In December 2015, world leaders at the UN Climate Change Conference reached agreement on how to address the negative impacts of climate change. 

The Paris Agreement (PA) sets long-term goals to guide all nations to:

• Substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, to hold global temperature increases to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognising that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change

• Periodically assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of this agreement and its long-term goals

• Provide financing to developing countries to mitigate climate change, strengthen resilience and enhance abilities to adapt to climate impacts

The PA is a legally binding international treaty, with 195 participants including Australia. The treaty came into force 4 November 2016.

A Climate Change Declaration (CCD) provides a clear statement that a Local Government:

• Accepts the science behind climate change

• Understands the specific implications for their municipality (e.g. the prevalence of longer and hotter heatwaves) 

• Understands their role in relation to climate change, in the context of a broader political framework

• Takes climate change seriously (with an opportunity to highlight work undertaken to date)

• Commits to adopting climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies

The City of Armadale Climate Change Declaration has been endorsed by Council, and includes: 

• Background information on climate change; 

• The role of Local Government

• Details of progress to date in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives

• Future commitments in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation