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40Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance
Progress
On time
- Not started
- Planning
- Implementation
- Continuous
OBJECTIVE
IMPACT
HighKnowledge sharing and collaboration on regional projects that helps to reduce Council and community emissions, as well as provide research and opportunities for climate change adaptation.
Description
Indigo Shire Council has been an active member of the Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance since 2007.
The Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance (GMCA) is a network of key stakeholders in the Goulburn and Upper Murray regions who are responding and adapting to climate change through collaborating on innovative projects and research.
The GMCA membership includes 13 Councils, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, North East Catchment Management Authority and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) - Hume.
GMCA is part of the Victorian Greenhouse Alliances, who host an annual forum in Melbourne which is attended by Council's officer and Councillor representatives.
Council pays an annual membership fee to GMCA. In 2022/23 we paid $7,307 to Murrindindi Shire Council, who is GMCA's auspice. Fees contribute to the employment of GMCA's Executive Officer, Carole Hammond.
The GMCA has council officer and Councillor representation from member councils. Indigo's Councillor representative is Diane Shepheard.
GMCA members (including Indigo Shire Council) benefit greatly from the knowledge sharing, collaboration, opportunities, and economies of scale offered by the alliance.
GMCA was previously known as the Goulburn Broken Greenhouse Alliance.
Tasks
What are we doing?
- 31/10/2023
Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) project
- 31/12/2024
Resilient Public Estate: Asset Vulnerability Assessment project
This is a GMCA-led 12 month project which has received funding from Emergency Management Victoria (EMV). Indigo Shire Council is participating in the project including the working group.The project involves:
- GMCA-wide Asset Vulnerability Assessment (AVA)
- Case Study(s) and Guidelines in Implementing further Case Study
Indigo Shire Council provided asset data and had input to selection of case studies.
- 31/12/2035
Quarterly GMCA meetings
What has been done?
- 28/04/2023
2023 Climate Leaders Forum
The 2023 Climate Leaders Forum - ‘Advocacy, sponsorship and support in a time of climate change’- was a 3-day GMCA forum hosted by Rural City of Wangaratta, and was attended by Indigo Shire Councillors and members of Council’s executive. The event was held on 10th & 24th March and 28th April.
- 30/06/2022
Naturally Cooler Towns project
In 2021, GMCA facilitated the Naturally Cooler Towns project, which explored opportunities to increase tree canopies in GMCA towns. Members reviewed the effect of drought tolerant urban forest species suited to this region, and the challenges and opportunities available. A regional report was produced and member Councils also received a shire summary report - including Indigo. The consultant engaged to deliver the project (Meg Caffin) also presented the project findings to a Council Briefing.
- 30/06/2020
Power Purchase Agreement (VECO) project
In 2020, seven member councils (including Indigo) joined 39 other Victorian councils and their climate alliances in converting their buildings and facilities to 100% renewable electricity via a Power Purchase Agreement (VECO).
GMCA played a critical role in encouraging and supporting member Councils to join the collaboration.
For Indigo Shire Council, joining VECO has resulted in 1,100 tonnes of CO2-e being reduced annually from our emissions profile.
- 31/12/2019
Carbon Crunching Councils project
In 2019, GMCA via the 'Carbon Crunching Councils' project helped Indigo Shire Council and other member councils to investigate on-line carbon accounting platforms to begin calculating our greenhouse gas emissions. Trellis was the provider recommended through this process and Council has been tracking its emissions using this service since.
This is a GMCA-led project. In November 2022, eight GMCA member councils (including Indigo) and DEECA co-funded a shared Environmentally Sustainable Development Advisor (12 month term - until Oct 2023) to work closely with planning teams and developers to raise awareness of the Sustainable Subdivisions Framework (SSF) and support exisiting applications.
This has resulted in Indigo Shire's first SSF application (Alma Rd, Beechworth) being approved by Council's Planning in 2023.