400 sign petition for Moonee Valley to declare climate emergency
A passionate sustainability group is fighting for a greener future, petitioning Moonee Valley Council to join councils such as Moreland in declaring a climate emergency. And their quest is being backed by hundreds.
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Hundreds of sustainability advocates are calling on Moonee Valley Council to declare a climate emergency.
The Moonee Valley Sustainability group has gathered more than 400 signatures for a petition calling on the council to join others in Melbourne in publicly declaring an emergency.
The group want the council to commit to more tree planting events, reduce food waste, and help switch the community to 100 per cent renewable energy sources.
Sustainability group founder Logan Shield, from Avondale Heights, said it was important that the council acted now before the effects of climate change became irreversible.
“The science is really clear that an ecological breakdown is on the horizon,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem fair that we don’t do everything we possibly can within our power to do something about this right now while there’s still time.”
Mr Shield, 41, said he was worried what the future would be like for his two children if nothing changed.
“My six-year-old is incredibly concerned about climate change,” Mr Shield said.
He said the community had really rallied around the petition.
“It’s become incredibly clear there is a real underlying sense of urgency and need for action in the community,” Mr Shield said.
Moonee Valley Mayor Narelle Sharpe said the council took the impact of climate change “very seriously”.
“We are committed to creating a cooler, climate resilient city with a low carbon footprint,” she said.
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The council implemented a long-term strategy last year, called MV2040, that aims to turn the municipality into a green city that is ecologically healthy and environmentally responsible.
“We have targets to achieve zero net emissions from the community by 2040, and to reduce our emissions from our operations by 95 per cent by 2040,” Cr Sharpe said.
The council is in the process of finalising a Green Action Plan, which will detail how they will achieve the targets set out in the MV2040.
The petition is available online, or at The Organic Wherehouse in Essendon, Brother Hen cafe in Moonee Ponds or the Urban Wellness Project in Ascot Vale.