Call for Northern Beaches Council to declare a ‘climate emergency’

Northern Beaches Council could be about to declare a ‘climate emergency’. It would make it the latest of more than 30 councils across Australia to take action.

Campaigners outside Town Hall prior to City of Sydney Council declaring a climate emergency earlier this year.

• Mona Vale: Another dog poisoned on the northern beaches
• Council is set to approve plans for dog beach at Station Beach

Northern Beaches Council could become the latest to declare a climate emergency.

A notice of motion has been put forward by Greens councillor Natalie Warren and

independent Alex McTaggart which will be discussed on Tuesday.

It states council needs to act now and send a strong message to both the community and to state and federal MPs.

Cr Warren said there is no time to waste.

Alex McTaggart said the council must accelerate action on climate change. Picture: Adam Yip/ Manly Daily

Cr Natalie Warren has said the time to act is now. Picture: AAP Image / Julian Andrews.

“The science is telling us we have only a few years to radically reduce our emissions or face a future above 2C of warming leading to disastrous levels of rising seas, extreme weather, mass species extinction and food shortages. If that is not an emergency then I don’t know what is.”

In declaring a climate emergency, she is calling on council officers to report back within three months stating what the local authority is doing to accelerate action on climate change.

She also wants council to write to NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean MP, Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Prime Minster Scott Morrison and the relevant state and federal MPs and ask them too to declare a climate emergency.

If passed the council will put pressure on Prime Minister Scott Morrison among others to also declare a climate emergency. (AAP Image/Rob Blakers)

If passed on Tuesday Northern Beaches Council would be the latest of more than 30 other local authorities across Australia, including the City of Sydney, to declare a climate emergency.

Around 900 councils around the world, representing 200 million people, have also acted.

“The Northern Beaches has a proud legacy of farsighted sustainability initiatives and has

demonstrated the ability to create positive change locally,” the motion reads. “Successful strategies and lessons learned from behaviour change campaigns by local community groups are key to the transition to a low carbon future.

“Council’s Declaration of a Climate Emergency would send a strong message to the community that there is hope and a strong commitment to the work to be done.”

Cr Pat Daley has called for nuclear power to be put on the table. Pictured is the Angra I and II nuclear power complex in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro. (Photo by Daniel RAMALHO / AFP)

There has been criticism of the declarations with some arguing they are meaningless gestures and a waste of council time.

But Cr McTaggart said council needed to act and must “accelerate” efforts to reduce emissions.

“This is in regards to our own operations and also policies that assist communities,” he said.

The proposal will be discussed at the same meeting as Cr Pat Daley’s motion which calls for nuclear energy to be discussed as a potential future energy source.

IN OTHER NEWS