The University of Southern Queensland was involved with PURE recently in a review of the engagement processes in existence amongst government, agency and higher education institutions in the Darling Downs region. A report has been issued recently on climate concerns and illustrates the further linkages now in progress between the University and local government agencies in the area. It is an interesting postscript to the PURE review of such relationships.

Associate Professor Heather Zeppel, Mid Career Research Fellow at USQ reports:

SURVEY EVALUATES QUEENSLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLIMATE MITIGATION

Climate change mitigation by Queensland local government was the focus of a survey conducted by the University of Southern Queensland.

The survey evaluated carbon mitigation actions, greenhouse gas reporting, offsetting, and carbon price preparation by Queensland Councils. This survey was commissioned by Local Government Infrastructure Services (LGIS), as the first state-wide survey of carbon actions implemented by Queensland Councils.

Some 32 Councils completed the survey, including City, Regional, Shire and Aboriginal Shire Councils.

The survey found 13 Queensland Councils assessed their carbon emissions and five planned to do so. Council measures to reduce carbon emissions were mainly included in waste and water management plans or environment plans.

The Council operations generating carbon emissions include landfill, electricity, vehicle fleet, waste and water services, and street lighting. The main reasons for Councils to reduce emissions are: cost savings, environmental regulations, Council climate change strategies, and leadership.

Councils identified the main impacts of a carbon tax on their operations to be higher energy and fuel costs, a greater need to manage landfill emissions, compliance costs and increased materials costs.

Council preparations for the carbon price are most advanced in larger Councils, in those with a coastal location, and in Councils that already monitor and measure carbon emissions.

Larger councils had more resources and staff dedicated to sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives, had developed climate change strategies, and were aware of reducing emissions.

The results of this carbon survey were forwarded to all 73 Queensland Councils, local government associations within Queensland, and presented at LGIS Waste Forums in Rockhampton and Brisbane.

The project report appears below and may also be downloaded from:  www.usq.edu.au/acsbd/publications/workingpapers

Further information about this research can be found online at: www.usq.edu.au/acsbd/projects/councils