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