Hamilton City Council has approved a climate action plan for the city after it was revealed 64% of its carbon emissions come from transport.
Council’s Environment Committee today approved the Climate Change Action Plan 2021/22 which outlines steps the Council will take to address climate change, reduce emissions and increase the city’s resilience to climate events.
The Plan includes a budgeted $55 million spend over the next 10 years to reduce reliance on private vehicles, and make it easier for people to walk, ride, scoot, and use public transport.
Chair of the Environment Committee, Councillor Martin Gallagher said Council was committed to improving safety and accessibility of low carbon transport.
“Our job is to make it easier for Hamiltonians to have a low carbon commute,” he said.
“By upgrading biking infrastructure, improving safety and optimising our public transport network, we hope to give people more choice about how they get around.”
Another key commitment in the Climate Change Action Plan 2021/22 was to fight the landfill and minimise waste.
Council’s new rubbish and recycling service – now 12 months old – is now diverting 51% of Hamilton’s waste away from landfill.
“This has increased from 28% before the new scheme was introduced,” Cr Gallagher said.
The Plan builds on the 2020/21 Action Plan, and ongoing community and stakeholder engagement and includes plans to reduce Council’s own operational emissions, conserve and protect water, and futureproof Hamilton by considering climate change in the city’s growth plans.
Council is also developing a long-term Climate Change Strategy, and policy which will ensure that climate change is embedded in decision making processes across Council, it said.
Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, Councillor Sarah Thomson said it was important to act with urgency.
“We’re already feeling the impacts of climate change. The actions in The Plan are really important to help us to create a more resilient city for Hamiltonians.”
The Plan will be measured and reported on a quarterly basis to the Environment Committee, with a final report delivered after June 2022.
