The City of Greater Geelong has taken its commitment to climate-change action to a global level by joining the United Nations’ Cities Race to Zero Climate Action Campaign.

Council will sign a pledge recognising a global climate emergency agreeing to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – a target exceeded by the City’s ambitious emissions plan - and committing to reporting annually on the actions that the City is taking to reduce and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Cities Race to Zero is part of the UN’s Race to Zero Climate Action Campaign which aims to demonstrate that cities regions businesses and investors around the world can work collaboratively to advocate for more urgent action from national governments in order to achieve global net zero emissions by 2050.

Joining the campaign is a significant step to provide the City with greater opportunities to work collaboratively with a global network of City leaders in taking action to address climate change.

There are currently 17 Australian councils and hundreds of cities around the world that are involved in this campaign which aligns with the City’s climate change actions targets and processes.

To join the campaign the City must publicly commit to keeping global warming below the 1.5°Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement and ensure inclusive climate action is at the centre of all urban decision-making to create thriving and equitable communities for everyone.

Mayor Stephanie Asher

The City had acknowledges climate change as a global emergency in 2020 through the development of its Sustainability Action Plan.

The City is already taking action by switching to renewable energy for all Council operations installing solar systems at 27 Council facilities and rolling out the conversion of more than 25 000 streetlights to LEDs.

We have listened to our community and finalised our Climate Change Response Plan which commits to a significantly urgent response including net zero emissions target for Council operations by 2025 and community-wide net zero emissions by 2035.

Our Climate Change Response Plan endorsed last month also includes a comprehensive roadmap to support our community on its net-zero journey.

Councillor Belinda Moloney - Chair of the Climate Change Action portfolio

I invite partners – political leaders CEOs trade unions investors and the wider community – to join the Council in recognising the global climate emergency and help us deliver on science-based action to overcome climate change.

We have committed to becoming a zero-emission climate-ready city and region which maintains green spaces protects and enhances our biodiversity improves integrated water management through planning and design.

Standing beside other communities across Australia and around the world by making a global pledge reaffirms that commitment.