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7.2 MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INCLUDING SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
Description
Executive leadership and commitment are required if Council’s Climate Change Strategy is to be successful. The implementation of management and governance systems for the strategy, and commitment and authority to act at relevant levels to reduce emissions and adapt, is also key for success to be achieved.
Key priorities at leadership and management systems level may include: • A leadership group that brings together key stakeholders from crossfunctional areas in Council • Review and set targets for Council for renewable energy, carbon abatement and adaptation, including scale, timing and any interim targets • Employ a dedicated staff resource to implement the plan and work with the community to develop a plan for their emissions • A reporting framework that integrates the plan, key performance indicators (KPIs), climate change policy, and relevant strategic plans • Establish responsibilities and accountabilities related to the plan, included in position descriptions • Planning, resourcing, budgeting and funding actions through asset management plans, long term financial plans, key Council strategies and plans, Delivery Program and Operational Plans • Review metering and continue with existing data management systems for the collection and reporting of energy and carbon emissions (i.e. Azility) • Implement suitable measurement and verification systems, including M&V of significant abatement and adaptation projects, and the analysis of monitoring systems to determine overall progress on emissions reduction • Develop communication, engagement and capacity-building plans that identify key staff, identify communication channels, report progress against Council’s goals, identify and develop training, induction and awareness materials, and solicit input that increases awareness, recognition and buy-in
Sustainability Framework
A Sustainability Framework has been identified by Council as a top priority for Council’s future. A key part of this is embedding sustainability into the way Council does business.
The desired outcome is that sustainability becomes one of our guiding principles in our Business Plans, with this measured against targets around energy, greenhouse gas, water consumption and waste, and reporting against the projects in Council’s Delivery Program and Operational Plans. In order to be ‘part of the way we do business’ and deliver these outcomes, sustainability will need to be embedded within Council’s Integrated Planning & Reporting Framework (IP&R) (illustrated below), including:
1. Community Strategic Plan MidCoast 2030: Shared Vision, Shared
Responsibility – the CSP’s value of environment already provides a mandate to act to improve outcomes on climate and broader sustainability issues across Council’s assets and within the community. 2. Council’s Climate Change Policy and Climate Change Mitigation and
Adaptation Plan (this document, the Climate Change Strategy), informs the development of a 4-yearly Delivery Program and Annual
Operational Plans for each section of Council. 3. This Climate Change Strategy sits alongside Council’s other key strategies, policies and plans, and is used to inform updates to these where relevant, such as the:
a. Waste Management Strategy b. Vehicle Fleet Policy c. Procurement Policy and Procedure d. Our Water Our Future: Council’s Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy e. Coastal Management Plans f. Floodplain Risk Management Plans g. Catchment and Estuary Management Plans h. Draft Biodiversity Framework and Greening Strategy 4. The Climate Change Strategy, and climate mitigation and adaptation measures reflected in other strategies and plans are used to inform
Council’s Resourcing Strategy, including future updates to Asset
Management Plans, Long Term Financial Plans and Workforce
Management Planning.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
An evolution of Council’s Sustainability Framework could include the integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into Council
Scope for abatement
Risks and mitigation
Costs and benefits
strategies. These “Global Goals” are one of the primary drivers behind urgent action on climate change, among other sustainability actions. The Sustainability Advantage Program, of which MidCoast Council is a member, has recently released a Guide to help council executives, staff and councillors understand and integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into council strategies, plans, policies and operations. This can be considered further in the development of Phase 2 of Council’s Climate Change Strategy with the MidCoast community, and in future updates to this Strategy for Council’s operations.
By itself, this will not result in actual emissions reduction, but good leadership and an effective sustainability framework will be key factors in Council achieving their targets.
Without good governance, management and monitoring of progress Council’s efforts to reduce its emissions and adapt to climate change will be less effective in the long term.
The main cost will be the allocation of staff time to establish, govern and implement Council’s Climate Change Strategy, in particular employment of dedicated staff resources to implement the plan and work with the community to develop a plan to reduce their emissions. In addition, Council will continue its participation in the NSW Government’s Sustainability Advantage Program to guide Council in this space.
