Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has been invited to join 100 of the world’s mayors in Copenhagen in December to lobby to get cities included in global climate change agreements.
The Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors will run from 14-17 December in parallel to the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The Mayors Summit will work to ensure that new international climate change agreements do not repeat the omissions of the Kyoto Protocol in terms of the crucial role that cities and local government play in setting policy and taking action to combat climate change.
Approval for the trip will be sought at Council’s Finance and Governance committee meeting on 17 November.
With more than half of the world’s people living in cities and cities responsible for up to 75 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Lord Mayor said it was vital any workable climate change agreement acknowledge local communities.
“Any solution to the world’s climate crisis must involve the active participation of cities, but cities are not currently recognised in the Kyoto protocol,” the Lord Mayor said.
“As Lord Mayor I take very seriously our responsibility to make sure the people of Melbourne are protected from the impacts of climate change and see my involvement at Copenhagen as an unparalleled opportunity to do this. We will have unprecedented access to international Heads of State delegations to lobby for a unified approach in mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate change.
“We expect to see more than 170 world leaders, and 100 city leaders in Copenhagen debating climate change – arguably the most pressing environmental, social and economic problem facing the planet. We need to ask – do we want to be leaders or followers? Do we want to be there to help influence policy, or do we want to be told what to do?
“The negotiations at Copenhagen will set the stage on climate change policy for years to come – and I want Melbourne to be part of that action.”
The Lord Mayor said he had met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Federal Minister for Local Government, Anthony Albanese to lobby for support from the Federal Government in getting cities and local communities included in post-Kyoto agreement documentation.
He said the City of Melbourne was already internationally recognised as a world leader in local government for its programs to combat the impacts of climate change, winning acclaim for the construction of Council House 2, Australia’s first six star green star commercial building in 2006.
“Our invitation to Copenhagen came because of the leading role we have taken in pursuing sustainability initiatives in Melbourne and now we have the opportunity to share our knowledge and achievements on a world stage.
“We were one of the first cities to sign on to the Clinton Climate Initiative’s building program and we are now working to make 1200 of the commercial buildings in our city more energy efficient and more competitive. This year we launched our Climate Adaptation Strategy – to help prepare for the impacts of climate change - and we continue to work towards our zero net emissions by 2020 promise.
“Just last month we made a commitment to invest almost $2.7 million in retrofitting 13 council buildings, including Melbourne Town Hall, Queen Victoria Market and Melbourne City Baths. This will see reductions in carbon emissions and deliver significant water and energy savings for Council.
“Climate change is not just about the environment. It’s an economic and social issue that will have a significant impact on the people and businesses that operate in Melbourne from here on in. Being proactive on climate change issues today will give Melbourne a significant competitive advantage in years to come.”
The Lord Mayor will be joined in Copenhagen by Eco-City Chair Councillor, Dr. Cathy Oke, who will go in her capacity as a board member of the international organisation, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. She will be coordinating a program for Australian and NZ local government ambassadors to the UN Climate Change Conference.
“Getting cities included in international climate change agreements will mean recognition for the work we are already doing to protect our community from the impacts of climate change. And it may also mean more funding, which will help us continue these activities,” Cr Oke said.
“Cities, like Melbourne, will be critical partners as the federal and state governments put in place policies to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.”
The current draft negotiating text for the post-Kyoto agreement, includes references to cities and local government. ICLEI is advocating for these references to remain in the final Copenhagen agreement.
The Lord Mayor and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore are Australia’s two official representatives invited to the Summit by the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen. While in Copenhagen the Lord Mayor will also attend a royal reception for international city leaders and Danish businesses, hosted by the Crown Prince of Denmark at the royal palace Amalienborg on 14 December.