Council Action

In September 2019 Bass Coast Shire Councillors joined a growing movement of councils leading the nation in declaring a climate emergency, recognising the serious risk that climate change poses to safety of the entire Bass Coast community.

Immediate and urgent action is required to reduce our emissions, build community resilience against the local impacts of climate change and ultimately reverse global warming. A target of zero net emissions by 2030 is now in place for Council operations as well as the wider community.

Bass Coast Shire is committed to doing everything it can to solve the challenge of climate change. As a region renowned for its natural beauty and productive land, it is critical that rapid action is taken to protect our natural assets, to maintain Bass Coast’s unique environment and secure a liveable and healthy future for our community.

Achievements

Learn more about the actions Council has taken to reduce emissions.

Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO)

Bass Coast Shire Council is leading the way as one of 46 Victorian Councils to form the largest ever emissions reduction project by local government in Australia, switching to 100% renewable energy.
We are one of 46 Victorian Councils that have pooled investment of 240GWh of renewable electricity, reducing greenhouse emissions by 260,000 tonnes of CO2-e per year. This is equivalent to annually powering 48,000 homes or taking 90,000 cars off the road.

Learn more
Climate Emergency Community Grants

Community grants for climate action are now embedded in Bass Coast Shire Council's annual grants program.
Up to $40,000 per year is available to community groups and organisations for projects that accelerate community-led climate action such as feasibility studies for community energy projects, smart grid technology, and behaviour change programs.

Apply for a grant
Biolinks Tree Planting

Council has budgeted around $950,000 over five years to deliver the Biolinks tree planting project, in partnership with the Bass Coast Landcare Network.
This important initiative increases vegetation cover across Bass Coast, providing habitat connectivity for native species, and sequestering carbon.
In 2022, Council-funded Biolinks sites will deliver over 150,000 plants, revegetate 83 hectares, and protect 19 hectares of remnant vegetation.

Climate Change Action Plan

Following extensive community consultation, Bass Coast Shire Council developed a Climate Change Action Plan, which sets a target of zero net emissions for both Council operations and the community by 2030.

At Council, significant steps have already been taken towards zero net emissions by sourcing 100% renewable energy for all of our buildings, facilities and street lighting.

Climate Change Action Plan

Download a PDF version of the Plan to read our detailed roadmap to net zero by 2030.

Download

You can view the Bass Coast Community Emissions Model to see how we can collectively achieve net zero emissions by 2030.

The emissions modelling and pathway for the Bass Coast builds on the Z-NET Blueprint Model. The Z-Net Model is a highly detailed and best practice approach developed under a creative commons licence to allow rural towns, villages and regions to design a pathway to achieve and then exceed zero net emissions. It sets out the approach taken, the logic and principles applied in assessing options and the framework used for developing the Climate Change Action plan.

Consistent with the Creative Commons license for the model and other resources Bass Coast has made the zero net emissions model available to download as a part of the Z-NET Collaboration. This will ensure benefit to future communities to develop their own pathways. Bass Coast Shire Council would like to acknowledge the Z-net approach, the collaboration created and coordinated by Starfish Initiatives, alongside project partners Hip V. HYPE Sustainability and Little Sketches in developing the Bass Coast Community Emissions Profile.

To view the full data, assumptions and methodology please download the following spreadsheet Bass Coast Community Emissions Model Final v1 0.

View the Bass Coast Community Emissions Model to see a detailed breakdown of Bass Coast's emissions sources.

Due to the predominance of fossil fuels (mainly coal) used to generate electricity in Victoria, stationary energy is the largest source of emissions in Bass Coast (39.8%). 37.5% of this comes from electricity, 3.3% from LPG bottled gas and 1.2% from mains gas. Transport (29.7%) and agriculture (26.7%) also dominate the Shire’s emissions profile.

The land sector provides a net carbon sink with forestry and vegetation activities in the shire estimated to draw down 0.7% of gross emissions (i.e. emissions prior to crediting activities).

When we look at emissions by ‘economic sector’ we can see that the residential sector is responsible for the largest source of emissions (44.1%) followed by the farming sector (33.3%), commercial (16.7%), and industrial (6.1%) sector emissions.

The municipal sector includes all Council emissions, public land (including the land sector) and other emissions unable to be allocated from source data. The municipal sector is a net sink as it includes existing and historical revegetation, such as the current Biolinks project.

Council Emissions Reporting

Council's annual emissions data will be published here annually.

Phone	1300 BCOAST (226 278) or (03) 5671 2211 or via the National Relay Service (for people with speech or hearing difficulties) on 13 36 77
Email	thecap@basscoast.vic.gov.au
Website	www.basscoast.vic.gov.au
In writing	Wonthaggi 76 McBride Avenue Wonthaggi VIC 3995

1300 BCOAST (226 278) or (03) 5671 2211 or via the National Relay Service (for people with speech or hearing difficulties) on 13 36 77

thecap@basscoast.vic.gov.au

www.basscoast.vic.gov.au

Wonthaggi
76 McBride Avenue
Wonthaggi VIC 3995

The Cap

Achievements

Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO)

Climate Emergency Community Grants

Biolinks Tree Planting

Climate Change Action Plan

Acknowledgement of Country

Contact Us

Connect with Us