Council is developing a Climate Action Plan to provide a clear roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for climate impacts and building a more resilient community. The Plan will guide climate action across Council operations and the wider community through to 2050.

Shellharbour produces around 562,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. These emissions contribute to climate change, which affects our environment, health and future.

Council has committed to helping the community reach net zero emissions by 2050. To do that, we need a clear plan that includes everyone. That means homes, transport, businesses and more. The Climate Action Plan helps us plan how to reduce these emissions together.

The Climate Action Plan focuses on four key areas:

• Energy Transition
• Sustainable Transport
• Waste and Consumption
• Resilient People and Communities

The Plan includes actions for Council, residents, businesses and community organisations to help reduce emissions and strengthen resilience to climate impacts.

Net zero means we’re putting no more greenhouse gases into the air than we take out. We can do this by:

• Reducing emissions (e.g., switching to electric appliances and cars)
• Removing carbon from the air (e.g., planting trees)

Climate change is the long term shift in our planet’s weather patterns. This includes things like rising temperatures, changes in rainfall, and more extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves or bushfires.

It is mostly caused by human activities such as burning coal, gas and oil, which release gases into the air that trap heat, kind of like a blanket around the Earth.

These changes affect our environment, our health and the way we live, which is why it is so important we take steps now to reduce the impacts and protect our future.