/day as a result of installing solar panels and batteries over the years.
“Going solar was not only an environmental decision for us, it was an economical one too. With the price of electricity going up and up, being self-sufficient has helped us to reduce our electricity bills by over 88%,” he said.
Vatel has also been involved in the City of Canada Bay’s sustainable food and business programs Eat, Taste, Create and ResourceWise.
“Cutting down on waste and being as energy efficient as possible is not only good for the environment — it’s good for the balance sheet too,” said Pinson.
The ambitious new emissions targets are part of the City of Canada Bay’s wider Environmental Strategy, which sets out other sustainability-related targets and steps Council will take to involve the community in reaching these goals.
For example, partnering with the community in education and tree planting days to grow the City’s tree canopy to 25% or working with other Councils, bushcare volunteers and river keepers to help make the Parramatta River swimmable again.
Click here for more information about the new targets.
