The Maroondah Sustainability Strategy has reached draft status and was endorsed for public exhibition at the last Council meeting. Public comments and submissions can be made about the strategy up to the 1st of December, whereby this feedback will be considered when the policy is finalised at a future council meeting.

The Maroondah Sustainability Strategy will guide the council’s approach to energy, water, transport and resource usage for the next four years and it is therefore critical that the document sets proactive environmental targets.

The Maroondah Leader has reported on the Draft Strategy, including its carbon neutral target of 2020:

Cr Alex Makin, who also voted to support the draft plan, said the council should set an interim target to ensure it reached its 2020 goal.

Currently there are no interim targets to measure council’s progress towards reaching carbon neutrality. While I personally believe that the target should potentially be brought forward to 2012, it is also imperative that interim goals are established to guide council budgets and to measure progress towards becoming carbon neutral.

Back in the year 2000 the then council set a target of reducing energy consumption by 20% by the year 2010. Unfortunately due to the lack of interim targets this was largely forgotten until public pressure along with myself, Jo-anne Taylor and Maureen forced the council to recommit to this goal.

It is therefore essential that any carbon neutral target includes appropriate interim goals to measure progress and keep council accountable for its performance in meeting this objective.