An additional $100,000 has been provided to Western Australia’s two Regional Climate Alliances (RCAs) to support projects to reduce carbon emissions.
In June 2021, two RCAs were selected as part of a $500,000 pilot program under the Western Australian Climate Policy. The initiative supports collaborations between regional local governments to reduce emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts, as well as encourage capacity and knowledge building, to support action at a regional scale.
The two partnerships, the South Coast Alliance (SCA) and the Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils (GVROC), represent 13 local governments from the Great Southern and Goldfields regions.
Each of the RCAs will receive $50,000 to progress the following projects:
- SCA’s ‘Future Proofing the South Coast Through Sustainable Building Design’ project will assess council buildings and facilities to identify cost-effective emissions reduction measures, such as installing renewable energy, or retrofitting buildings to increase energy efficiency; and
- GVROC’s ‘Carbon Emissions Baseline Study’ project will identify emissions sources for member Councils, promote emissions reporting and monitoring tools, and support the prioritisation of new investments.
Both Alliances are pursuing ambitious work programs to transition their communities and economies to a zero carbon and climate resilient future.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries oversee the initiative, and the Western Australian Local Government Association administers the fund.
Alliances will be eligible to apply for a second and final round of project grant funding later this year.
More information can be found at https://walga.asn.au/regionalclimateallianceprogram
As stated by Environment Minister Reece Whitby:
“The State Government is pleased to support projects that will deliver tangible outcomes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Great Southern and Goldfields regions.
“These projects demonstrate how local governments can collaborate on a regional scale to help WA achieve its target of net zero emissions by 2050.”
As stated by Local Government Minister John Carey:
“The Regional Climate Alliance initiative is a great example of local governments working together and sharing resources to achieve better outcomes.
“I hope the proactive efforts of the two Regional Climate Alliances inspire all local governments to think strategically about responding to climate change in their jurisdictions.”
