Melbourne will become the engine room of Australia’s zero-carbon economy under a City of Melbourne plan to facilitate a network of start-ups, businesses and universities in the clean energy sector.
At Tuesday’s Future Melbourne Committee meeting, councillors endorsed the establishment of a Zero-Carbon Industry Cluster to create jobs, support innovation and deliver a range of social and environmental benefits.
The Cluster will be the first of its kind in Australia, with a focus on sharing ideas and creating practical projects to build capacity in the sector and strengthen its global competitiveness.
Council will host a Zero-Carbon Jobs Summit in November to set the agenda for the Cluster, ahead of its establishment in 2023.
The City of Melbourne continues to advocate to the Federal Government for projects that support the growth of Australia’s zero-carbon economy, including upgrades to the electricity grid, the installation of community batteries like Power Melbourne and the rollout of solar banks.
The Cluster builds on the City of Melbourne’s four-year objectives to build an economy for the future and prioritise the climate and biodiversity emergency with clear action.
Quotes attributable to Acting Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece
“Melbourne is a zero-carbon powerhouse. We’re proud to be putting the Cluster on our agenda, and to be leading the way for clean energy and climate adaption in Australia.
“We’re drawing on examples of best-practice from across the globe like Copenhagen’s State of Green to build our ambition for the future of Australia’s zero-carbon economy.
“Having seen their initiatives in action firsthand, I know that we can mirror its success and in doing so, create enormous opportunities for Australians and the world around us.”
Quotes attributable to Finance, Governance and Risk portfolio lead Councillor Philip Le Liu
“It’s great to be starting a conversation with key players in the clean industry sector about new ways we can work together to lead change, create jobs, support innovation and boost the local economy.
“The Summit will take us another step towards to building an economy of the future – not just for Melbourne, but across Australia.”
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