Monash Council urged to declare climate emergency

A southeast environmental group is urging Monash Council to declare a climate emergency. It says it would help send a message to the community and set a standard, and already one councillor has backed the move.

Monash Council is being urged to declare a climate emergency.

The growing threat of climate change and its impact on vulnerable communities is something that Monash Council is being urged to recognise.

South-East Climate Action Network co-founder Asher Coleman said council needed to officially declare a climate emergency to both show the community its intent and help set in place a future direction.

“The community is really concerned about climate change,” he said.

“People may ask ‘Why declare this, it will just scare people’, but people are already worried — this reassures them by letting them know that their council is taking action.

“It also sends a clear message to the State Government that they should take strong action.”

The group, which runs across Monash, Greater Dandenong, Casey, Cardinia and Mornington, has more than 150 members and an emailing list of more than 1400 despite only being in existence for about two months.

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Mr Coleman said such a declaration would work best alongside strengthening an existing climate policy.

“We strongly hope that Monash Council declares a climate emergency and that anyone interested should come to (Tuesday’s) meeting to show their support,” he said.

Monash Cr Josh Fergeus said in a petition to support the move that the world had been given 12 years to drastically reduce emissions and that action was needed at all levels of government.

“This declaration would demonstrate a concrete commitment, a willingness to stand together and fight to prevent the largest threat of our times,” he said.