Carbon neutral council
The City of Sydney became carbon neutral years ago by using energy efficiency measures, introducing renewable energy and buying offsets. Now we are upping the ante and cutting emissions at the source (all of our operations across the City).
To start, we’re spending $18 million to almost halve carbon dioxide emissions from City properties by 2012. Emissions have already been reduced by 18% by retrofitting Council buildings, with solar photovoltaic panels and solar water heating (especially in community centres and similar public facilities).
We’ve earmarked another $12 million for spending on renewable energy over the next five years.
In the great outdoors, we’re rolling out energy-efficient LED street-lights to all public areas Council has responsibility over (including parks and plazas). Two electric cars and more than 20 diesel-electric hybrid trucks now grace the City’s fleet, reducing transport emissions by 30 per cent. We’re about to fit new exhaust systems to another 84 trucks too, so the total is on the rise.
And of course, our grand plans to develop a green infrastructure network that will bring trigeneration, a recycled water supply and automated waste procedures to the City is coming along in leaps and bounds.
Towards 2030, we are doing everything we can to make Council operations environmentally sustainable to:
- help end our reliance on natural resources
- cut greenhouse emissions
- act on climate change.
Sydney 2030: green, global and connected. Go to the 2030 strategic directions.
