Community Climate Action Plan

Recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tell us global carbon emissions are rising rapidly and the impacts of climate change on communities around the world are accelerating.

We are now in a critical decade for urgent action with the window to keeping global warming to below 1.5°C and to averting devastating climate impacts rapidly closing.¹

Bellingen Shire Council has a longstanding commitment on climate action. In 2019 Council joined a global movement when it declared a climate emergency and set out its commitment to accelerate actions in the Climate Emergency Response Framework. The Framework called for the development of ambitious plans to reduce our Shire’s contribution to global carbon emissions and to build community resilience to the impacts climate change is already having on our region.

Our Shire’s greatest resource in responding to the climate emergency is our amazing Community! Council recognises the considerable expertise, experience and commitment of our community in taking climate action. That’s why we’ve been working together with our community to develop the Bellingen Shire Community Climate Action Plan.

The Plan presents a wide range of climate actions developed by our community that set a clear pathway for our Shire’s transition to a net zero emissions future and to building community resilience to the increasing impacts climate change is having on our region.

In the words of one member of the community, this Plan ‘is a great opportunity to keep moving towards making our Shire more sustainable and a model shire for the rest of the country…’ (Lisa Siegel, Centre for Ecological Learning)

Council is proud to be working together in partnership with our community on delivering this important Plan that responds to the global climate emergency at the local level.

Click here to view the Bellingen Shire Community Climate Action Plan.(PDF, 2MB)

To get involved, you can contact the project leaders in the Plan, or be in touch with Bellingen Shire Council’s Sustainability Officer for further information.