City of Melbourne sets carbon emissions test for major events

The City of Melbourne says it wants to make all major events more environmentally friendly but has been slammed for “ridiculous virtue-signalling” instead of focusing on rubbish collections and cutting red tape.

The City of Melbourne will require big events it sponsors to reduce their carbon footprints in line with its ­recent “climate emergency” declaration.

While the New Year’s Eve fireworks is safe for now, ­industry insiders say the pyrotechnics display will be ­delivered in a more environmentally friendly way.

But the council has been criticised for “ridiculous virtue-signalling” instead of focusing on collecting rubbish and cutting red tape.

Under the council’s new event partnership program, future large events will need to undertake a carbon footprint assessment with a view to reducing emissions.

Melbourne’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display is safe for now. Picture: Jay Town

Completing a waste audit, cutting use of single-use plastics and establishing annual improvement targets will also be required.

However, there is no ­current proposal to direct councillors or staff not to ­attend high-carbon-emission events like the Formula One Grand Prix.

The council is studying what extra action it can take following its “climate emergency” announcement last month, which said that climate change and mass species extinction posed serious risks to the people of Melbourne.

The council was accused of hypocrisy because staff and councillors took at least 30 jet flights overseas in the year ­before the declaration.

There is no ­current proposal to direct councillors or staff not to ­attend high-carbon-emission events like the Formula One Grand Prix. Picture: AAP

A city council spokeswoman said that, in 2018, the ­council ran the nation’s first carbon-neutral fashion and music festivals.

“Lessons learnt about the environmental impact of our events through making (them) carbon neutral will be used in the planning of all City of Melbourne events, such as the New Year’s Eve celebrations,” she said.

Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics will again stage the fireworks display, with last year’s event costing $3.4 million mainly due to operational, safety and security costs.

The cost of the actual ­fireworks was only $235,000.

The council spokeswoman said there were no immediate plans to change the format of this year’s fireworks display.

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“The emissions associated with the production and ignition of a fireworks display contribute a very small percentage of overall emissions associated with the delivery of an event,” she said.

Howard & Sons won a major award and was recognised for its “green” methods at a fireworks competition in Canada last month.

Evan Mulholland, from free market think tank the ­Institute of Public Affairs, ­accused the council of ­“ridiculous virtue-signalling” that “burdened” community groups and businesses with pointless red and green tape.

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